We walked around the shops...when we saw it! A place where you put your feet in a tub and hundreds of fish come up and bite the dead skin off your feet. I was a little reluctant...but I said to myself, "Sammi, you tobogganed down the Great Wall of China....you can sit your feet in a fish tank." So Randy and I did it, and it was awesome. You put your feet in a large tub and all these tiny fish come up and start nibbling on your feet and legs. It's so weird at first, almost hurts like needles. You want to take your feet out...but after a minute it's starts feeling good. It almost feels like bubbles around your feet. After it was all over my feet felt amazing. They felt so light and super soft. It was a super cool experience and I am so glad that my fear of the unknown did not stop me from trying something new!
Then, off exploring the shrines and views of the ocean. The shrines are covered with the most beautiful red colors and have people waiting in line to pray. It's very quiet and there is a somber feeling here. The people walk up to a station where they cleanse their hands and mouths...then walk up to the shrine...bow and clap twice. They stand there for a moment and then throw money at the shrine and walk away. It's a strange custom to me...but you can tell that it means a lot to them.
We hiked up so many steps that I started to think my legs might fall off. When we made it to the other side of the island it was so worth it.
There's a huge rocky area where the tide comes in and out...pools of water are created on the rocks and the kids had so much fun exploring the shells and crabs.
And of course I made everyone jump in the air...so excited to be there...what a better way to show it?
We hiked up so many steps that I started to think my legs might fall off. When we made it to the other side of the island it was so worth it.
There's a huge rocky area where the tide comes in and out...pools of water are created on the rocks and the kids had so much fun exploring the shells and crabs.
And of course I made everyone jump in the air...so excited to be there...what a better way to show it?
We then caught the train to Kamakura. This is where the huge Buddha is. To get to the Buddha you have to go down a long street filled with vendors and shops. This is where we met the coffee dude. He worked out of the back of his van and it was quite a set up. Watching him brew this coffee was like watching an artist paint. He put so much effort into it. He poured the hot water so slowly over the grounds after a process of steps to get everything else just perfect. You could tell this process was something he loved and had a passion for. It took him at least 5 min to make a cup of coffee. The entire time, he was so focused and almost meditative about it. It was the best coffee I have ever tasted.
The Buddha was huge. I mean...HUGE! It's amazing really when you think about how long ago it was made and how much work it would have taken. There was an incense holder in front with insence the size and color of dynamite. The closer you got, the stronger the scent and amount of smoke billowing out. They had piles of fruit in front of the Buddha and people were throwing money at him. There were a ginormous pair of flip flips hanging, made of rope. The cherry blossom tree was in perfect blossom just to the right of the Buddha, making the perfect photo. AHHHHHHH....perfect moment!!!!! :)
The hand and mouth washing station before you approach the Buddha
I can hold the Buddha up all by myself!
Back to the train station, but not before eating crepes. Christie said its a popular thing here...and happens to be one of my favorite. Cinnamon and chocolate it is...Yumo. I have now officially eaten my weight plus some...and it's been worth every bite!
Christie spied with her little eye a cool spot to stop when we were traveling on the train, so we headed back there before it got dark. This shrine was made of all wood. Mind blowing. Everything was hand carved. The detail was amazing, there were cherry blossom trees with birds, elaborate scenes with warriors or people praying and the dragons. Not one detail missed.
You walk over the threshold and there are several buildings to explore as well as a cave. There is a man setting flowers at the cave and taking other flowers away from other shrines. This was close to sunset, so I assume it's some kind of ritual. He is dressed in a type of gown and has a mask on so I can't see his face. He walked up to me and Randy and pointed up....I bowed...not knowing what else to do...then he said Fujisan. He started bolting up the stairs with all 5 of us huffing and puffing behind him. I was thinking whatever is up here, has to be good because he is stopping his work to show us. We climbed what seemed like 3,000 stairs and reached the top of this hill. There was a large white shrine with a Gold statue. It was pretty but I thought, is this what we climbed 3,000 more stairs for?
But then I saw Randy's face,,,he was at the top of the shrine with the nice Japanese man....Randy's face lite up like Christmas morning when he looked to the left, so we bolted up to see. It was Mt Fuji with a huge bright orange sunset. We hit it in perfect timing. Ok ok....the stairs were so worth it now!!!!!! It front of Mt Fuji was an inlet of the ocean, so you could see a pool of water, the bright orange sun, some wispy clouds and Mt Fuji. It was a breathtaking moment. I am fortunate enough so see a lot of sunsets....but this one was a little different. Even the kids understood...they were in awe of the moment as well. Then, when I thought the moment could not get better...a hawk flew right above the sun. I see hawks and still think of Rob. So I know he was there with the people he loved, enjoying that sunset with us after such a fun day! What a sweet man he was to stop his work, climb all those stairs (like a boss) just so we could enjoyed a beautiful sunset. The genuine kindness of the people here to us has been one of the greatest parts of the trip. That sunset will go down in one of the top 5 best sunsets of all time, and enjoying it with the Jensens' was like eating sweet potato ice cream. :)
You walk over the threshold and there are several buildings to explore as well as a cave. There is a man setting flowers at the cave and taking other flowers away from other shrines. This was close to sunset, so I assume it's some kind of ritual. He is dressed in a type of gown and has a mask on so I can't see his face. He walked up to me and Randy and pointed up....I bowed...not knowing what else to do...then he said Fujisan. He started bolting up the stairs with all 5 of us huffing and puffing behind him. I was thinking whatever is up here, has to be good because he is stopping his work to show us. We climbed what seemed like 3,000 stairs and reached the top of this hill. There was a large white shrine with a Gold statue. It was pretty but I thought, is this what we climbed 3,000 more stairs for?
But then I saw Randy's face,,,he was at the top of the shrine with the nice Japanese man....Randy's face lite up like Christmas morning when he looked to the left, so we bolted up to see. It was Mt Fuji with a huge bright orange sunset. We hit it in perfect timing. Ok ok....the stairs were so worth it now!!!!!! It front of Mt Fuji was an inlet of the ocean, so you could see a pool of water, the bright orange sun, some wispy clouds and Mt Fuji. It was a breathtaking moment. I am fortunate enough so see a lot of sunsets....but this one was a little different. Even the kids understood...they were in awe of the moment as well. Then, when I thought the moment could not get better...a hawk flew right above the sun. I see hawks and still think of Rob. So I know he was there with the people he loved, enjoying that sunset with us after such a fun day! What a sweet man he was to stop his work, climb all those stairs (like a boss) just so we could enjoyed a beautiful sunset. The genuine kindness of the people here to us has been one of the greatest parts of the trip. That sunset will go down in one of the top 5 best sunsets of all time, and enjoying it with the Jensens' was like eating sweet potato ice cream. :)
Next up....a little booty dancing for me and Christie...yep...we worked it!!!!! Then we took a different path down the hill...there was a cemetery, a large house that had so many layers...each story of the house looked like a duplicate of the one below...making it perfect for photos.
At the bottom of the hill at the main house, there were a line of flip flops on the stairs....I wonder if that was a prop or if people really live in that main house?
The entire place was amazing and the timing of us going there could not have been better.
At the bottom of the hill at the main house, there were a line of flip flops on the stairs....I wonder if that was a prop or if people really live in that main house?
The entire place was amazing and the timing of us going there could not have been better.
Hopped back on the train to get some more traditional Japanese food and head home for the evening. The highlights for the day were definitely the fish eating my feet and the sunset at Fuji. Another perfect day...minus the 3,000 stairs. :)
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