Pass over the bridge
Into the realm of the gods
Re-enter reborn
Into the realm of the gods
Re-enter reborn
We awoke to mountain views shrouded in clouds with rain falling softly.
We could see the castle looming on the hill, ready for us to explore. Breakfast in the dining area was set for each room, with the dishes all ready to enjoy. There were 2 hotplates this morning, one with mushrooms in miso and the other with a vegetable soup. There was a selection of other dishes with rice and miso to enjoy from the side table. It was a delicious start to the day, although we were unsure of the way we should have been eating some of them.
Packed and ready to leave we had a little wander and admired the foliage of the trees by the hotel. There are a lot of the Japanese maples with the little butterfly flowers which are just so pretty.
Our bus arrived to pack up the suitcases. Junko was worried about us climbing up to the castle in the wet weather, but we all agreed we would like to do it. (With the hike she had us on later, I’m not sure why she was worried) It was a short walk up the hill, with the constant drizzle keeping us cool. The vegetation of the area is amazing - layers of green in different hues.
The castle is the oldest reconstructed wooden castle in Japan.
It was rebuilt in 1933 when the historic value was recognised. The wooden floors creak loudly, this is no sweet nightingale tweeting at us. There are lookout and defence windows which give great views over the town, including a helmet shaped building that is the sports centre.
The brutality of the feudal system is exemplified by the head cleaning station, where the warriors would clean the heads of their victims before presenting them to their Shogun - like a cat depositing a mouse on your doorstep for approval. Only the Shogun liked his prey clean.
After a short break in the town and a coffee break (where Ken had an impromptu art exhibition with his sketch book) we were on the road for about 40 minutes, climbing higher up into the mountains. We stopped at a little restaurant for lunch. We enjoyed a traditional sweet lip fish which was very delicious.
The rain had set in and the weather was a cool 13c as we bussed further up into the mountain. The drive was beautiful, the river ran beside the road with white water rushing over small rapids and flooded rice fields.
It was cosy in the bus and a few people had a little nap as we wound our way around the bends and hairpin turns. There were splashes of red leafed trees amosngt the green and wisteria growing in large areas, to give a purple glow.
We finally reached our destination, a shrine up in Mt Hakusan. We met a local guide, Horito, who took us on a walk into the forest. He told us that the rain was auspicious and we were being welcomed with water. We were on the pilgrimage route and a meeting point for deities. It was very cold up here with the rain still falling.
We climbed over slippery rocks and steps and arrived at a shrine. We rinsed our hands and mouths ready to greet the deities. The main shrine was for the creators of Japan. A male and female who made the country.
Horito then took us much further up the mountains, following the pilgrimage path. It was very steep and took us to the bridge into the world of the deities, crossing out of the world of man. We were at the womb and would be reborn. The bridge crossed a pretty river and then the real climbing began - there would be no rebirth without pain.
The drizzle continued and the scenery was stunning. Giant trees tower and the leaves in the undergrowth are like pretty papery onion skins. The rain and clouds created a magical atmosphere and we all felt very lucky to be there. We finally reached the sacred 4 truck tree, a massive tree that had split into four separate trees, connected with a massive base. The exertion had warmed us up and the rain was slowly stopping.
The climb back down was slippery and a little treacherous. I had chosen to take one of the walking sticks that Horito offered so had a little extra traction. We crossed back down over the bridge and were reborn and full of energy.
Once down the mountain, we were back on the bus and a short drive later were at a little tea house. This is run by a young couple who have renovated it into a B&B. We enjoyed a hot drink, I had a tasty wildflower tea, and a traditional dessert, which was a cup full of delectable delights. So tasty. Horito explained the Pilgrimage to us with a map he had drawn and had screenprinted. The tea room was cosy and smelt of sweet incense. It was a lovely interlude to finish our afternoon.
The young couple had bought the property when it was an abandoned house, they were given a government grant and only had to spend $30,000 to have a fully renovated property in a magnificent location.
Back on the bus we had a short drive to our next hotel, the Manden Yodo. The bus crawled into the parking space through a thick blanket of fog.
It is a very traditional inn. We left our shoes at the door and are only in slippers inside. But we have different slippers in our room, bathroom slippers, toilet slippers and there is even some courtyard slippers. We have a large room with a tatami mat, a separate bathroom, a shower room and our own private outdoor onsen. We have pyjamas and yukata robes.
First of all we had an onsen. It is a small space and the water is very hot. I didn’t last too long. It had been so cold when we arrived but even the cold air surrounding us couldn’t cool me down.
We got ready for dinner, changing into our yukata robes and putting on our hotel slippers. We joined our fellow travellers for an 8 course traditional meal. Ken started with a beer, I had a plum wine with soda and then we moved on to sake tasting plates.
The food just kept on coming out. Every dish was delicious and we were left fully satisfied and completely full. The food was presented with care and precision, enticing us to tuck in. And tuck in we did.
We came back from dinner to find our futons had been unrolled ready for our sleep. It looks a bit like a sleepover, with two single futon mattresses on the tatami mat in front of the tv.
It has been a wonderful day. The countryside is just spectacular and the light rain has added to the ambience. We have worked our muscles, replenished our souls and filled our bellies. What more could we ask for?
jillmac
2024-05-14
Wow! That's a lot of food! It all looks pretty healthy though. The forest is lovely. How did Ken get up that tree??
Ken
2024-05-14
There was a back-door to the tree...
Maureen
2024-05-14
Amazing adventures. I am sure that your photos aren’t doing any justice to everything that you are seeing and doing. Not sure about all that walking though 🤪🤣
Danelle
2024-05-15
Glorious scenery especially the gigantic 4 trunk tree. Isn’t the food extraordinary? - and the attention to detail in preparing and serving must take someone hours of labour.