Breakfast was another grand affair. No menu, this time, but a whole sampler set ranging from salmon to egg and all sorts of pickled vegetables, rice and miso soup. A western salad consisting of lettuce, brocolli, and one slice of tomato. A japanese melon (tastes like honey dew, inside looks like honey dew, outside doesn’t) and some yoghurt with berry sauce.

Had time to kill until I checked out, so I went around the hotel and took photos of everything interesting thing I could find.

I went back into the cave bath and was once again the only one there. Everyone else checked out early or stayed in their rooms.

As I was checking out, they told me I had booked the anniversary gift, so I got a free towel with insignia and a scarf that I saw had been available to purchase at their gift store.

I left the hotel and headed to the bus stop.

I now have great empathy for sisysphus, pushing that boulder up the hill. I pushed my suitcase up that hill path to the bus stop, calves killing me, suitcase threatening to break away and roll all the way back down.

Then the hotel shuttles and taxis started arriving at the bus stop.

Everyone else got driven…