A visit to a mountaintop Shinto temple, Ikaho hot springs, and Haruna Lake: The roof of the Shinto temple.

Shinto temple in Kanagawa, Ota, Japan.

Gates at the temple called "torii" in Japanese.

As you walk through the torii gates towards the temple, you are meant to be walking from the mundane to the sacred.

Amy and I looking over the Japanese Alps in Shibukawa, Japan

Holding out.

Wider.

Walking around a frozen Lake Haruna.

Landscape version.

Amy and I at the Stone Steps in Ikaho hot springs town. The water and steam behind her is the water flowing down from the spring at the top of the mountain. It's hot and filled with minerals that the Japanese believe are healing. There were public footbaths higher up.

Narrow streets and shops in the town.

Entrance to some kind of pork restaurant.

Looking down at the town. I wish I had a shot (that wasn't washed out) looking up at the town but the afternoon sun washed em all out :(. Then youd get a better idea of what the town looks like. The whole town is just located aside the steps leading up the hill peaking at the hot spring. Very cool. It's filled with souvenir shops, street food, onsens (bathhouses), etc.

Town.

Souvenirs