Exploring the unlikely intersections of walking, photography and making
April 22, 2017 Today's walk will be bittersweet. An easy 20 kilometers from now we will reach Ōzu, the endpoint of our springtime walk along the Henro-michi. After a good Japanese-style breakfast, Gail and I set off from Matsu-ya, our business hotel in Unomachi. Budget-conscious Simon has foregone the expense of a hotel meal and... Continue Reading →
April 21, 2017 Walking a pilgrimage can be a solitary activity. Gail and I have each other for company, but many travel solo. On occasion our paths mesh for just a moment, loosely intertwining on the trail or at a temple. We exchange pleasantries as best we can, considering we speak only English and they,... Continue Reading →
April 17, 2017 A slight drizzle accompanies our way out of Sukumo. Light enough to pack our rain coats away, letting the cool dew dampen our clothes and drip off the brows of our conical hats. We head inland, away from the sea and up into the hills, following small roads and forest trails, cutting... Continue Reading →
April 8, 2017 It would be a hard day. We knew this before setting off from Haruna Spa. Comfortable beds, refreshing hot baths, filling meals are all fine reasons to spend the night here. But it is off the henro path and, at the outset, adds two kilometres to this day’s trek. We had originally... Continue Reading →
With our planned excursions to sakura-viewing locales foiled, we needed to fill our second scheduled day in Kochi with other activities. It was a rain-filled day, so museum visits seemed appropriate. That morning, we headed off by commuter train to the nearby town of Ino, home of the Japanese Paper Museum. As far back... Continue Reading →
The whims of nature threw a huge curve ball in the direction of my careful planning. I had plotted our entire trip around Japan's cherry blossom season. I had studied past years' reports for the best time to see the sakura in full bloom. Flights were arranged so we would arrive here, in Kochi,... Continue Reading →
Today's leisurely walk would take us to through the agricultural heartland of Kochi Prefecture. We were on our way to Kochi City for two day's rest in one of Shikoku's larger urban centers. Along the way, we will visit three more temples on the Henro-michi. First comes Dianichiji, Temple 28, a modest complex brought... Continue Reading →
Gail and I are back to the coastline as we leave Aki. But not before passing some Rube Goldberg contraption of a type that only the Japanese could conceive. Four yellow orbs are suspended from a shiny stainless steel trunk. On the hour, chirpy music emanates from the device and each of the orbs opens... Continue Reading →
Misono, our frenetic host, was out the door before her guests had finished breakfast. She had a community volunteer flower-planting party to command. Minshuku Misono was part of the recently-established network of HenroHouse lodgings dotting the 88-temple Henro route. It's a convenient way to book rooms in advance, using the HenroHouse English-friendly website. I hope it... Continue Reading →
On our second day of walking, we leave Fuji Business Hotel and Muroto City behind as we make our way along the coastline of Kochi Prefecture. We also leave yesterday's stormy, wet and cold. Sure, it is cooler than we would wish but the bright overcast is a welcome reprieve. Soon, we are climbing once... Continue Reading →