Deep Nikko: Italian Embassy, Summer Home

The Italian embassy has a summer home that was recently rebuilt by an American architect. It was converted to a museum for visitors. Set in Deep Nikko on the lake, it is a peaceful, nearly silent getaway about three hours from Tokyo.

Overall, I wasn't as impressed with Deep Nikko as the temple area in Nikko city. The lake isn't as accommodating as I imagined or the guidebooks described. Regardless, the summer home was nice nugget.

The weather was random -- alternating between cold and cloudy to sunny and warm -- so it was difficult to dress accordingly. As the afternoon wore on, the clouds broken open as the sun was settling. This is a nice parting shot.