(That title is from Troy...does anyone know this song??)

We ventured deep into the misty mountains and forest for a 1 night stay at Koyasan - the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. After three trains, a funicular, and a bus, we arrived at our temple stay for the night, where we were warmly greeted by the monks and taken to our traditional Japanese room, complete with futon on tatami mats. Touristy, yes, worth it, absolutely. This spiritual setting full of temples was amongst the most spectacular trees we have ever encountered, and we spent many hours wandering around slowly in awe. In the evening we feared dinner would consist of croissants from the local convenience store as the whole town appeared to be shut (and we had not reserved dinner at the temple), but we managed to stumble upon a teeny restaurant with the locals that served us some of the best tempura and ramen we have had so far in Japan. In the morning we awoke at 6:30 am to join the morning prayer service with the other guests and the temple monks, and quietly listened to some chanting. A beautiful way to end our time on Honshu, and we eagerly await a new experience on the upcoming island of Kyushu!