Azalea Festival at the Rikugien Garden
There was an azalea festival held recently at the Rikugien Garden. I went there the first day so the flowers were not in full bloom yet.
Kanmangafuchi Abyss path in Nikko
After Mount Toyama, I headed towards Kanmangafuchi Abyss (憾満ヶ淵), a short riverside trail in a gorge not far from the World Heritage sites. It is also known for its 70 Jizo stone statues.
Hike to Mount Toyama in Nikko
Mount Toyama (外山) is a mountain in Nikko. It is only a short walk (~1.5km) from the World Heritage sites, with great view on Nikko and Mount Nyoho at the summit. Here is a map of the trail.
World Heritage Shrines and Temples of Nikko
A few weeks ago, I returned to Nikko to visit the shrines and temples of central Nikko, which are on UNESCO’s list of Word Heritage Sites.
Tokyo Walk: Kameido / Sarue Onshi Park / Yokojukkengawa Water Park / Kiba Park
After visiting Kameido Shrine, I went on a walk along the Yokojukken Canal until I reached Kiba Park.
Azalea Festival at Shiofune Kannon-ji Temple in Ome
While I was in the Ome area, I went to see the azalea festival at Shiofune Kannon-ji Temple (塩船観音寺). The temple is surrounded by a huge azalea garden with a giant statue of Kannon watching over it.
Hike from Lake Naguri to Ome: Mount Bonoore, Mount Iwatakeishi & Mount Takamizu
As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently went hiking in Naguri (名栗), in Saitama Prefecture. It is a popular hiking area with many trails to choose from. For myself, I followed a trail to Ikusabata station, in Ome City (Tokyo), passing through Mount Bounoore, Mount Iwatakeishi and Mount Takamizu. Here is a map of the trail (in reverse direction).
Hakuunsan Torii Kannon
Last week, I went on a hike that started from Naguri Village, in Hanno City (Saitama Prefecture). While researching the path, I learned about the Hakuunsan Torii Kannon (白雲山 鳥居観音). It is a large park built on a mountain in Naguri, with multiple temples and monuments, the most impressive of which is the white Dai-Kannon (救世大観音 ; Guze Dai-Kannon). At 33m, it is a large statue of Kannon that can be seen from quite far. Like at the Tokyo Wan Kannon, it is even possible to climb to the head (but it was not open yet when I was there).