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 (",)