Joyfull
All pages pointed to a very Joyfull morning, in our guide book that is. In the light rainfall we packed away our camping gear, said goodbye to Pierre and headed out to breakfast at our favorite family style Japanese restaurant, Joyfull. Think Denny’s meets sushi bar. The tuna bowl set menu is the best!
Getting wet from rain for over a week now, a realization came to me. What my rain gear ensemble lacked were two things; gaiters for my shoes and a poncho to cover my backpack. Yesterday I scored a sweet poncho at Family Mart (convenience store). Acquiring gaiters was more challenging and therefore a DIY version would have to do. Plastic bags would suffice. Grabbing my heart sutra umbrella, taking on the 6km to Joyfull in the increasing rainfall seems like a breeze. All was good for awhile. Then the hills. As we started to climb so did my body temperature inside layers of plastic. It wasn’t bad at the beginning. There was even a small sense of accomplishment that my outfit was keeping the rain out. However, the path was much longer than anticipated and my sauna-like state was starting to make me lightheaded and even a little melodramatic. The words, “I can’t possibly go on” may have been said. But we did go on and after countless references to the guide book came, finally, upon our beloved Joyfull. We were too late for breakfast, so let’s call it lunch. Matt reached for the door to the restaurant. He shook it and cried “Closed”. Ha ha funny. Good one Matt. Got me. The tuna bowl set menu tasted better than ever.
After lunch we skipped four pages in the book. Skipping pages is easy when you opt for a train ride instead of walking. At the stamp office of Temple 37 (Iwamoto-ji), the older lady monk seemed impressed with my Nikaime (second time) stamp. She looked at me inquisitively at first and then with a long stern expression. Interpreting her reaction was complex.
Before leaving for Temple 37 we stored our bags at the Nakamura train station, even snapped a photo of the timetable. Now heading back to the station we were, for once, ahead of schedule for a 3:30 departure. Casually strolling to the counter for tickets the agent points to a paper that reads 2:54, or one minute away. An earlier train. Great! From the counter I yell to Matt “One minute. Get bags!” A rapid-fire sequence of events ensued. Matt pulling out our smashed backpacks, me grabbing wet umbrellas and hats, both of us double and triple checking our belongings, all while the agent eagerly watched from the counter, as if cheering for our success. “Torakku 3” or “Track 3” he yells. Running upstairs we arrived on the platform breathlessly, just as the train came around the bend. Success! Double success, the 2:54 was a rapid. Albeit wet, cloudy and rainy, some beautiful scenery whizzed by as we skipped pages yet again.
The loudest bird cheerfully sang outside our hotel window tonight as the heavy rain continued to fall. Perhaps he heard the weather report for less rain tomorrow? Fingers and wings crossed.
April 27, 2016 - Temple 37
