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Next stop: Nikko!
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Not listed in most guide books
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Constellations in the sidewalk: Orion
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And Ursa Major -- but no others
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At the shrine to Ernie (not really)
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One of the oldest western-style hotels,
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est. in 1883 for foreigners
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The largest room during our entire trip
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This place takes Sanka seriously
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Steps from courtyard down to Daiya River
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Albino trout in hotel's little pond
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Daiya River separates the main town
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from Nikko's temples and shrines
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The sacred bridge was restricted to
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court traffic only until 1973!
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Crest of the Tokugawa clan
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A torii made of ston.. than the usual wood
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They are _really_ tall cedars
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Thousands cover the grounds of the complex
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Stone lanterns were "gifts" from daimyo
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The gojunoto (five-s.. pagoda), originally
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built in 1650, reconstructed in 1818,
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has 4-story hanging counterweight
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for protection from earthquakes
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I can recognize the elephants ...
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but are these lions?
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Toothy, in any case
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Visitors must re-con.. the turtle each day
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Simple and ornate, side by side
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A mother seeks the future for her child
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"He is love sick" (?)
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A newlywed couple sets out together
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A simple little shelter for a well
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Inside the shelter
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Entrance to a hallway,
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flanked by stone lanterns
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Detail from base of one lantern
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A gallery of birds in high relief
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Don't mess with the gutters
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If you can't find a ferry ....
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Entrance to the Shinyosha
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Painting on its ceiling, c. 1620
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Avenue to Futarasen and Iemitsu's shrine
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More big trees
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A relatively simple shinto shrine
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In case of attack by giant eggs?
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This grove of trees is its own shrine
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God of fortune
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Another simple, natural shine, to water
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And one to spirits of the mountains
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These refer to three nearby real mountaino
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Entering Taiyuinbyo,..tsu's shrine complex
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Outer gate has two guardians,
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God of Thunder, and
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God of Wind
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Dragons? Lions? Muppets?
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The middle gate, Nit..as this guardian ...
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... and a second
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Now we reach the third gate, Yashamon
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To its right, Koro ("the drum") storehouse
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Detail of Yashamon
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Yasha, who guards the Yashamon
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Another of four statues of Yasha
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Dragon above Karamon..trance to the temple
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In the courtyard of Taiyuinbyo
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Looking down at the Mizuya (water stand)
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Goodbye to the Shinkyo Bridge and Nikko
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