On of our trips this year took us straight to the heart of the country to Nikko, a city located about140 kilometers north of Tokyo. Among other things, Nikko is known for a large shrine and temple complex, which includes the tombs for the first and also the third shogun from the Tokugawa dynasty. The city and the surrounding area are among the most famous and popular destinations in Japan, and it was already our second time to visit here. But like a few years ago, the weather gods were not on our side and we were accompanied by extensive rain. But since complaining doesn't help, we took a look around anyway, and like last time, we made our way to Lake Chuzenji. This lake, located in the hinterland of Nikko at an altitude of over 1,200 meters, was covered in rain clouds, as it had been on our first visit, and showed its rather mystical side.
But civilization had of course long since made its way here, and on the northern shore there was an elongated settlement in which tourists were probably quite welcome. It looked like they were well prepared for travelers of all kinds, and if the weather had been nicer, there would have been a lot of activity along the shore. But due to the persistent rain, the waterfront area seemed quite sleepy, although it did provide some colorful change in the hazy gray of the day.
The paddleboats lying in the roadstead were shining in the brightest colors and were easily visible even from a distance. In addition, the cherry trees were in a nice bloom that day, and their pink blossoms made quite a sharp and wonderful contrast to the cloudy sky and the rather gray-brown background. If these trees already manage to impress one in such a way on a rainy day, what must it be like when the sun is shining and the sky is blue? Unfortunately, we will be deprived of this experience for quite a while, but nevertheless I did not miss the chance to admire and enjoy this magnificent sight, despite the ongoing rain. Probably I was one of the only ones, because around me I could not see anybody outside of their vehicle.
So if you are not able to see and understand the beauty of that scene, then it's your own fault. I was pretty excited by this scenery. Maybe I'm easy to impress, although I wouldn't necessarily claim that. In any case, I would have liked to linger a little longer and let this sight work on me. But unfortunately we had to go on, because our next destination was a few hours away and with the rain and the wet roads we didn't want to rush on but rather take be careful. But before we left we dared to take a look from another side of the lake and realized that even from there the lake has its charm and there is no way to not notice the cherry trees, even from far away.
Of course, we decided to definitely come here again some day, because we would love to explore the area around Lake Chuzenji a little more extensively. And especially with more time and also with better weather. But even though it again was a pretty wet visit this time, it was still exceedingly delightful to have stopped by. And in the end, this time again we were able to collect and take with us a lot of impressions and memories. And it doesn't matter whether it rains or the sun shines. What counts is an open heart and a good mood. And that's something we always bring wherever we go.