Taka told me this was one of the stops President Obama made the recent trip to Japan. It was a location that felt totally low key. Relaxing. But that the Shrine was that prestigious impressed me.
The Hotel where we were booked, was inexpensive because we couldn't check in until 7pm, and we weren't going to have meals with them. Also in the morning we had to check out by 10 a.m. What made this hotel so desirable was having our own ONSEN bath in our hotel room. And as if that one bath for those 14 hours weren't enough, there were other baths we could use on another floor, which Taka and I could choose between if vacant, and lock the door behind us, getting to enjoy other sorts of bath types.
We got there about 4 in the afternoon, and could park our car at the hotel. It wasn't a long walk to get to the Shrine, through a tourist attraction of a town. We were informed that there would be four restaurants open to choose from for dinner, after 6:30 pm.
We walked through the entrance of the grounds of the Shrine, with barely a person around.
There was a security man in that little building over there.
I loved this "gate" one bamboo pole placed inside two other poles at either end. No lock... just to show "no entry".
Supports for the dear tree.
Sometimes I wonder, trees and plants may be better taken care of than the people.
A dogwood?
It looks like grass, & is Japanese grass. Not soft like American grass. We've never found out why. You can't sit on it without feeling itchy. Maybe they just don't want people relaxing on their grass.
On our way back to the hotel, before going to look for a restaurant for dinner, we came upon this lovely pond. The red in the center is one of the many carp swimming.
The following morning Taka planned to return to these trails to go further on into the famous Shrine. It was getting late this evening though, and both of us were hungry, so we turned around to find which of the four restaurants still open (we were told) would have dinner for us.
Below is looking back to the area we left on our way for dinner.
We checked in at our hotel, took the elevator up, and off the elevator the sign gives the room numbers to the left and right...
but head down the hall and see the numbers likethis, we were looking at to find our room #208...
We could walk further 
and see the other side with the numbers written for non-japanese readers.
The entrance. A lovely ANDON like frame for the light, and a stone decoration, a piece of charcoal
The entrance. A lovely ANDON like frame for the light, and a stone decoration, a piece of charcoal
In our room was SUCH a cool set up!
There was a COFFEE bean grinder! And filter set up so we'd get to drip coffee, as we usually do.
In that large piece of furniture, in the bottom left corner was a traditional like basket with towels for us for going into the hot tub right outside the doors, on the patio!
From inside, outside, the scenery was pretty perfect.
Yes, this decor was ALL gorgeously WOODY! Open those doors over the sink & we got a mirror.
But even the clock was woody!
On the way out, I noticed even the vending machine was woody!
On the stairwell heading out, here are little monkeys! For the year of the monkey, yes!
In one sitting area "falls" outside the window looked perfectly lovely.
