Day 2: What Luck

Today was meant to be a long walking day, and I had a somewhat aggressive schedule because I wanted to reach T11 so I could proceed to T12 anytime I wanted tomorrow. I mapped it all out on my phone the night before, complete with timestamps, but I didn’t want to overdo it on the planning—so I also wrote explicitly in my notes, Don’t rush. Everything will be okay. And it was! First bit of luck: I encountered an uncle (in my second photo) on the way to T7. He gave me directions and asked where I was from. We met again shortly before the temple (he was talking to two other Henro), and then as I was leaving T7 he appeared on the road and asked if I wanted a drive to T8. I had read that you shouldn’t decline any offerings, but in truth I was also grateful to cut down on the one hour of walking to save my feet. I thanked the uncle and asked for his name, but he declined to give it. He let me take a selfie and my offer of pastillas tho! At T8 a lady gave me and a few pilgrims by the stamp office an origami shirt with toothpicks, and then I had a conversation with an uncle by the vending machine after exchanging his 500Y coin for 100Y coins. We couldn’t quite understand each other, part language barrier and partly his hearing, but he gave me his number to call if I had any difficulties (!). I went on my own way to T9, and felt a slight ache on my left leg—nothing crazy, but I stretched and decided to be mindful of it. At T9 I met two Italian tourist friends who were walking together; I went ahead, but we encountered each other throughout the day. Second bit of luck: I was enjoying the peaceful walk to T10, when an uncle stopped by in a car and asked if I wanted a ride to the last half there. I had actually planned to go to the store Sumitoriya Asano first to leave my backpack, which is right before the last steep kilometer to T10. But again—you don’t say no, and I thought it would be manageable with my bag if I cut down on the time. As we approached the temple, the uncle asked if I wanted to walk the steps up, or if he should drive me up. I decided to go as high up as we could given my heavy bag, and was grateful for it especially once I did the descent. His name was Yoshida Shoji-san, and he is a pilgrimage volunteer; he gave me his card. At this point I’d saved about 1.5 hours of walking. This let me spend more time at the temples, have a proper lunch, and also buy a sedge hat and pilgrim bag from the kind folks at Sumitoriya Asano. I continued on my walk to T11 which was again quiet and peaceful. While crossing a bridge I actually encountered the kind lady from Sumitoriya Asano again, who was in a car. Then I took a brief detour to use the bathroom at an abandoned public park. At some point around that area there was fairly loud school-assembly style singing wafting through the neighborhood, which gave things a somewhat ghostly feel. And now for the third bit of magical luck. I was about 40 min from the last temple, which is next to the Henro House I booked for the night, when a car rolled by and asked if I wanted a lift…again. It was Yoshida-san! I thanked him and climbed in. As we started driving he asked if I had food, because he knew my accommodations tonight don’t have any. I said I didn’t but was just planning to figure it out, and then he offered to drive me to the grocery so I could get dinner, plus breakfast and lunch for tomorrow (there are none on the trail). This was a stunning piece of luck as I was planning to chance a bike into town after the last temple, but I’m actually really terrible at biking. I asked him if it was really okay, and he said it was fine as he was just going to go home and take a bath after (ofuro). He also mentioned it’s a good thing because we could’ve easily missed each other by a few seconds. I agreed and said it was like fate. 😀 I picked up my meals at the grocery plus a can of beer for Yoshida-san for after his bath. I know I really didn’t have to, but I was happy he didn’t refuse. It’s been interesting chatting with other pilgrims at the Henro House. I barely saw anyone in today’s stretch. But I think a few of us will be on the same trail tomorrow. Am hoping for decent weather. I’m so terrible at sleeping early but I’m going to give it a shot tonight as tomorrow’s hike is one of the major ones. Wish me luck!