Shrine Spotting

As I had a 3-day weekend, I decided to go shrine-spotting. I am so glad I don't live anywhere inaka (countryside) than I already am. I have the choice of when I want to immerse myself. The locals were wearing t-shirts and shorts while I was covered up with only my face and hands exposed. I came home with mosquito-bitten hands, the face was fine, actually its strange how the face is always free from bites. It seems I need to get a pair of gloves.

Anyway, shrine-wise, I had a lot of fun searching for them. It's a nice way to get use to how addresses work in Japan. The shrines were interesting, the fact that they were not well maintained really gave them an enclosed, detached feeling. Even though it was a public holiday, the shrines were very quiet, as if they were surrounded by stillness. Shrines mainly hosted monks wearing red, there was also one overgrown fox shrine. I noticed that public playgrounds are almost always built on shrine territory. Oh yeah, can't forget the flying insects, massive spider webs, giant ants and cicada castoffs (they're always on pine trees).

It was surprising to see pedestrian tunnels in the countryside, really reminded me of the Greenwich foot tunnel, though they're smaller, muddier and not under rivers!

Photos later. Man, I'm tired. I'm thinking of dressing up as Elmo for my Halloween lessons.