mountain retreat

day 50
koya-san



there's nothing more welcome to see when arriving for an early morning train than the green team preparing to lavish you with free beverages.






koya-san arrival. yes, it's the end of the line.






nowhere to go, except straight up. this is actually a two way track - in the middle there's a passing lane, and the two cars, connected by one almighty long cable, pull each other up and down the mountain.






it's absolutely stunning at the top, though i was disappointed to see cars. turns out there's a road up the other side.






here's the roof of the temple we stayed at, with shrubbery.






view out our window.






what more could you want? the phone is wrapped in embroidered fabric, hot water ready for tea-making, and utter quiet - except for the occasional gong.






the vegetarian dinner was astonishing, with all manner of things i've never tried before. even the mountain yam was passable.