On 20th we spent from 5am travelling home with delayed flights and a missed connection so I didn't take any photos... sorry. instead I offer you this one from another day. These are Omikuji or fortune telling paper slips found at many shrines and temples. First you take hold of a silver tube full of chopsticks and shake it furiously then, you tip the tube so that one chopstick falls from the hole at the top. Each chopstick has a number on it and you find the little drawer in the wall with the corresponding number and remove your fortune from it. Finally you tie the piece of paper around a tree's branch (or in these modern times they have steel rods) so that good fortune will come true or bad fortune can be averted.

So what did mine say?
"When spring comes, all trees and grasses are in full bloom. Everthing will go good, then you will be happier in the future. When you get the archery of the big warrior general, your happiness it reassure, wealth will grow large such as to have to carry by coach." So, should any of you see the big warrior general could you send him my way, please so that I can get the archery and grow my wealth to carry by coach.

At the end of the fortune is a list of answers to the questions people generally ask as they shake out their chopstick. Mine reads "Your request will be granted. The patient will get well. Building a new house and removal are both good. Marriage, employment and starting a trip are all right". My paper was firmly tied up so as to bring this all true.

So, all in all a great end to a fantastic trip.