crispy white...

pagoda at night...

was difficult to focus in the dark!!! but it was soo beautiful!

anniversary...

i arrived in japan for the first time on 13th of january 1999, and my most vivid memory was waiting for someone to come and meet us at narita airport　station.....it was cold and we were tired...so when we found a vending machine selling hot cans of sweet milky tea you can imagine our surprise...it was delicious!! japanese really do love their soft drinks you can get all kinds of teas, coffees, soups and juices hot and cold... quite a luxury ☆

5 tier pagoda

at mt haguro.. really is a magical place, especially so in winter, not many people around and the trees feel even more silent than ever..

tori gate...

at the foot of mt haguro

boiled angle fish liver...

to my surprise was absolutely delicious, the most creamy non-diary food i have ever eaten...

perspective...

i can't say how peaceful it was walking through these giant trees in the snow..

top of haguro...

busy with people making prayers for the new year...am always impressed by the huge bell in it's own little house..

nearly at the top...

of mt haguro...lucky for us the rain, snow and hail stopped and the sky turned blue : )

じじ様木 old man tree..

5 tier pagoda at mt haguro, another of the holy mountains in this area, pagoda is made in traditional style using no nails...pretty impressive...it is big, as are the trees surrounding it....this one wearing the rope is about 1100 years old!

persimmon trees..

jizo-san...

on the very top of mt zao, the gaurdian of travellers...

Hapy New Year..

started off this one very nicely on the mountain.. : ) hope you all have a wonderful year ☆