Approaching the shrine downhlll from the back side.
Yuko offering a prayer at the main shrine under a huge bell.
Rest of paint on the carvings might suggest that this shrine was also once paintend like the ones in the background.
View into aand through and annex house of the shrine.
The carved decorations are quite unique like this tiger in an exotic setting.
The gate on top of wides granite stairs is at an intermediate level.
This picture ilustrates how the the shrirne has been set into the slope.
The beautiful and large A large gate to the shrine.
金魚 Goldfish
A Japanese cedar said to be 800 years old.
A huge stone probably in the process of finding its final place in the shrine's extensive grounds.
藤田小四郎之像 The statue of Koshiro Fujita leader of the unsucessful Tenguto rebellion. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mito_Rebellion
A beautiful house in the grounds of the shrine, under repairs or restoration. The blue tarapolin makes an intersting contrast in this otherwise very harmonious scene.
杉本屋 Sugiyama's store. An old shop next to the shrine's ground where food, rest, tobaco and souvenirs are advertised. The toad refers to specality produce the toad oil ガマの油 which was used for treating wounds in the samurai period.
The unavoidable contrast that is omnipresent in Japan. Here in the form of souvenir shop with fantasitc decoraton of a frog riding a spaceship to Saturn.
