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Remember to check out part 1 and part 2 of the seishun 18 kippu articles too!

I visited a place most people have probably never heard of.Mt Nokogiriyama is a mountain and temple complex in rural Chiba, and a few hours from Tokyo by train.

The temple complex was first built over 1300 years ago, making it one of the oldest temples in the Kanto area.

Obviously getting to the temple requires climbing the mountain, but for those of us who don’t possess amazing hiking skills, there’s a ropeway that takes you up to the top.Though be warned it’s usually closed on windy days.

Wandering around the temple was a lot of fun, as every turn seemed to hold a new surprise.The place is packed with small Buddhist statues, many of which have been decapitated due to an anti-Buddhist movement 200 years ago. There’s also lots of old buidings, amazing views and a huge Daibutsu Buddha statue near the car park.

Also of note is ‘Hell’s Lookout”, a large rock jutting out from the cliff edge that offers amazing views.

I couldn’t see as far as Mt Fuji, but I could see the Tokyo skyline, and an amazing view of the surrounding sea and forest.
After leaving the mountain, I decided to go a bit wild and… go home by ferry.Yes, real adventure right there.A ferry connects the town to Kurihama in Kanagawa Prefecture, and I decided to get the train home from there.Sadly boats are not my forte, and the sea was a bit choppy so I felt very ill indeed by the time I got off. But it was fun, sort of!

Maybe you should give the seishun 18 kippu a try too.You never know where you might end up!