Detours
What would you do if your morning walk included a climb up a mountain to 2340 feet?
Well, tell you what we did…
We stopped at a bakery and loaded up on carbs. It was necessary fuel for spending six hours hiking to Temple 60 (Yokomine-ji), appropriately called Peak Temple. Sixty is considered the most difficult of the nansho (challenging) temples. It requires, at minimum, three sweet rolls slathered with butter.
Deciding to take on the alternate route meant going up the backside and less traveled part of the mountain. Less traveled by humans, yes. Less traveled by heavy machinery? No. The constant hum of metal and smell of gasoline filled the air. Deforestation was under way. A look to the right provided magnificent views of pine trees. A look to the left offered a field of stumps.
The machines, however, respectfully kept the pilgrim trail untouched. Posted detour signs ensured a pilgrim stayed on the original path.
For hours we zigzagged on the detour. Our eyes then caught sight of a new marker. Bathed in sunlight, a stone finger pointed us to rejoin the main path.
Memories flooded me.
At this intersection, seven years ago, a feeling washed over me. I thought it might be god. It might be nature. Pure, simple, powerful, beautiful.
It engulfed me then. It saddened me today.
Man was manipulating nature. I suppose at least in Japan he was respecting it with detour signs.
Our next sign guided us to the entrance of the temple. The custom is to enter and leave through the main gates, bowing when entering and exiting. Since we came in through the backside, we would have to walk to the main gate to pay our respects.
At the stamp office the young, handsome, and cool monk spoke to us with his limited, but charismatic English skills . He engaged us with conversation and beautiful calligraphy.
Like the black squiggly lines in our stamp books, it was time to trek down the mountain. In the early afternoon hours we pondered. Should attempt two more temples to maximize the day or stop?
Thankfully per Matt’s suggestion we saved the other temples until tomorrow.
Ending in the early afternoon allowed us to enjoy a long, relaxing onsen (Japanese bath) and dinner. A luxury not usually on the agenda.
Bakeries always fit the schedule though, and that’s where we will begin again tomorrow!
May 13, 2016 - Temple 60
