I have about three full days of free-time – basically the weekends before and after the conference I’m attending again this year in Japan – so set about finding things to do and explore in Nagoya. This is the second time I’m visiting the city, and there isn’t much of interest left for me here that I haven’t already covered. So, it’s day trips out of the city for the most part. The first day trip takes me to the neighboring prefectures outside Nagoya, and as the tour guide quipped, this trip see us in three different prefectures: Aichi where Nagoya is, Gifu, and Nagano. This day trip is of fairly low cost, since all of the four places we’re visiting do not require admission fees and are free to enter. So, the cost of the joining the drop-in tour is largely for transportation and the services of the accompanying guide.
The first stop is Eihoji Temple, a 700 year old temple that was established and founded in the 13th century during the Kamakura Period. Unlike the temples of Kyoto, this was a quiet area to spend an hour during mid-morning. The temple grounds aren’t big, and the centerpiece is a pond set in a garden that is landscaped in the Japanese style. There’s also a 700 year old Ginkgo Biloba tree though I thought the tree would be larger!
Our next stop: Ena Valley!