we took a 45mins bus up this steep mountain (it was like initial d on the bus) to go chuzenji. yoshiko's mom said it'll be cold so i got an extra sweater.
walking to lake chuzenji


and this is it



not much there so we went to shop at the souvenir shops instead and walked towards kegon falls.




and bought a manjuu from this cute little girl

she took a bucket for us to throw the plastic when we finished eating too! SO CUTE!!!! <3 <3 <3

and kegon falls is much better than the one i saw at mitake.



we bought this dango-lookalike thingy for 100yen which is actually konnyaku. which sucks.

the fish besides us looks more delicious.
then we fooled around with a souvenir machine, thinking it could imprint our names on our coins.

but actually, you have to buy a medal from her for like 500yen.

then insert additional 30yen to imprint on this machine. wheeps.

hung out at the area for a while before we left.

oh and sis managed to see her friend too!

what a small world.
so we then took the same bus down the twirling winding steep and dangerous slope, we went to toshogu shrine. again.
actually, not really. when we walked around the area after the matsuri, where we went to was actually rinnoji.




i think we were doing lots of funny things you aren't supposed to do at a temple.


and when we reached toshogu, it was too late to enter (still possible, just that not much time left till closing) so we just took the exterior.



awwwww toshogu is huge!!




and the last souvenir shop before we head home.

and passing by the stream for the last time on our way back to the ryokan

we took a nice ofuro and ate dinner before we left.

oh the maggie mee packaging is pretty unique here. you tear off one side to let water in, then tear the other side to let water drain.

convenient!

then it's byebye yoshiko, her husband and her dogs

yoshiko drove us to the station, and then it's byebye nikko. *sobs*

at least we have lots of souvenir to remember nikko, from yoshiko (",)

we woke up the next day to a delicious breakfast made by yoshiko :D

ta-da!

then it's off to see the matsuri.
we took a bus all the way back to the station because we didn't know how the bus works, only to go back the same place. because toshogu shrine was just opposite the station near our ryokan (-_-`)
the matsuri seems to be a display of 200 (or 2000?) costumes, and is held once/year (i think). so we were pretty lucky even though we didn't plan for this matsuri on our visit!
we were pretty early anyway, and we had to wait for like an hour before the event starts. now get ready for the onslaught of pictures!
first it started with some plainly dressed men walking around.

then we waited and waited and decided to take pictures of some cute kids

then the same men came out and distributed some twigs (which is supposed to be some omikuji of some sort).

because it was too tiring holding it for so long, denzyl decided to put it on the floor, which as we were told, was forbidden since the twig is some saintly object. (-_-`)

there was already a lot of people by 11+

and then it finally started!











ooh these kids are so cute!! the 12 horoscopes. one of their hats dropped though.


the instruments











and then the omikoshi (portable temples)

everyone was throwing coins into the omikoshi. if you miss, there are kids behind who'll pick it up!
another omikoshi







then when it's over, you can join in at the back

and follow them

to some toshogu rest area

and look at the stuff there.

meanwhile we took a break eating pancakes.


i think one's sweet potato and one's kaya? i don't really know what i was eating.adn went back to join in the fun again.
some cute kids!

and posing with a samurai

i think his armour is like 20kg.
posing with some props


we explored a little more around this area, but i'll put that together with the other shrines later on.