28 Daiinichi-ji (hitchhike)
29 Tosu-kokubun (hitchhike)
30 Zenrakuji (hitchhike)
Stayed at: Kochi Sakura hotel, tiny room, all you need
Miles 8.4
It was another day of hitchhiking and ossettai. We started off with a middle-aged couple who were staying at Temple 26 with us. They had gold ofuda...they had been around 96 times! They also gave us a brocade ofuda belonging to their friend, who had been around 400 times. The color of ofuda is determined by the times around. Ours are white (1-4 times).
Our next ride was a widower schoolteacher who took us to the next three temples and explained how to shortcut the temple visit: skip candles and incense, say "namu daishi henjo konjo" three times at the main temple, and get your book stamped. Fast!
At temple 29, the couple who had driven us 26 to 27 gave us ossettai of water and juice. We think they maybe felt badly for not taking us to all the temples, were not sure.
The widower schoolteacher gave Laura a blank stamp book when he discovered we didn't have one requiring her to visit the stamp office with him and pay 300 yen for a signature and stamp. Our friend spoke some English and enjoyed attempting to converse with us. We said goodbye at temple 30 because we were moving off the trail to spend the night in Kochi city.
We walked from temple 30 into Kochi city to stay at a business hotel we'd been told about..3900 yen, wifi, and we get our own room. We were in a hurry because we wanted to get there in time for the Kochi Sunday Market. The market was situated across several city blocks and all of the vendors appeared to be farmers, craftsmen, or home producers of vinegar, ginger beer, pickles, and the like.
I opted to try an udon restaurant... the closest was behind the train station. The place was empty...Sunday night...and I attempted to order from the Japanese menu. I asked for udon (thankfully a Japanese word) and he showed me four options in Japanese. I pointed at one...7500Yen ($7.00) and was promptly served a large bowl of what seemed to be udon in a curry-flavored sauce. Yum, but I wish I could have ordered more. I need to learn Japanese!
Back at the business hotel, my room was tiny, but full of amenities: hotpot, tv, stereo system(?), bath, toilet, desk, chair, refrigerator! And best of all, wifi! I took a little Japanese bath (clever, the sink faucet feeds the bath), donned a sukata (cotton robe) I found in the hallway and tuned into the oh so powerful wifi. Blessed relaxation watching the HBO series Big Little Lies (I think, stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman). It's incredible how satisfying an episode of a miniseries can be, oh blessed escape.
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