Day 18 of the Journey [Part 2 of 2]

Tuesday, December 12
14 km (9 mi) walked, 215 km (134 mi) in total
68 km (42 mi) traveled, 1514 km (941 mi) in total        

I crossed Kuzuryu river, where a flock of black birds took off, leaving me even more alone. I searched in vain for the kuhi for around twenty minutes and finally found it, but did not contain information on Basho neither Saigyo’s excerpt. I had to consult the book:

夜もすがら Yoru mo sugara

嵐に波を Arashi ni nami wo

はこばせて Hakobasete?

月をたれたる Tsuki wo taretaru

汐越の松 Shiokoshi no Matsu

西行　Saigyo

All night long?

Bring in waves from the storm

The moon reflection hangs from

The pine tree in Shiokoshi?

(Saigyo)

Raindrops were still hanging from the pine trees, but it was too early (and cloudy, for that matter) for the moon to shine.?

I was not sure I would be able to walk the six hours that separated me from my next stop, Tenryuji temple. My yet to heal blisters, awful rainy weather, and growing hunger seemed big obstacles. There was one single open restaurant in Awara, at least according to Google Maps — ironically, an American-style steak restaurant. I order what the waitress recommended, a woman with a ponytail in her thirties and a grin on her face. The set meal was filling (I had not had dinner in Yamanaka), and asked whether she could call a taxi for me.?

After going to a wrong temple on top of a hill and asked the keeper where the actual one was, I reached the dark wooden Tenryuji at 2 pm. If I managed to get on the bus to Eiheiji, I could rest in Fukui that night.

Eiheiji temple complex was a marvel on top of a mountain. It was massive and, even though it was a weekday, many visitors had come there for sightseeing. Both young and old monks came and went in their hallways. Enormous tatami rooms for zazen, dark halls filled with Buddha’s images and other sacred items, and the dark tiles topped everything off among ancient trees and mountains. However, I was too exhausted to fully appreciate it — I kept on thinking whether I would physically be able to walk the 18 km (over 11 miles) to Fukui city.

The walk was first smooth, but eventually turned into a hike. I went down the mountain, following a stream, sometimes crossing houses. The road turned into a path. The stream turned into nothingness. The houses turned into bigger and bigger trees. The trees turned into a mountain I had to go across, first up and then down, and then upwards again.?

The mountain trees cleared up, and I was able to see a huge melange of roads and, to the horizon, Fukui city. A bus stop was nearby, and then rested on my way to the business hotel that would be my nest for the evening. I taught some classes that evening, and did laundry.?

I gasped at the thought of being on the verge of the end of the trip.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about my trip, or are you thinking of coming to Japan? I'd love to hear about it!

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