Kegon Falls

Kegon Falls is situated near Lake Chuzenji in Nikko National Park, a popular place to visit in Japan during Fall. As the thousands of maple trees change colors in timed synchronization, Nikko’s foliage turns from a uniform green to a fiery combination of bright yellows, oranges, and reds throughout the entire region. On a clear day, a spattering of warm, Autumn colors can be see at the top of the falls. As one of Japan’s 3 tallest waterfalls, Kegon’s waters plunge down 97m (318 ft) before hitting the bottom and joining with a wide curtain of smaller falls. I always preferred spring over fall, but now I might need to reconsider…

Big Big Spider

I found a big spider. Almost walked into it…

It was dark and rainy and I was returning to my guesthouse in rural Nikko, Japan. I decided to take the lesser-used rear entrance atop a dimly lit spiral staircase. Because, you know, for convenience. Little did I know, at the top of the stairs, the spider had strategically spun its web. It was high above the ground where it wouldn’t be disturbed, but close enough to the door light acting as a homing beacon for insects.

Coincidentally, what saved me was the spider’s size. Its abdomen was about as big as my big toe, large enough to catch my eye, even in the darkness. The wind’s breeze gave its web a gentle pulse, allowing me to spot its dark mass swaying in the corner of my eye. I abruptly stopped to let my brain process what exactly I was looking at in the darkness, then crouched under its giant web and continued on my way. Crisis: averted.

I came back in the morning to take a photo and watch it sit gloriously upon its silky throne. Do you know what type of spider it is?