A Day in Takao How about a day trip to Mt. Takao? You can access easily from Tokyo station. These are some pictures of Mt. Takao. The "Tengu " is the symbol of mountain religion. There is a temple, Takao-Yakuo-in near the top of Mt. Takao. The Tengu is an imaginary monster who lives in the steep mountains. He looks like a man who has the red face, the long nose and the wings. He has a special power "Jintsu Riki" like the God and he can fly very well. The station of the cable car and the chair lift. The round trip ticket costs 900 yen. You can choose whichever you like in the same fare. There is a big temple, Yakuo-In near the upper cable station. The priests devote themselves to their studies here. You can enjoy vegetarian dinner like the priests. The chair lifts carry us to near the top. You can see seasonal wild flowers all around and feel fresh mountain air. Also, your world gradually changes into a natural setting. The top of Mt. Takao 599.08 meters high. The area is very green. However it is still in Tokyo which is one of the busiest cities in the world. We say Takao is an oasis in Tokyo. Birds are singing in the quiet woods. If you are lucky, you can see a giant flying squirrel. We can get a distant view of other mountains. People usually take a rest ,and have lunch on the top. The view of Mt. Fuji from the top of Takao. Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan about 3300 meters high . Japanese people have been having the special worship to that since the ancient times. The ancient people believed the divine nature of mountains. They believed the soul of the dead gone to mountains. They worshipped their ancestors and natures around them. E-mail address: callstudy@hotmail.com Tokyo, Japan October 24, 1998 "We love email"