Then, moving on to the summit of Mt. Minobu, I took some photos of the landscape and valley down below.



A small temple at the top of the mountain.





I don't believe this is Buddhist, but Shinto -- sacred trees wrapped with sacred rope and rice paper.





Top of Mt. Minobu



As I mentioned in the logbook, and earlier on in this narrative, the very next day, we went to Tokyo to take part in a fundraiser for the earthquake and tsunami victims. It was a dinner cruise aboard a river boat, called "yakatabune."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakatabune

It was organized by the St. Andrews Society of Tokyo and Yokohama, in lieu of their regular "hanami" party at the British Embassy. It was attended by just over fifty people, who are here assembled near the dock.



My lovely wife accompanied me, as usual…





Even though the boat's speciality was "tempura," the first course was a delectable selection of fresh "sashimi" (raw fish). But to make things sufficiently Scottish, this all-you-can-drink event included the whisky ginger you see in the photo… I would call it a local (Tokyo St. Andrews) specialty.