23.Jun.2020
DISCOVER JAPAN
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.
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.
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!