I wonder if you know what this is? I saw it while visiting Mt Koya.
I'll let you know what it is in a couple of days.
ANSWER: There weren't many guesses, but I want to thank those who gave it their best shot...most of you knew it was some kind of hive. It is a suzumebachisu (hornet's nest). At first when I saw it in the show window of a Japanese sweets shop at Mt Koya, I thought it was a vase.
I'd never seen one this big in person (it was about a foot tall!), only on TV, but apparently they can be found around Japan. Every year, some who stumble upon the nests are killed from the shock of being stung. Now, you know if you see one...don't touch it!
