Mountains and Temples

It looked like rain when I left Funa-no-Sato, the place I stayed for the last two nights. They drove me back to the place where they picked me up yesterday and I resumed my trek to Tairyuji, number 21. It was at the very top of a mountain and the trail was breathtaking through beautiful bamboo and pine forests dotted with bright green Japanese Maples and blossoming cherry and plum trees. It basically followed the path of Wakasugitani Stream which occasionally blessed me with views of small waterfalls. It was very peaceful with only the birds for company. I rarely see another walking pilgrim. These last couple of days have been quite challenging steep climbs to the top of mountains. The trails are in fantastic condition and through the steepest sections they have built log stairways.

From Tairyuji to Byodoji, temple 22, it was mostly a fairly steep downhill trip except for one short climb for a couple of kilometers.

I have to fly home to London on May 22nd so I don't have quite enough time to walk the entire route. It generally takes about 45 days and I only have 35 days to complete the trip and visit all 88 temples. So I am going to be taking advantage of public transportation when it is available and there are long distances between temples. From Byodoji to number 23 was another nearly 21 kilometers. I would not have time to make that today, so I took the train to Hiwasa Station near Yakuoji, temple 23 and am staying in a little business hotel by the station. I arrived early enough to visit Yakuoji before the temple office closed. It was quite a climb up an endless staircase to get to the main temple. But the view was amazing. For the first time, I could look out and see the ocean.

In the train station there is an information center and I stopped in to get some advice for tomorrow. The next temple is 75 kilometers away. I'm sure it's a lovely walk, but most of it is along a busy highway. So again to save time, I plan to take alternative transportation. They told me the trains and busses I need to take. They were so helpful! They even made a reservation for me for tomorrow night at a minshuku near temple 26. They gave me useful tips that will help me for the next few days. It is supposed to rain here tomorrow but maybe the weather will be a bit better where I am heading.