Temple 44 - walked
Miles walked: 6.4, all with pack
Slept at: Furuiwaya-so onsen
Thank goodness the rain abated today. We walked back up the hill to 42 to catch a ride to the very far away (and at high elevation)
Temple 43. It took awhile, but we found a nice couple with a fast-driving husband to take us up. From 43, we walked mostly through the woods, to our sleeping location. Thankfully my pack felt much better without the extra items, though with the weather warming up, perhaps I will mourn the loss of my hiking sandals.
The onsen loomed up at us from the woods, right next to a towering volcanic karst -- one of the few buildings recognizable To me as a giant roadside restaurant. Perhaps it was the bus parked outside? At any rate, we went in and claimed our adjoining tatami rooms. In the bath, which was quite large, we attracted the usual attention and a woman even older than us helped Laura get set up.
The actual guests at the onsen were small, although they were set up to serve many more guests. We met an English- and Japanese speaking man from Houston Who was doing the walk on his own, who observed that this is
and is not as clean as it was four years ago and that minshuku owners were dying off, not to be replaced. Such a shame to lose these sometimes charming houses dedicated to bathing and feeding pilgrims.
I continue to be amazed.
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