Nikko 

Family life includes good times spent playing an age honored card game called Sakura.

An antidote for the frenzy of Tokyo lies two hours to the north in the spectacular Nikko National Park.  Tom and I take the leisurely excursion on the Tobu railway leaving Asakusa station.   This pleasant route meanders through the tranquil farmlands of Japan's lush countryside and then ascends 3000 feet into a dense mountain forest of Cryptomeria trees.

The Nikko Kokuritso Koen National Park is approximately 30 square miles on the southern slope of Mt. Nantai. Here spectacular waterfalls, hot springs, lakeshore beaches, hiking trails and upscale resorts attract both Japanese and international travelers.  A corner of the park is a religious center with 17^th century shrines, temples, and mausoleums of Shinto and Buddhist origin.   Mysterious gateways and bridges lead to ornate monuments to past Shoguns and deities.   These colossal buildings are considered to be the elaborately decorated in Japan.

This mountainside paradise invites us to luxuriate at one of the three world-class hotels on Lake Chuzenji.  Ours had it's own boathouse and restaurant situated over the lake.  In addition to boating, tennis, golf and swimming, there was the opportunity to be thoroughly pampered with full massage and a traditional Japanese mud bath.