It gives you an uneasy feeling. You notice something but don't pay much attention to it at the time. Later, when you see the same thing again, you begin to take notice. As you move from place to place and with the same thing appearing, you realize you are being followed. It is not a good feeling to be followed. This is happening to me today in the Nikko National Park in Japan, as I walk alone.

Yesterday was an exhausting day . I got up early to catch the long train ride to Nikko. Then I hiked into the hillside to see the shrines. Following that, I walked to the abyss outside of town. To end the day, I walked around the town for a 'once over'. I had agrees to eat with some other locals and backpackers that evening but I fell asleep early in the Nikko hostel. When the hostel owner came to get me to come eat at 7, I was in a deep sleep, I think from exhaustion.

Today, though, I am up early. I want to catch the bus to the National Park for some sightseeing and hiking. It is one of the favorite places tourist like to visit and has been on my 'to do' list ever since I started planning my Japan trip. 

A 50 minute bus ride up winding switchbacks brings us to the park. The scenery is great the further up we go. One thing is odd, though. This narrow winding uphill road is one way. The strange thing is -- there is no road going back down to be seen anywhere.

My first stop is the Kegon Waterfall . It is 100 meters (little more than 1/2 mile) tall, with several small falls off to the side. 

There are a lot of waterfalls in and around Nikko, but this is the most famous. As a matter of fact, it is rated as one of Japan's three most beautiful. The short hike to the fall ends at an observation deck. I get some good photos and decide not to pay the $6 to ride the elevator to the base of the fall. I got some good views of the falls, so I think I am set. In the winter, the waterfall freezes almost solid. I think that would be a beautiful sight, but, I will not stay to see that.

After visiting the waterfall I walked around the town for a while. It's an interesting little Japanese town in the mountains. There was a lookout point in the center of town that I climbed the stairs to. It was a nice view of the lake from the top.

In the town there is a large lake. You can rent paddle-boats or take a sight-seeing boat . I watched some people fishing and many just sitting around enjoying the views. The lake sits at the foot of a sacred volcano, Mount Nantai. It's eruptions blocked the valley below 20,000 years ago, I read, and created the lake.

What interests me most about the lake, though, are the hiking trails that go completely around the almost 16 mile circumference. I am sure this must be a wonderful hike with some great views. I want to do this today, but first, I notice a temple on the hillside. It's at the edge of town, across from the lake, and I decide to climb the hill to see what it is like.

It turns out to be one of Nikko's three Futarasan Shrines. The trail winds upwards towards the summit of the mountain, where the third shrine is.

Winter is not here yet in Japan, but closing in, I think. It is mid-September. 

I noticed when I got off the bus today that I was being followed . Arriving back in the states in mid-June, I ended up wearing long sleeve shirts and light jackets at night. This was unusual in Arkansas for this time of year. Then, once I went to the sunshine and warmth of Hawaii, I got chilled to the bone on a 'warm-weather' hike. Today, in shorts and t-shirt, the wind is blowing the cold air and the few of us not dressed for it are not happy. As soon as I got off the bus I noticed people were wearing long pants and jackets. It was warm when I left the city this morning. I have come to the conclusion cold air is just following me wherever I go. If you live in a place where you are tired of the heat, just invite me to visit and you will get your cool weather, regardless of the time of year.

I had planned to do some hiking in the mountains today, but I have decided to head back down the mountain instead to the warmer temperatures. It is mid-afternoon already and it is just getting colder.

I wonder what road we will take back down the mountain to Nikko, since the one we came up was oneway . We leave town in a different direction and come to a fork. The bus goes to the left. In about an hour, we arrive in Nikko, I never did see the road we took up the mountain.

Once back at the hostel, the staff member on the desk asks about my trip. I tell him how cold it was and he says, "Oh, I forgot to tell you it would be cold up there". (WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP TELLING ME THAT?)

I learn that Nikkō, literally means "sunlight" or "sunshine". But, it is cloudy here in town now. It has cooled down here a lot since I left this morning. Figures.

I am invited to join the hostel staff and some other guests again tonight for a Japanese meal. (I slept through it last night). 

We sit on pillows around the short table, cross-legged, eating with chopsticks. The cook does the cooking as a hobby. He likes to cook for people and is a lot of fun. He has a different job but is either a relative or close friend of the hostel owners . He does not charge, but at the end of the night we all gave him some money, it was a wonderful meal.

There are numerous courses brought out one by one, and we eat and eat. Half of the people are foreign backpackers like myself and the others are owners and staff of the hostel.

The hosts are fun and keep us entertained. One backpacker couple in our group is on their honeymoon, being just married. She is from Italy and he is from Germany. I forgot where they met, but they have known and dated each other for several years before just getting married.

Learning this news, the hostel owners and staff sneak into the kitchen and fix something with two candles on it and present it to the couple for their wedding gift. Then, they bring out some bells and entertain us by playing some tunes. We all take turns playing the bells.

One of my roommates is a young Japanese man . He lives in another town but came here for a couple of days off from work. I have noticed that, here in Japan, there are more Japanese tourists in the places I go than there are foreigners, unlike in the other countries I have toured. Because of this, often the signs are in Japanese only and often the announcements on public trains and buses are in Japanese only, no English.

The next morning I am invited to have breakfast with about the same group. No charge. Meals are not included in the price of the beds at the hostel. This is just something extra we are invited to do.

After breakfast several of us are on our way to our next destination out of town. We say our goodbyes. It is more like we are life-long friends rather than people that just met a day or two before. 

Both the local Japanese hosts and backpackers are sad to say goodbye. We gather in front of the hostel for group photos before leaving . We all wish we could stay here longer. I think I will always remember this hostel and these people I met as one of my best overall experiences in my travels. My stay was just too short.

Once on the train back to Tokyo, I sit down, but, then see my German friend from the hostel a few seats away. I did not realize he was on the same train. We sit together for the two hour trip before we separate to go on different trains.

He is living in Japan going to school on a two-year scholarship. He is German but speaks very good English. We have a good conversation and the two hour train trip passes quickly. I mention to him how hard it is to find trash cans in Japan. When I have trash I carry it around all day until I get to a place where there is a trash can, usually back at the hostel. The streets are clean, though. What do the Japanese do with their trash when walking, I ask?

He tells me there are no trash cans along the streets because the Japanese do not eat snacks or sandwiches while walking down the streets . If they buy something to eat, they eat it where they buy it or take it home. They never eat or drink walking down the street. 

Yes, I have noticed no one here carries a bottle of water or a can of soda around with them. There are a lot of drink vending machines along the streets, but, my German friend says, if you buy a drink out of the machines, you drink it at the machine. There are bins to place your empty drink can in at the machine. You do not take it with you to drink as you walk around. He says it was difficult for him to get used to when he first came.

I have paid attention as I have walked around Tokyo now for several days, and it is true. I have not seen one single local eating or drinking anything while walking. I have eaten a snack while walking the streets, though. Did I commit a faux pas?

Learning different customs of places I visit has been one of my favorite things while traveling .

More on Japan in the next entry.

(Note: I am not sure if you use the 'slideshow' button you will see the videos. I don't on the hostel computer I am working on right now. If you click a photo you can move through all the photos manually and the videos show up as videos. Just something for you to check.)