Stage 11: T26 Kongōchōji to T27 Kōnmineji (Tōnohama), 32 kms, Rain, 16

A Haiku and A Prayer

I'm a duck, a duck

When will this goddamn rain end?

Make it stop Kūkai! 

 - written and approved by Geoff-San 

The haiku pretty much says it all. We started off from T26 in good time this morning, and no sooner did we step out the door than it began to rain. Lightly at first, but by the time we had descended down from the temple site we had geared up for the rain. It initially started and stopped in fits and starts and then it just plain rained. I took the welfare of my camera into play to get a few photos, usually from undercover somewhere, but I worried about it all day. It survived. I found this Lilly like plant on the way down the first descent. A new one to me, and I thought it very interesting.

 

We saw our first poisonous mamushi (snake) on the way down, but from our perspective thankfully it was deceased. I'm sure it was less pleased. I recognized it from the photos I'd checked out. No photo, it's day hadn't started well. No sense rubbing it in.

The rain let up a bit as we passed through the small village of Kiragawa which is well known on Shikoku as a part of the island that has been somewhat preserved as it was in the late 19th century. 

 

This splash of colour inspired me all day!

 

We enjoyed some early climbing this morning, knowing the main event awaited us at the end of the day after 24 kms. The climbs here are different from most of  our experiences in Europe. For sure there are high steep climbs on the Caminos; the Massif Central, the Pyrenees, the many climbs in Galicia all come to mind. In Japan, largely because of the volcanics, the climbs rise much more sharply and very steeply off the flood plains. So they are always entertaining for sure! The distant peak is the final climb today and the slope is well known to be 45% for over a kilometre at the top. My pal Dennis would likely be most unhappy if he had to ride his bike up that sort of slope! Not uncommon here. 

We again walked along highway 50 today. As the rain increased it was tough avoiding truck spray as the puddles grew. It was Monday and the trucks were back on the road after Sunday off.

 

By early afternoon the rain was very heavy and we had given up that it would end today and we simply plugged in our music. Minds drift when this happens, silly Haiku mysteriously formulate and suddenly a bakery shows up:)  A place to get a nice raisin bun! 

 

We stopped in the rest huts from time to time to look at our map book and to let the water stream off. You generate a puddle when stopped in a dry place for a short time in weather like this. In the bakery the fellow kindly gave us towels to dry ourselves and our wet gear. Easier than mopping the floor after we leave I suppose. 

Eventually we found our way to our rest place for the night. We noticed the rivers and streams had risen very noticeably. A lot of rain these last 4 days for the first time in a month. Should help the rice planting.

Annemarie has been experiencing some blister problems for a while now, and made the brave decision to not climb the 450 metre hill behind the village to T27. Actually, it wasn't that brace knowing there was another bath waiting inside. The Cambodian lady who manages this minshuku agreed that it was a good decision as the monsoons had become even heavier and the winds were rising. However, your intrepid writer committed to walking to each temple prior to departing on this journey. So I dropped my pack on the floor of the minshuku, wiped my face with a towel and bravely (can I say that?) headed out into the deteriorating elements. Sadly I saw aset of stairs in the distance that I figured must be the start of the climb...everything has stairs here. However, after hiking up a bunch of them I realized this wasn't the right path. I took a quick photo back to town then climbed back down and searched until I found the right path. 

 

Each time I passed a stream bed and runoff channel the water was roaring past. The drumming sound on the plastic roof tops of the greenhouses was amazing to hear. It was actually pretty neat and clearly made an impression on me as I climbed. I passed four Japanese men on the way up who were resting and they told me that I climb fast. Not really knowing how to respond, I answered that it's so I'll get there sooner. It took a minute for that to sink in and then there was general laughter. I didn't see them again until they came in late for dinner. I'm sure they didn't recognize me because all that was sticking out of my poncho was my beard!   Annemarie just came into the room after speaking with one of them and he said they were debating about me after I left dinner to determine if I was the same guy. One of them thought it wasn't me because the person who passed them was shorter, and one of them thought I was older when they saw me at dinner than the fellow who passed them. Gee thanks...I think? Annemarie confirmed, guy in the red poncho with two sticks was me. No one here knows how old foreigners are and visa versa. I get it wrong all the time. 

I gratefully arrived at the gate to the temple and bowed appropriately before entering...I took my time with this because the gate area was dry and I really needed a rest. The temple grounds were quite captivating with colour, manicured gardens and beautiful cherry blossoms. As a matter of fact, had it been drier the pictures I could have taken of the blossoms all the way up would have kept me quite busy. It was a place one could sit and meditate quietly, and I would have done so if there'd been a dry place to sit. In any event I was soaked from sweat, condensation inside my poncho and the rain. It was much cooler at the top and the clouds had moved in with the wind. So I completed the Process and made a rapid retreat down the mountain accompanied by a Japanese Henro we had met today from Tokyo. A good walker with a bit of English. It was very pleasant to talk on the way down. I learn so much more when an opportunity like this presents.

 

 

I arrived back in time for a hot shower and a wonderfully hot bath! I dreamt about it on the way up. That and a cold beer! By the way Ken, this place provided us with a rather large cup of sake after dinner as osettai. This after a rather large beer! Pretty well taken care of along this walk, though I'm still missing the food and company at minshuku Tokumasu.

This morning we were up at just after 5am for the morning service at the temple. Part of the process when you overnight in one of these locations. We joined everyone and simply sat back and took it all in. Annemarie and I haven't discussed this part of the day yet. How could we with rain pounding down on our heads all day and music buds in our ears! Iound it all quite interesting with a series of sutras chanted followed by a quiet word from the priest to those gathered. I didn't understand a word, but I sensed that I was listening to a very ancient ritual that has been repeated countless times in this part of the world. Clearly there is meaning in it for the participants, and I felt fortunate to be present.

Now a haiku from Annemarie that's probably a little deeper than mine:)  Nope, just read it. Not deeper...but her reality. More rain all night and we will begin in the rain in t morning. Newspaper in our boots and wet gear drying in our room. It will be ok. I'm not a rain fan when walking distance, but I was mentally prepared for it on this route. So it's ok...but just stop it soon KD!!

Blisters on my toes

Two subside a new one grows

Walking in the rain