Sea and Sky
Emerging from our tent this morning we discovered the entire campground was still ours. With time on our hands before our late morning bus to Cape Muroto, we spent the morning slowly exploring the beach and surrounding area. When it finally came time to break down camp and pack up we noticed a couple of workers with landscaping tools milling around nearby. More than occasionally they would glance in our direction. Were they waiting for us to leave so not to disturb us? Sure enough, a few moments after we left the area, the sound of blowers and lawn mowers started up. Feeling a little guilty and rude for not hurrying up our process, we walked to the bus stop where a 44 minute ride would save us an entire day of walking.
A number of other pilgrims joined us for the ride down the coast. A second feeling of guilt came over me as we saw pilgrims who bypassed the bus and decided to walk the 35 kilometers. Inside we cheered them on. Gambate!
Our bus stop at Deep Sea Water Farm was only a few kilometers from Mikurodo Cave. This is where Kobo Daishi, who established the 88 Buddhist temples in Shikoku, is said to have trained when he was young. Legend claims that here is where he changed his name to Kukai after being moved by ku, the sky and kai the sea. The two things he was able to see from inside the cave. When we arrived, the cave was closed due to dangerous conditions. How fortunate to have experienced it in 2009.
There are no guarantees. What you see or experience in one moment may not be available to you again. Taking things for granted or putting them off for “the next time” is easy, but what if that next time is not your choice? Always seize a moment when it is presented to you. As documentarians, this philosophy guides us.
At Temple 24 (Hotsumisaki-ji ) we once again saw familiar faces. Their smiles greeted us. Flipping through my stamp book at the temple office, the monk was surprised to see he would be giving me my second stamp. Then he actually applauded when he saw my Koya stamp page, which already had two entries.
After 100 million years, the precious topography and geology along the Muroto City shoreline is breathtaking. The nature trail is a designated World Geopark Site. In order to access it we had to backtrack from Temple 24. The ancient jagged rocks are both consumed and caressed by the blue ocean water. Opposites coexisting in the same world together.
Back on busy Route 55 we came across a professional photo shoot. A small crew, photographer, make-up, lighting, and a model took up the path in front of us. From a distance it appeared to be an elaborate magazine shoot. As we approached we were both surprised to see an elderly lady in a beautiful full ballgown. Under the bright purple and pink taffeta, she wore sweatpants and sensible senior shoes.
We would have gladly traded our hiking boots in for sensible shoes. Today we covered a long distance and our mantra just around the bend was more comically accurate than ever.
Throughout the day Matt repeatedly said he felt lopsided. Standing behind him to take a look, he WAS lopsided! His backpack had slipped and most of the weight was to one side. The photo I took made us both (ok maybe just me) laugh for hours.
Finding Business Hotel Yoshimatsu was not a laughing matter. The second time we had to ask for directions we knew we were lost. Standing at the location provided by the guidebook there was still no hotel. The book has incorrectly categorized it as a hotel, but in fact it was a Ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn) at least 100 years old. Our hostess was happy to see us and to confirm our reservation, but almost immediately started apologizing for the building. She said many times “very old building”. A beautiful woman with a warm, modest smile, she gracefully guided us through the labyrinth of rooms inside, showing us what we had access to: bath, toilet, and our tatami room. As we toured, the wooden floors throughout the Ryokan continuously squeaked and moved. Our traditional Japanese room set up with tatami, futons and a small kotatsu table was located on the second floor. The torn sliding screen opened up to a small river that ran in the background, letting in a handful of bugs.
Odd thoughts kept me awake throughout the night. What if there was an earthquake? Surely this establishment will fold like a matchbox house, or what if our neighbor next door drops his cigarette? We’d burn to the ground in moments. Come morning neither happened and we woke without so much as a mosquito bite.
April 20, 2016 - Temple 24
