through the little door, into the secret ....

We sat for awhile on the deck of the ferry across the Uraga Channel at the mouth of Tokyo Bay, then enjoyed the comfortable chairs inside.  This ride took us to the Port at Kurihama where we headed up Mount Noko giri  on the Chiba peninsula south of Tokyo, actually probably all still part of Tokyo.

Sauntered through the town past a lot of abandoned buildings and wondered what happended to the Onsen that was supposed to be nearby. Soon got on the trails that led to the mountain that had been quarried for its hard granite for hundreds of years. The men chiseled away at the face of the mountain on steep slopes while the women dragged pallets of rock down the mountain.

 

Loads of wild flowering shrubs everywhere for every season, like this hydrangea.

 Reached the view points then turned in towards the mountain.....

Then met the amazing guardian...

Then the  largest Buddha in Japan.

AND totally mesmerizing, all his attendant arhats, expressing every emotion & attitude.

Some chatting amicably. 

Some not on duty but pondering life.'