We had expected rain yesterday but it never came. Instead the sky was blue without a cloud in sight. Then today, but again there was no sight of rain. So we decided to take Coco on a short road trip to Nagatoro.

We have been there before in 2008, about the same time. BUt this year has been warmer so the autumn has not progressed as much this year as then. The result? Colorful!

The drive there was just short of 2 hours, including some traffic jam caused by an accident that there was no visible evidence of. For those more inclined to conspiracy theories than I am may have made up some paranoid idea about that this being the authorities way to control people. Let them spend half an hour extra in the car so they will be happy just to comply to any absurd idea we have. They will be sooooo happy just to get out of the traffic jam. But not me. I am not like that.

Once we arrived in Nagatoro we spent two hours or so walking around in the nature. The air was fresh and the nature was beautiful and colorful. Though there were quite a lot of other people there as well.

After we spent time around the river and in the small village with some shopping stores we walked up towards Hodo-san (Hodo mountain) and the shrine located just at its base. 2 years ago the shrine was closed for renovation but it was not opened again. Dogs were not allowed in so Chie and Coco took a rest while I entered the shrine.