Nikko Yayoi Festival ~Let it Rain..........

Our trip started at 9am to attend the Yayoi Festival in Nikko City, Japan.  I had no idea we were going to be picking up 2 adult students of Ugie's history class.  1st lady picked up Tssuneko and 2nd lady's name was Yoko.

What an adventure going to Nikko.  The road had a beautiful canopy of some cherry blossom trees and some cedar trees.  What an amazing adventure so far. 

When we arrived in Nikko another surprise, Kashiwamura~san's entire class of students were there waiting on us.  More students even joined up later. Kashiwamura~san  did a lot of talking about temples and shrines and the parade but we could not understand any of it.  Keiko tried to tell us some information, which really was great information. 

 It has started to rain, and within minutes, it was pouring the rain.  I love rain chains and saw this one hanging from a temple.  

 The parade has started and there will be 11 beautifully adorned floats called hana~yatai from each town. Any mistake causes allot of trouble, which is why this festival is also called gota matsuri.  12 festival floats decorated with flowers go around the town with traditional musical instruments. Tourists also got the opportunity to pull the huge floats.  Marlon was asked if he wanted to help pull and took a turn pulling the large float.  

This is the man who asked Marlon to help pull the float.

Marlon toeing the line, toeing the line.

Ready guys pull, pull, pull

special shoes worn by the many people of the temple.

Talk about a downpour of rain.  Wow, it's raining so hard.

So many umbrellas and so many people trying to stay dry to watch the ceremony.

This little girl was such a cutie pie.

 The rest of the pictures are from people in the ceremony.  Enjoy because I really enjoyed this cultural experience. 

Thanks, Kashiwamura~san and Keiko for another adventure in Japan.

Snow on Nikko Mountains Japan April 10th 2012

 Teresa has decided today she will take me to Nikko Mountains for our last road trip in Japan.  The view from the car of the magnificent Nikko Mountains is so beautiful.  The Nikko Mountains are  mesmerizing as we kept driving towards them. Japan has many mesmerizing views because of the huge amount of nature that is so well preserved.  As we started up the mountain I can not tell you how many countless switchbacks we went around to get to  Lake Chūzenji.  This is a scenic lake in Nikkō National Park in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It was created 20,000 years ago when Mount Nantai (2484 m) erupted and blocked the river.  No matter what time of the year you come to Nikko Mountains you will always find the natural beauty of nature at its finest.  Even though it's spring in Utsunomiya Japan here on the mountain there is still snow covered hills and mountains.

 The Adonis coffee shop is located right on Lake Chūzenji. There were only 2 parking spots but since it was early we made one of the spots ours.  The coffee house has been remodeled from the last time I was here.  The deck is much larger, but the view is still as spectacular as the first time I was here.  So glad Teresa and Valerie are here to share the beauty with me.

 The coffee house is nice and cozy and warm as the wind around here was a tad bit cool.  The huge set of windows in the back of coffee house made for a spectacular view of the Nikko Mountains.  I love Nikko and all the beauty it holds no matter what season I visit.

Each of us has ordered a cup of specialty coffee and are enjoying each others company.  I am anxious to go see the restaurant called Le Michel in Nikko City.  The owner is a friend of Teresa's whom she met through a guy we both worked with at one time.   

 We have arrived at Le Michel's French restaurant in Nikko City. This restaurant is one of the best places I have eaten in Japan.  It should be famous, seems to me that the ones that do know about this place only tell their closest friends.  I could not find nothing on the internet about this wonderful place but so glad that now I know.  Its a place everyone must eat at and enjoy the soba made crepe sandwiches and soba crepe pastry.  YUMMO......telephone :  0288-53-4659 

 The owner Asami Yoshiko will greet you with a very big welcome smile and seat you at a table where there is always a good view. 

Shopping in Nikko City Japan