creepy disappearing ghost statues!!

This may have been my very favorite place in Nikko.  The kanmangafuchi abyss trail.  It runs along a river and is full of these awesome statues.  They are said to be 'ghost statues'.  You are supposed to count them as you hike up the abyss- and then again as you hike back. The number will not be the same because the ghost statues move and disappear!  

We hiked early in the morning and had the trail to ourselves with the exception of one local photographer.  She was so kind to us and chatted to us in her best English about the area!  I was so excited to take pictures here. It's a spot I've been dying to see.

 

some of the statues are just piles of rocks and rubble!  but the people here still adorn them with aprons and hats.

 the place is so calm and eerie and peaceful.  I loved it.

 Ike and Zeb both counted the statues and got a different count on the return trip.  Pretty spooky, huh? :)

Ike is certain this statue had it's head when we walked past it on the way up- but not on the way down!! he is such a funny kid. He was SO excited to count all of these statues.  He's all about numbers, math, and money.

Metta and I got way too distracted to bother with counting things!!

 After the abyss we took a ride up a cable car to monkey mountain.  Thankfully mack LOVED the monkeys.  I was very disappointed.  there are so many wild monkeys around and after seeing the snow monkeys in Nagano- these caged monkeys were a let down.  But mack's giggles and sheer excitement made up for the lameness!!

we took a pretty boring hike up the mountain,too.  It was a bit long- and halfway through- an English speaking father and son passed us on their way back and told us the end was boring. No good views or anything exciting!  we turned around promptly and went back to the cable car!! at least we got some exercise!

 luckily- we always love a good cable car ride in Japan.  They have them everywhere!! I guess it's the best way to get up their steep mountains!!

 mack was such a little godzilla on the hike.  Have I mentioned this phase of child is rough?!

 After our trek to see the monkeys- we ventured off to the kinugawa foot onsen overlooking the gorgeous kinugawa river.
I think metta was stressing these ladies out a bit!  luckily they still loved her.

 Mack wanted so desperately to get in and swim.  ugh.  he was so difficult.

 we let him splash around in the hand wash- but he quickly got maniacal and started splashing all of the Japanese people and had to be removed!!!

 the color of the water all over the Tochigi region is pretty cool.  Greens and blues and white rapids.
I somehow got a smudge on my lens at the footbath and now it is pestering me in every picture the rest of this day!!! so annoying.

After our relaxing foot bath- we drove to Tobu World Square.  We'd heard lots of great reviews from friends and it sounded pretty fun to us.  All of the world's most famous landmarks/building shrunken down to 1/25th the size!!  AND I found a great coupon online :)

On the drive to nikko- I realized I had forgotten to print the coupon out and was pretty ticked.  It was going to save us 20 bucks. and if the website says 'print out'- the japanese will not accept just a picture of the coupon from our phones.  I figured there HAD to be some way to get a copy of one and through a google search found out I could create an account with the japanese 7-11, upload the pic to my account online- and then go to any 7-11 and print it out.  It worked.  I figured it ALL out in Japanese.  even setting up account.  I am sharing this story because I am very proud of myself :)

Tobu world square was so cool.  especially all of the Japanese landmarks that we've seen in real life!  I  should have gotten more pictures of those- but the real spots were better anyway :)

 New York city with the twin towers.

 A japanese bay- and the gates letting ships into the American part of the park.

 The white house even had the Obamas!!  I had to zoom in on these little characters.  Tobu has over 100.000 small figurines and they all have facial expressions!  plus- no two characters in the entire prk are the same!!

 the section on egypt. if you look closely- you can see men on camels along the upper ridge!

 Europe was pretty impressive.  and definitely made us want to see all of these places in real life!!

 Red Square!!!  the details on these buildings are CRAZY.

 just check out the Vatican!!!  it was so cool.

 Princess Kate and Prince William even!!!

 the forbidden city and the great wall.

 and-of course- they had a fabulous kid playroom.

 the little Tobu mascots were super, too.  just look at those happy faces!!

 Mack was enamoured.  and they loved him, too.  I bet he played with them for ten minutes!!  the poor japanese kids who wanted a turn!!

After Tobu- we wandered Nikko for a but again- and then ate at the only restaurant open past five! cafe gusto.  Luckily- the place had PIZZA!  and our kids will ALWAYS eat pizza.   We also spent a great night at our cabin!