frozen fingers, frozen thoughts: nikko in the grip of winter
okay, nikko in winter is... well, it's cold. really cold. i just checked and it's currently hovering around -1°C with this damp cold that seeps into your bones like it's actively hunting you down. hope you're wearing thermal underwear. humidity's at 86%, which means every breath looks like you're exhaling a ghost. my camera's fogged up twice already, and i've barely been outside.
if you get tired of this arctic nonsense, tochigi and utsunomiya are just a short drive away. someone told me utsunomiya has the best gyoza in japan, but i haven't ventured out yet - my gear weighs more than i do and i'm not sure my tripod could handle the ice. heard through the grapevine that the shrine at chuzenji-ko is supposed to be magical when frozen, but honestly? i mostly just want a hot bath.
this whole trip feels like a battle between my artistic vision and my extremities turning blue. the lighting here is brutal - flat gray skies everywhere, but sometimes the snow catches these weird blue tones right before sunset. managed to snag a few shots before my fingers went numb, though. might be worth checking out the reviews on TripAdvisor if you wanna brave it.
last night i wandered to this old bridge near the lake, and the fog rolling over the water was... something else. couldn't feel my toes, but the camera was happy. found this random tunnel during the day too - probably some historical thing, but it made for cool lines with the snow.
i'm told the local tourism board (Nikko Tourism) has some winter photography tips, but mostly i'm just surviving. if you're looking for cozy spots, Yelp says onsen city is nearby. maybe i'll find my secret menu ramen place tomorrow. maybe.
p.s. if you see a photographer shivering near the lake, that's me. i'll trade you hot coffee for a photo.
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