Yoshino, Koyasan, and Nara
Amanda takes in the flowery view at Yoshinoyama, a
mountainside covered in 30,000 cherry trees.
Justin, Mayumi, me, Amanda, and small terrier (lower
right) with the cherry blossoms at
Yoshino.
Daffodil and cherry blooms with a small temple above.
A rainy day at Koyasan - a Buddhist temple complex ringed
by mountains.
HOW
DO YOU LIKE MY BIB???
The happy vegetarian at Fudo-in, the temple where we
stayed the night.
Morning sun shines through fog and shows on the wet temple
roof and the raindrops on the tree branches.
Amanda with a stunning sunburst of visible rays at
Koyasan's cemetary.
Statue of Kukai (the monk who founded Koyasan) with black
and white dogs (which represent local gods).
A pyramid of smaller stone monuments.
The woman especially seemed to enjoy splashing water on
this row of Buddha statues.
Deer stalking visitors to the five story pagoda at Nara.
Multicolor carp and floating cherry petals.
Heron framed by cherry blossoms.
Amanda and cherry blossoms in front of Todaiji - the huge
wooden temple in Nara.
Amanda flanked by huge Buddha statues at Todaiji.
Amanda was ambushed by a deer (sacred messenger of the
gods) while trying to have a snack outside Todaiji.
(Ding-Dong)
Sacred deer and cherry blossoms (#1).
Sacred deer and cherry blossoms (#2).
Sacred deer and cherry blossoms (#3).
And then it was time to fly home...