When Pei Yen was here in Tokyo right after our Iwate trip, we went to Mt Takao for beer garden with my colleague and her friends!
After reaching the bottom of the mountain, we decided to take the funicular or ropeway halfway up before hiking to the top. The funicular at Mt Takao is the steepest railway line in Japan, with a 31 degrees elevation at maximum.
Beer garden~ 2hrs buffet!
When we reached, there was a 2hrs queue. So we got our queue number and started to hike the mountain.
Tree bark that is a medicine for the eyes?!
Goma dango!
We finally reached the top!
Going down the mountain was a little dangerous. A lot of tree roots. It was pitch black and we didn't bring any torch lights. But we made it to the beer garden!
Takoyaki that we made.
It was fun. My first beer garden in Japan. And we worked hard before feasting. So no need to feel guilty. Haha..
After experiencing consecutive rainy days during which we were practically confined to the hotel, the last day of our trip was sunny. So we got up really early to catch the sunrise, an apparently beautiful sunrise that can be seen from our room and the hotel lounge. But we dragged ourselves up and were met with a dreary sky with gray clouds and rain.
Disappointed, we went back to sleep for a while before starting our day early so as to make full use of our remaining time in Miyako.
Our first stop after breakfast was to sit the sapa boat, a small boat that can only take up to four people, to go around the coast and the caves. We were given prawn crackers to feed the birds, which surrounded us all the time.
A tori gate that can only be accessed by the use of a boat.
Our boat went into that cave.
When b crash ig waves came, it will into the rocks.
The water is emerald blue in color and super clear!
Our captain, and the boat we sat is on the left.
After the sapa boat ride, we headed to sit the tour cruise.
After the cruise, we got on a tour bus which would bring us for a half day tour before dropping us at the train station where we would take the shinkansen back to Tokyo. Our first stop with the tour bus was the Jodogahama Beach, which is probably the most famous attraction in Miyako, and also near our hotel.
Instead of sand, the beach is filled with rocks.
The water is really clear.
After the spending some time on the beach, we headed for lunch and then continued our journey on the bus to Ryusendo Cave.
The Ryusendo Cave is one of the Three Great Limestone Caves in Japan and is a national natural monument. The cave has deep underground lakes of fresh spring water and is really clear and is emerald green in color. The deepest underground lake in Japan (120m) and one of the most transparent lakes in the world can be found in the cave.
The transparency of the water is really impressive.
The temperature outside was 19.1 degrees and 14.9 degrees in the cave.
We found a guy fishing at the river just outside the cave.
After the trip to the cave, we were dropped off at Morioka Station where we would take the shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Sunset seen from the shinkansen.
It was a little scary. Half the sky was clear while the other half was filled with dark gray and low clouds. It felt a bit ominous as we travelled towards the dark clouds. Or maybe I was just dreading going back to work...
It was a good trip, minus the fact that it practically rained everyday and we were stuck in the hotel. But because of that, I got lots of rest. We were slacking away everyday, and it was a good break. I wonder where is my next stop...
