March 8, 2004
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Mt. Takao 3/8/2004
We are going for a walk in the Mt. Takao area. Let's get off the train and start up the path to the cable car. On the way we see an inviting red umbrella and turn the corner to see the goodies sold at the booth.
There are also several noodle shops at the foot of the mountain, so lets fortify ourselves with a nice bowl of tempura soba noodles before starting our walk on the mountain.
Jizo are some stone "deities" offered flowers and small hats to keep them warm. March is still rather lionisch around here. These are at the bottom of the trail and we pass they by on the way to the cable car. We will save time and conserve energy today by riding up the mountain instead of hiking.
We have gotten off the cable care and are at the start of a path leading to several temples scattered around the top of the mountain. Just inside the gate is a small structure with a rack to the side. The wooden objects that you see hung on the rack are miniature "geta" clogs on which people have written their requests to be hung out for the perusal of the local spirits. Wooden clogs usually have two blades underneath, but you may notice that these have only one. The traditional priests in the area will attest to the fact that it is actually easier to maintain one's balance while jogging over the mountain paths when one is shod with one bladed clogs, but I will opt for hiking boots, thank you.
Along the temple path at Mt. Takao we can see some ancient cedar trees. There are many cedars planted all over the mountainsides here, to the despair of those with pollen allergies. A great portion of the population wears these masks to keep out the irritating particles, not because they are about to perform surgery.
This wall is actually made of wooden plaques on which are written the names of all who have contributed funds to plant yet more cedar trees. Are they to be thanked or cussed? Perhaps the guy in the next picture has the answer.
The "trumpet" that the guy in yellow has is actually a huge conch-like shell, and it has a unmistakably distinctive resonance.
Our walk ended at a temple entrance, with another beckoning red umbrella. Some of the priests were going into the temple, and I had to snap these quick, so they are a bit out of focus, sorry.
