9-20-2010

This river was so cold, clean and refreshing that we went swimming in it.  We also played in it, trying to catch the small fish in our hands.  When the sand and gravel on the riverbed was stirred up it sparkled like gold flakes.  It was like a magical river, running just behind our room at the hostel.

9-19-2010

Rural Japan is beautiful, full of green mountains and freshwater rivers.

9-18-2010

Up in Kinugawa there are some great hot springs.  Normally they are housed within traditional Japanese-style hotels called ryokan.  This one was in a big, Western-style hotel, complete with giant chandeliers.  It felt completely incongruous to walk into the baths from that setting, but there it was.

9-17-2010

This weekend we visited a friend's hostel up in Nikko.  He has a garden where he grows a good amount of the produce he serves up.