The 41st Day in Japan If I had known today in the morning, what happened to me until the evening, it was overridden by me, probably with "Bad luck and mishaps" been. But it all started yesterday with the communication problems. Today when I wake up in my little room, I had the Soji (sliding doors), which serve as a replacement curtains left open, it's dark and raining. Ironically, today, when I walk quite a long way must still do so by the end! At 6.00 I clock on calculations. The lady at the reception with which I had yesterday the misunderstanding about the accommodation prices check out me and pushes me a 1,000-yen note into his hand. She tells me it was for "Pan" (bread), because I do not want to offend again, they had understood my fear and anger quite well, thank me and make my No way to temple 88th
Actually I wanted to stay in the ryokan for two days and leave my heavy luggage here. But now I'm forced me and my entire possessions to Ōkuboji (No. 88) to drag. Maybe I can then leave the bag in the pilgrim's office and make its way to No. 20 Bangai temple still pack light. The path to the temple Ōkuboji I had imagined but then shorter and lighter. Also my pleasure to visit at length the last temple of the main chain is tarnished and not just because of the rain. It's been bloody cold, the rain flows into streams. Fortunately, I carry on my double jacket with a rain poncho that envelops me along with my backpack. He might have to be a little longer, because I get very wet feet quickly, but actually the best part for such a rainy island such as Shikoku. I need to just under 2.5 km to the temple for half an hour and am of course far too early in the pilgrim's office.
Fortunately, one can imagine that among the temple office. There are even benches for resting. I peel myself from my "onion" look and decide to ask the first monk, who opens the pilgrimage office, if I can leave my backpack here. But I have bad luck, for the old codger insists that I take the backpack as the Bangai (low mark) simply too far gone. It shortens the distance but not when I run with full pack, I think to myself. I'm annoyed, but understand his request. Because what happens, I should not appear before the opening time back in the pilgrim's office? Should he then put my backpack in front of the door, he is possibly stolen. However, I'm back to the opening time to the temple, I find no one who I can give out my "good play" again. Dejected I trot from there. In the rain I can not take a photo of the temple, but before I take at the next opportunity in doing so. I will try to reach today the Bangai temple. Depending on how fast or slow I am, I'm going way back to Temple No. 1 to make Temple No. 88th Perhaps there are shorter routes, but since my maps limited, I prefer to choose the designated pilgrim routes, as to hit me across country.
rain, rain and again rain, today of all days where I can not use it. I walk back the way to Takeyakiki Ryokan, from here I have to go back to the Japanese map, for the route to the temple called Bangai Approximately 20 km. In an intersection I'm short break. Why does it well here is an underpass, a simple intersection would have been a problem here but no go, so few cars like this? While on the map a longer trip is recorded, the first-round lead at the Otaki mountain highway and mainly includes, I choose to, in my eyes, shorter path. It begins in a kind of dam with toilet and then runs as drifts Rail, the hairpin turns of the highway for short, right up the hill. But as mentioned, the day is with "Bad luck and mishaps" overwritten, and so I have the bad luck that I do not find the entrance to the trail. Instead, give me a sign here on the street information as to the highways is 16 km long. This range is still acceptable for me, even though the Trail would have shortened to 6 km. But I have time now, since I official pilgrimage tour was almost completed, I will not let me through so annoyed some adversity.
I trudge up the highway so that is no longer complete, but is listed in my credit card. While I still wonder where I am to actually be on the card, the minutes to hours. I walk in the rain, the mist covered the mountain peaks. Only from time to time I think I'm this or that group of houses or look seen on any plantation before. Since I am here on the mountain but steady upward move and each turn of the road must pass through, I have every time a different angle. Two large tour buses go past me. How I would with their parade, but for now I'll be raining pretty wet, although the rain has gone. Since then at least I'm on the right track, I think to myself, as a short to me sounds a Mauz. It is a pitiful Mauz, an even more pathetic acting cat. It is a very bright Tiger, but so thin that you can see, despite long-haired coat the bones. Well, kittens, I think to myself, because you've run up here as I got lost. And again hear her feeble meow. Unfortunately I have nothing left except my pilgrimage cookies and I doubt that you eat that. If such a domestic cat goes here in the wilderness and the way home, not again place, it must either starve or reflect on their own instincts and hunting. But this poor cat is probably as a runaway couch potato who has never chased a live mouse or bird. I would love to help her, while I can not help it by myself, yes. If she is smart, she tries to feed the meat from the crabs that are here every few yards from cars were down flat. But since I myself do not know how far is it to the temple, I have to leave with a heavy heart sitting on the roadside.
I walk on, always the misty peaks in the eye, somewhere up there is the Ōtakiji temple. The idea motivates me, what have I done today, all from the Valley I have come down to that level. But a car that slowed down just in front of me, pulls me out of thought. A Japanese couple waving to me energetically, while I have two pilgrim buses and three other cars could pull their ways, I think I've proved today for my good will. And I would not end like the kitten in the rain, I take these "pilgrims relief," with thanks. Beginning now but here again a roller coaster ride through the curves, but faster than expected, this ride is over. It was to remain in the terminology, only a stone's throw to the temple.
digression Bangai temple No. 20 Ōtakiji (大 滝 寺)
"The temple of the great waterfall was created by Gogi (668-749) and is said to have carved statues of Amida Nyorai equal to 3 as Honzon. Kobo Daishi also visited the mountain to its summit on the Morning Star Meditation (Gomonjihō) perform. The temple is famous for his "Yakunagashi", which means so much to "wash away the evil" such as, but what is behind it, is beyond my knowledge. But who is now back Saisho Daigongen, which is here given as Honzon (chief deity)? Nishiteru Daigongen or Amano Oshihi are name for the same deity. Probably a Shinto deity (kami), because they have the title "Daigongen" with. Supposedly this temple on the highest-Shikoku be the entire trip, even higher than the headquarters of the Shingon Buddhism on Koyasan.
As I enter the temple with my Japanese couple, there is already a group of pilgrims recite the sutras. When I leave the temple office to make a pilgrimage entry, I told the woman. It is to me by my great hiking colleagues, who four days ago (also on 21.04.) Visited this temple to order, greetings. One thing that strikes me to wonder if she thinks Hajo Berlin or the two women who I met at Temple No.46. But I have heard correctly that it was Hajo, probably with the excellent English-speaking Japanese woman has led a Pläuschchen here. Now, my Japanese car driving me here discovered the pilgrims switch and ask me if they want to take me back down. I deny the grounds that I have a "Arukihenro", a walking pilgrimage am. Furthermore, the way back, now only runs downhill not be so difficult. In the latter, I was mistaken it is a very nice and sort by bankruptcies, for my descent to be my biggest failure in the whole pilgrimage tour.
But back to my motorized benefactors to me as Osettai (pilgrims present) a bottle of tea and fried noodles, they taste so similar as to come unsalted pretzel sticks, leave. I thank you and we say goodbye. Since the whole mountain is in the fog, it's pretty difficult to find the trail. But when I saw the street at the temple run in the opposite direction to which I have come, I see a sign. Here the trail is marked with neon-colored ribbons, which are in the fog can still see relatively well. I follow the tapes, but quickly realize that the trail is not quite "no" is. Leaves accumulated on the road and through the rain, it is quite slippery, especially as it goes steeply up and down. Inwardly, I cursed my decision to return to run again, but actually the routing of the trail should not give me too many problems. According to the map I have always, with some curves, straight move down the mountain until I meet on the road that I am come up and if I last piece to the dam then walk to the trail or the road, "makes the carbon even more bold. But how can
close the heading "Bad luck and margins" is running smoothly now nothing, so I can not remember the actual trail with the fire-break. On firebreaks, which are of course marked by bands, each year the trees and shrubs are cut back so that the fire does not Find food in order to proceed further on the mountain. Well yes, and by labeling with the bands I've probably confused the trail and firebreak. Since I was of the opinion that the temple was already at the highest point, I had to walk accordingly only downhill, I'm scrambling instead of the mountain still remains high on the descending firebreak landed. This meant the "in decline" to be for me, because the path had to overcome a lot steeper and more difficult. Especially since I think the most 14 kg, backpack on his back, which can drag down a powerful the slope. With a quick prayer to have Kobo Daishi and the promise it finally understood what to I slid down on the pants, the fire-break. When I get out now at a steep concrete slope, I get real problem, how should I come down? I may come out even in such constructions, but these had always been vulnerable, given the trail led past them. When I meet now on a river, I would have again been lucky that on its banks, you can walk along and I could have returned a landmark, could be estimated from the I, where am I landed. After having such a small brook that murmurs from the mountain got over here, I come out in a place with construction equipment. Of course, no one in the proximity, you could have asked, because today is Saturday, because only very few work. The main thing I am again landed in the valley, then I just follow the road up to the next village, but the town a ways off. So I walk all the way, I had tormented me up again a few hours ago or came to me why some curves so familiar? I now walk in the direction of dam or back towards the temple, because there is not even street signs here that can give me information as to which road I run anyway? "Namu Daishi Henjo Congo," I think to myself, just do not swear or lose the peace.
I torture myself back up the road, but finally I see a house. But Unfortunately, all are gone. When I knock, nothing stirred inside. I continued to walk, but I realize that hiking without knowing the target or not knowing that you are on the right track, is quite exhausting. If I have motivated me earlier so that I can do what I now work out on the mountain to enjoy the descent altitude, I now do not even know if I walk in the right direction. The fact that the mountain miles away from the nearest town, is built on not just me. Now I feel like the cat wet from before. Wet, hungry and alone.
suddenly overtaken me a car, but I was so absorbed in thought, that I do not equal to respond. The next car you stop, I think to myself, and if the Monster Mountain sits behind the wheel. That you'll make before the sun no longer up to you broken. And wonder of wonders, my request is heard, even though my mountain monster then a gray-haired Japanese out, understands not a word in English and the Japanese also is beyond me and the car is too small in fact, than that I could have squeezed. But where there's a will, there's a way! And when the old gentleman, I had reported him to have got lost on the way back to the temple, take me to my destination, then shoot me but the tears in his eyes. Instead of me in the next Kick out hamlet, it has been quite moved back to Temple No. 20!
But let's face it - in all corners, I'm not even sure that we are driven to the right side of the mountain. But I thank you dearly and am back like the proverbial drowned rat - sorry - kitten before pilgrims switch. I ring and will be opened to me, I tell the lovely wife of the head temple of my odyssey and ask after my story, whether in the temple is a place to stay. Unfortunately not, because currently everything is renovated. If it is thick, then extreme! Fully resolved enough to me a cup of "milk tea" and The temple head pulls a hair dryer so I can dry my shoes. The woman is married to the temple priests. Priests, it is in Japan to get married that is allowed, if they have not even sworn to celibacy. So a priest is a training job like any other, after several years of training will be the one that comes through to the end, even an official license, which certifies that he may lead a temple with all the familiar rituals.
In any case, I said this woman, I guess is around 50 (although in Japanese is always quite difficult) that they had lost in their youth, too. She is also on the pilgrimage of 88 temples been, as she before Temple No. 13, I remember a mountain temple with steep stairs, got lost for hours in the woods. She is then taken to nice people who helped her and now she wants to inflict upon me this. She asks me if I wanted to visit with her and her son a Onsen (spa). A hot bath can not hurt, I think to myself, and where a bathroom is, it must also be a village but where to find the greatest happiness is also a hotel. But first things first. We drive by car to her son Onsen. My goodness, he swept around the corners, said it's like roller coaster ride. But the way he drives back from feeling the way I'm with the other Pilgrims had gone through by car, runs here totally engulfed.
The woman told me when we arrive at the Onsen that I have to refer to a room, then we will have dinner together and then give us the hot water of hot spring. I currently do not care, even when she tells me that this is a pilgrim's gift to me, I can not long resist and thank you very much. At dinner I chat with her and her son, he is to take the second oldest and is the Temple times, the Shikoku pilgrimage, that her eldest son works in the U.S. as a molecular biologist and I now hang together with Hajo. After dinner, I still want a towel and fresh Laundry from my room to get. The young man gives me the phone number of a "cult-san", which should speak many languages including German and Koya-san on the living. Since I know that Japanese baths are each separated by sex, I say goodbye to the young men, him will I see today is not anymore. But with the mother, I would now like to take a bath together. Incredulous, she explains to me that down there will be loud naked Japanese women who are truly "stark naked". It is clear to me, I tell her, because that is not my first time in a Japanese bath. After I had the words "Ofuro (Japanese bath) and" Sentaku " (Japanese clothes such as washing machines) was confusing, her eyes still sufficiently get a questioning look. Speaking of questions - I would like to know is where I am because this is actually. But when I told her delaying the Japanese card, it does not find it. Well, if need be I can ask at the reception tomorrow. On the hot Ofuro, I've earned today! Unfortunately, I wear no glasses in the bathroom, so I follow you to the swimming programs made the wrong woman in the locker room. I'm ready when my wife finally nice priest enters the locker room and only then did I realize my mistake. I again thank her warmly for it, though I have been a revenge in mind, a "Care Package" aus Deutschland zur Weihnachtszeit. Ich verabschiede mich und gehe wieder auf mein Zimmer. In dieser Nacht kann ich wie ein Murmeltier schlafen, da ich mich heute mental wie physisch total verausgabt habe.
0 comments:
Post a Comment