Topping out

Whew. The last one. We get to the top and of course there's a shrine surrounded by statues of different religions and goods

This site is more an altar to Mt Ontake and the surrounding mountains than a temple, a place where ordinary travelers to the past emperors have prayed to the gods of Mt Ontake.

Basho, a haiku poet famed for his travels around Japan, was so inspired with this spot wrote one of his famous haiku which is inscribed on this stone

I thought this was the top but see the steps behind the group and off to the left going up, up, up

Yup another false summit.

Got over the top and there it was. Narai...our last post town and the largest preserved one.

That will be the end of Kiso Valley.