Temple 20 Kakurin-Ji
Temple 21 Tairyugi
Temple 22 Byodo-ji
Miles walked: 8.2, 130 floors
Stayed at: Yuki-so on ocean
We left our wonderful artist hosts with ossettai rice balls and banana and began the ascent to temple 20. It was okay, the day was beautiful and there were citrus trees along the path. I liked it less when there were cement logs placed along the trail, I assume to stabilize the trail. This meant your footsteps were measured by the logs and also required stepping, as in climbing uneven stairs. I think I prefer un-landscaped trail or rocks. But this was nothing compared to the way down, which was also made up of concrete logs. I worrie about twisting my knee...a little twist could mean the end of walking. There were other sections made of uneven rocks, again treacherous for a weak knee. But we made it down and across without mishap.
The ascent to 21 was okay at first, an old road that seemed to wind up the mountain. But then the concrete steps appeared. Ouch ouch ouch, each step was so jarring. I had to stop several times to still my beating heart. Laura did much better but kindly let me rest at various points on the ascent.
Whew, we made it and a temple worker immediately told the us to cover our bags because it was going to rain. This was all done with sign language. Meanwhile we were freezing after the climb. We had two choices...walk back down (read: the dreaded concrete logs) to temple 22 or take the rope cable car down and get a ride. Because of the false rain warning, we opted for the cable car. On the way down we talked to the conductor about how we might get to 22 and he told us about a bus, but the bus didn't come for one hour and 20. At the bottom, Laura tried some other car Henro for a ride and I was on my way to ask how much a cab would cost when a cable car passenger approached me and offered to take us even though it was not me his way! He turned out to be an English teacher so we had a great conversation without sign language. We gave him our leftover lunch and offered to host him if he visited America.
As we talked at the base of 22, our friend Gilles, the French ex-pat to Japan, arrived. Our English teacher friend thanked us for showing him a good time! Maybe he will come to visit us. At the temple, we met two young American men and had such great conversation that our minshuku ride arrived before we'd said our prayers at the Daichi temple.
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