Nikko

Today we made it to Nikko a few hours outside of Tokyo.  Once again owing to distance, waiting for trains, Japanese maps changing orientation every time you see one and Andrew's need to eat every hour we arrived at 3.

Nikko is a palace/shrine complex which I think is where we get our images of traditional Japan. Moss covered statues and red pagoda with dragons and peacocks were everwhere. As nothing wad in English we are still fairly unclear on Shinto as a religion. It involves sticks, bells and many many gods.

Back at the hostel (with paper walls!) We ate a tea of supermarket reductions in our order to try as many different types of food as possible.  Some lads who had cycled here from the next county mimed and mixed discussion to us about Japanese culture.

We have been shocked by seeing small children take the subway alone in central Tokyo - perhaps as we get so easily lost.