A Day of Rain Didn't Dampen Our Spirits!!!!

Ohayo Gozaimasu! (Good morning)

We awoke this morning to heavy mist hanging in the mountains.  We had a quick soak in the hot baths (Onsen) before breakfast, then strapped on our rain gear for our trek. 

Yes, it was raining and it continued pretty steadily all day.  No problem with the rain gear on gear and most of our walking was through forests that partly sheltered us from any heavy rain. 

 Morning mist in the mountains from our room.

 Cobblestone trail up into the cedar and cypress forests.

Stamping station for pilgrims at each Oji.

 Ducking under the Oji roof for a quick break

 Don and fellow walker, in the cedar forest (today the rain forest)

 We followed the stream for a good part of the dayl

 Rice fields as we were heading into Chikatsuyu

 Heather at the Chikatsuyu

 Don's Lunch

 Heather's Lunch

 Local flowers along the roadside

 Self explanatory in any language!

 Our destination Oji for the day, the Tsugizakura Shrine.

 Very impressive shrine, but the massive old trees are amazing.

 Buddhist Temple on the way down the mountain to our Inn.

 Don ringing the bell to call the monks to drink!

Self explanatory Japanese traffic sign!!

AHHHHHHHHH JAPAN!

Today was the start of the actual pilgrimage for us and to get to our starting point, we first took a train further south along the coast to Kii-Tanabe, then took a taxi inland for 40 minutes to our start at the trailhead for the Takiiri-oji.

The walk today was relatively short but with two very steep ascents along the ridges of two densely forested mountains enroute to our destination for tonight, the tiny mountaintop village of Takahara.  Although rugged in spots, the trail is fairly well established after years of pilgrims using it and decent maintenance. 

Along the path we encountered many more Oji's and on our way into the mountaintop village we saw farmers tending rice fields and hanging rice to dry. 

Our Inn tonight was again a traditional Ryokan with straw mat floors, Futon beds (and rock hard pillows) with their own Onsen (hot baths).  We have now picked up the routine that you should arrive at your Inn/Ryokan before 5:00, shower and use the hot baths before dinner, go for a very hearty dinner, then roll into your Futon and get some rest for the next days walk.

Local meat store in Tanabe with Kobe and Wagu beef

The start of our walk at the Takajiri Shrine.

Heather, brushing up on looking down!

And, it just keeps going up.  One of the peculiarities that we noticed so far is that they don't seem to have switchbacks going up the steep parts of the hill.  They just track straight up the ridge.

The Hari-Jizodo Oji, dedicated to a local Jizo who protects Travelers and cures toothaches . . . seriously, very multi-tasking.

.... And this one, the protector of married couples . . . .

Farmers in the rice fields

Drying the Rice

Our room at the Ryokan

View from our room

 Don patiently waiting for a beer at the bar.

Perfect end to a day's hike

Traditional dress

Dinner time at our Ryokan with fellow walkers

Yummmmm!