This was actually one of my very first trips in Japan and remains to be one of my favourite memories. Mitokusan is located in Western Honshu, and is one of the few tourist destinations in Tottori prefecture, where I studied for four months. This is not a popular destination amongst tourists and locals alike, because it is literally in the middle of nowhere.

Aside:
Technically, "Mitoku" is the name of the mountain ("san" equivalent to Mt.). Similarly, this applies to all temples, and shrines. It drives me insane when people say "Toji" temple, would you say Mount Everest Mountain?

Misasa is the town in which the mountain is located. The town is most famous for its onsens and the discovery of radium. Additionally, it is famous for the Mitokusan Nageiredo (投入堂), an old temple built on the side of a cliff. Nobody knows exactly how this temple was built, legends have it that a giant threw the temple into its current location (you can see in the pictures). At the time I visited, nageiredo was in the process of becoming one of the world heritage sites.

The nageiredo was located at the very top of the mountain, and it was not an easy hike up the mountain. In total, the trip took around three hours (with frequent breaks for pictures and rest).

Entrance:

Rock sculptures:

Mandatory mountain climbing shoes. The traditional mountain climbing shoes were mandatory because they wanted to preserve the landscape of the mountain. (and I broke one of my nails playing basketball

)

A very typical Japanese bridge:

The hike was full of arduous climbs:

After the climb, there was a small temple on top. This temple had only one side against the mountain that I was climbing, and it was almost entirely elevated/supported by very long logs.

Random bell:

Nageiredo. As you can see, it is hard to imagine how it was built.

Although the climb was difficult, but it was all worth while as soon as I laid my eyes on the gorgeous temple. Combined with the tranquillity of the mountain and the slight drizzle of rain, the sight was breathtakingly beautiful.

After a long hike, nothing beats relaxation at an onsen (hot spring) in a five-star resort.

Drinking the onsen water. Typically, onsen water is not for consumption. However, at misasa, the water contains radium, and it is apparently good for the body (prevention of certain types of cancer, iirc).

Dinner time. This is an equivalent of an appetizer:

Nabe:

Sashimi:

I forgot what this rice thingy is called

Crab:

Tempura:

Rice. This is potentially the best rice I have ever had. Yes, rice can taste good alone if it's fresh enough.

Grilled sea bass(?):

Our private onsen

Breakfast:

omfghi2u2

United States831 Posts

May 27 2009 05:37 GMT

dude that looks freaking bomb.

how much did you end up paying for that meal?

Avidkeystamper

United States8556 Posts

May 27 2009 05:39 GMT

WTF @ that breakfast.

omninmo

2349 Posts

May 27 2009 05:40 GMT

fresh rice...mmmm
me want go

o3.power91

Bahrain5288 Posts

May 27 2009 05:42 GMT

T_T you make me jealous...

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

May 27 2009 05:42 GMT

That food looks so gorgeous - the Japanese diet is really interesting given how different it is to how us Brits eat (I miss fish and Chips!) I adore how the Japanese present their dishes though. Even the convinience store salads when I went to Fukuoka were lovely to look at. The scenery reminds me of the game Fatal Frame

Cambium

United States16368 Posts

May 27 2009 05:48 GMT

On May 27 2009 14:37 omfghi2u2 wrote:
dude that looks freaking bomb.

how much did you end up paying for that meal?

It was a one night stay at the hotel, around $350 USD per person everything inclusive (extra for the private onsen).

Hyde

Australia14568 Posts

May 27 2009 05:51 GMT

Those are some nice pictures, looks pretty awesome. Hoping to go back to Japan soon myself.

On May 27 2009 14:42 NeverGG wrote:
The scenery reminds me of the game Fatal Frame

That game was pretty scary to be honest (well the second and third one) hahaha, playing alone in the dark with headphones

NeverGG

United Kingdom5399 Posts

May 27 2009 05:56 GMT

On May 27 2009 14:51 hyde wrote:
Those are some nice pictures, looks pretty awesome. Hoping to go back to Japan soon myself.

Show nested quote +

That game was pretty scary to be honest (well the second and third one) hahaha, playing alone in the dark with headphones

Amen to that - I really, really enjoyed them. Although I had a bad habit of panicking during boss battles and losing all my film. The atmosphere from them made me more interested in Japanese horror manga (the works of Junji Ito mainly.) and movies.

paper

13196 Posts

May 27 2009 05:56 GMT

#10

Drinking the onsen water. Typically, onsen water is not for consumption. However, at misasa, the water contains radium isotopes, and it is apparently good for the body (prevention of certain types of cancer, iirc).

* Radium is highly radioactive and its decay product, radon gas, is also radioactive. Since radium is chemically similar to calcium, it has the potential to cause great harm by replacing it in bones. Inhalation, injection, ingestion or body exposure to radium can cause cancer and other disorders. Stored radium should be ventilated to prevent accumulation of radon.

* Emitted energy from the decay of radium ionizes gases, affects photographic plates, causes sores on the skin, and produces many other detrimental effects.

...wat

Cambium

United States16368 Posts

May 27 2009 06:01 GMT

#11

Radium (usually in the form of radium chloride) was used in medicine to produce radon gas which in turn is used as a cancer treatment, for example several of these radon sources where used in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s.[3] The isotope 223Ra is currently under investigation for use in medicine as cancer treatment of bone metastasis.

probably beneficial in very small dosages?