Mt Mitake

 This was a really cool place.  This mountain had a cable car up to the top.  Then it was a short hike to a shrine where peoplego to bless their pets.  It also included yellow latterns, which I have only seen red/orange ones before.  It was really beautiful. We ended up going with our friends, the Sofes. 

After checking out the shrine we wanted to extend our hike to visit the Rock Garden (a trail off of Mt. Mitake).  I didn't do my research very well and the trail ended up being longer than expected.  Withouthaving packed a lunch and having several young kids with us...we were under prepared.  Instead of just turning back we decided to hike to a shorter destination (Ayahiro Falls) and then back (but again under reasearched).  The trail was very steep down to the water falls and then very steep back up.  It was a good thing the falls were beautiful, because the hike out was a bit of a killer.  It also just happend to be the first day I realized I was pregnant (I haven't announced it yet, but I guess if you're reading this you knpow), so I was not quite to my regular hiking abillities.  Needless to say when we made it back out to the "main" section of Mt. Mitake I think it was around 3 pm and we were all hungry.  So we popped into the only little ramen place that was open and they fit our large group of 11 in for ramen.  We were lucky the last group was just leaving so we all fit.  Anyway ramen never tasted so good.

Victory pose at the tori gate at the end

It was a fun hike and I want to do it again.  I just need to prepare a bit more.  We had a lot of fun with our friends (even if they were cursing our names for dragging them along on this adventure).  We survived, the kids did really well inder the circumstances, so I call it a win.