On the road again-in search of enlightenment and a normal breakfast

Our long search for enlightenment begins with a train ride


and a funicular ride

-so far I am enjoying this walking trip: but then we have to do some serious perambulation

and visiting of various shrines and temples.

"Don't ever give me fish and tofu for breakfast again"

We are enjoying communing with nature until...........

and then we sight our first bear

For God's sake cover your face and hands

Then there is more perambulation and more holy places; we detect a certain pattern to this tour

We finally end up at the resting place of Kobi-Ashi(my mates call Kukai) the founderof Shingo Buddhism, much revered by the Japanese people-think of Don Bradman and Bob Hawke rolled into one.

We then wander through a big graveyard, which Japanese are literally dying to get into-even longer waiting times than Ichiran Ramen.

Japanese funeral rites involve passing your partially incinerated bones around by chopsticks-a sort of variation of pass the parcel.

We are spending tonight at a monastery in the holy town of Koyasan.

Dinner is monk fare-vegan!!!!!!

Oh the horror!

Vegetables are cooked but cold-I don't know why they go to so much trouble, we would have been happy with a hot dog!