Rain 101
Rain, the least favorite subject of most pilgrims. Since crossing into Kochi Prefecture, a consistent topic of conversation. This morning it would come up again and there would be a test.
Under overcast skies, our beautiful hostess from Ryokan Yoshimatsu bid us sayonara. These morning pilgrims walked through Muroto City with our usual symphony of Ohayou gozaimasu (good morning) and Konichiwa (hello) cheerfully being delivered to school children, salary men as well as farmers. It’s typical that at first these musical greetings get uncertain sideways glances, but then a smile initiates a smile and joyful Ohayou’s are returned. The bright grins and greetings of the elderly are the best. Big and genuine.
There are many ways to partake in the pilgrimage. Senior pilgrims will take bus tours, younger people will walk, and others cycle the entire island. Since each requires an extended length of time, many Japanese will do the pilgrimage in stages, or one prefecture at a time. Since Temple 24 (Hotsumisakiji) is the first temple in this Kochi prefecture we have begun to see many familiar faces. At temple 25 (Shinshōji) we again saw pilgrim Sumiyo Okazk. She gave me a beautiful o-settai of a cloth pouch for my juzu or rosary. As we said goodbye it started to mist heavily.
At Temple 26 (Kongocho-ji) the rain really started to come down. You could feel the heavy sighs of pilgrims throughout the grounds. Systematically we all started the same routine of putting on rain gear, wrapping belongings in plastic, and triple checking directions for the route. However, even with the steady rain, the route from Temple 26 was beautiful. It cut across fields, small roads and even backyards. Entering a forest for the final mountain descent, the entire floor and sky shimmered with wet leaves. The lighting in the woods rivaled that of professional photography studios. Soft and even.
The canopy of tress gave us shelter but once we left the forest there was no hiding from the rain. The remainder of the days walk would be on concrete. We put in a good 6km before stopping. Feeling self-conscious we walked into a small local grocery store to pick up lunch. Dripping wet from head to toe we tiptoed across the aisles. The polite staff said nothing but certainly the mops came out the moment we left. A very cold henro hut was our shelter. Here we did a quick check in with our bodies. The prognosis was grim. Wet feet (me), soaked backpack, cold, water-resistant jackets done resisting, and an attitude that was going from A to a C- (me again).
Trying to stay positive we continued on in the afternoon downpour. We had every intention to keep walking, but then we saw it. A bus stop! It was even on the correct side of the street. Now a little history lesson here. Matt and I have a very good track record of missing public transportation. Sometimes by minutes other times by seconds. So when the timetable indicated a bus arriving within half an hour, we considered it a good omen. At 2:27pm a bus pulls over. At the steps we ask the driver if his bus is going to Nahari Station. Looking over our soggy presentation he replied with a curt “yes” followed by “don’t sit down.” We gladly stood for the 15 minute ride, trying to contain our mess to a small area. The only other passengers were two elderly ladies who didn’t so much glance our direction. Everyone feels sorry for a wet pilgrim, especially me.
By the time we got to our Business Hotel we had managed to drip dry some. Laundry, especially a dryer, was the evenings priority. We literally washed everything including the clothes off our backs. Covering the window so no one could see as we stripped down. Warming ourselves with a delicious ramen meal from the hotels modest restaurant we had time study the wet day. When circumstances are difficult my tendency is to get through them as fast as possible. Silence and focus are my aim. Matt on the other hand tries to make the unpleasant task seem better through jokes and light heartedness. There is no right or wrong approach to getting through difficult situations. For the two of us the most important thing is to work through them together, preferably over a huge bowl of soup in dry clothing.
April 21, 2016 - Temples 25 & 26