Stage 2: Temple 6 to Temple 11, 22 kms, Cool to Cold, 10-7.

Rain Is Rain! 

It seems that it doesn't matter where you walk on this planet, be it Spain, France, Australia, New Zealand and now Japan. When it rains, it's wet. Brilliant stuff Geoff. 

After another huge breakfast (I could only eat the rice, soup and fried egg) we said goodbye to our lovely hosts this morning (Seiji Hayashi & spouse) and they dropped us back on the Henro trail. It was an excellent experience because we learned so much. 

 

It was a cool start to the day, dry but windy with the temperature dropping fairly quickly as per the forecast. Quite the change from yesterday, and we layered up to better manage.

 

We stopped at T7 and completed The Process. It continued to cool and threatened rain as we walked. We could see it in the distance. 

Hey Bryan, I spent some time with this fellow and his whole body was just wiggling and shaking. Nice dog, and big for Japan

 

The crops are being put in and heat tunnelled. We should begin to see the rice planted pretty soon. The fields are being readied.

 

The light wasn't very good for picture taking and much of the photos are from Temples. This is at T8, Kuadaniji. They are each named. Look closely and you will see two monks walking from the left. Very interestingly dressed, almost as good as us!

 

 

As I've said, most Henro take bus tours, and this is simply the changing of the tours. 

 

I never tire of watching the artists put the stamps in our books. 

 At T9, Hōrinji the rain finally began to fall and the temperature dropped to about 7 degrees. 

 

 

From that point on our ponchos Caesar and Sangria came on for the rest of the day except when we stopped for lunch at an Udon House with a French couple Thierry and his wife Dominique. Thierry walked the route last year and they have come back again this year to walk it together, and we are staying in the same Ryokan tonight. Anyway, the rain started to come down very heavily, and with 9 kms to go there wasn't anything to be done except to call a taxi. Well we could have, but instead we walked. Puddle jumping and trying not to get too wet. Sadly Annemarie's new Solomons leaked and both feet got quite wet. For the first time ever my feet stayed dry! 

The climb of 310 steps to to T10 is well known. You can drop your pack at the bottom at a couple of the businesses there and then hike up. There will be lots more stairs, but this was interesting. At the top...

 

And at the bottom! 

The rain came down pretty solidly as we walked along. Too bad really as it is pretty country and there was lots to see and share here. I did stop at the top of a dike to shoot back across the last single lane bride we crossed on the flood plain.

 

And then upstream where Annemarie continued along...in the rain.

 

We eventually arrived at T11 and the monk who provided our seal was pretty funny. I walked in and bowed to him and he waited. Then I remembered my manners and greeted him and said hello. Then he smiled and said a few funny things to me in English. It was like he was a senior guy filling in for a junior mink who was ill, and fully enjoying the experience. 

 

The temple had a beautiful cherry tree, and if it's not raining in the morning then I'll try for an early morning photo. You can see how wet it is.

 

 

I like this last photo because to the left is the trail we will head off on at about 6:30 tomorrow morning as we climb into the mountains for the next two days. It oooks a little like the scene from Lord of the Rings, Return of the King where the three heros led by Aragon head off into the mountains to raise the army of the dead to help at the end. I hope it's less perilous! It's one of the principal climbs on the route...there are a number.

 

We head up to the top of the third of four climbs for tomorrow night. I caught this shot earlier today before it was covered in cloud and rain. Should be very beautiful...it it doesn't rain!

 

Another great meal this evening. I dried out Annemarie's boots after smuggling them up to our room and using newspaper and the hair drier to sort them out. Our wet gear is now all dry, except my wool sock which are hung to hopefully dry. Sleeping on futon matts tonight on tatami floors. Not sure we set them up correctly?! Best get use to them, we will be sleeping like this most nights from here on. Tonight we learned how to use the washer and dryers all in Japanese, know if the shower and bath room are occupied, learned how to dress appropriately after walking and how to tell time with your hands! All good here so far. Hosts again very nice. Lots of folk here tonight, maybe 16 including us 4 foreigners. Perhaps 12 are walking.

 

Best to all.