Negoro-ji temples with a dash or ten of sakura

Before the cherry blossoms fell away for the year we wanted to see as much of the stuff as we could.  Getting up early wasn't fun but since we came back from the States Aki has been going to be early and waking up early.  Allows us a lot of time to beat the traffic!

Our destination, Negoro-ji, was just over the border in Wakayama Prefecture.  We got there in record time and I promptly took a picture of the car.  That was one of the days goals after all.

 From the parking lot we could have taken three ways.  We took the harder one right up the middle-

At a bend in the river was this building over looking the small valley.  Looks like a nice inn no?

 Oh, it's abandoned.  Go figure.

 
We quickly noticed we were the only people under the age of fifty.  The fashion styles we saw were amazing to say the least. 

For a few extra bucks we got into the main temple area-

I had no idea they made tripods this tall.  Did you?

The grounds were stunningly beautiful.  We so few people around I spent a lot of time alone and enjoyed every second of it.  Can you tell I am a new father?  Seriously though, I was in awe at how beautiful and peaceful the whole place was.  

Lean back, lean back-

More soon!