Category: Japan

Yamanobe Route #1 –  March 23, 2025 

  • Location:  Kasihara City 
  • Route: Yamanobe Route
  • Walked:  13 miles 
  • Ascent:  904’ / Descent:  925’
  • Time:  7h (5h 30m moving)
  • Weather:  55-70° / sunny with winds 5-10 mph

OVERVIEW 

  1. DRIVE:  20m from Noriko’s home in Kasihara City to Sakurai and start of Yamanobe Route
  2. WALK:  13 miles from Sakurai on Yamanobe Route to Tenri
  3. TRAIN: 15m from Tenri to Sakurai 
  4. DRIVE: 20m from Sakurai to Kasihara City 
  5. SLEEP: Namiyo & Saburo’s daughter Noriko’s home (granddaughter Akane, and grandson Yuma)

Yamanobe Route is an ancient road in the Nara Prefecture and the oldest road mentioned in Japanese records. Many shrines are along the way. 

Temple.
Shrine.
Norico and Namiyo…daughter and mother enjoying each other’s company.
“Stalking the Wild Asparagus” Japanese style as Norico and Namiyo pilfer horsetail, a delicacy prepared tempera style.

Kōyasan #1  –  March 22, 2025 

  • Location:  Totsukawa > Kōyasan > Kasihara City 
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph 

Kōyasan is the monastic headquarters for Shingon Buddhism founded 1,200 years ago by Kobo Daishi. Kobo Daishi is also attached to Shikoku 88 Buddhist Temple Pilgrimage I did in 2019. 

Temple.
Temple.
Kobo Daishi image carving.
This pilgrim is recognized by his white kimono with black writing on the back. He has completed the pilgrimage twice. After walking Shikoku 88 Buddhist Temple Pilgrimage is good to visit Kōyasan where Kobo Daishi is buried.

Home of Grandfather –  March 22, 2025 

  • Location:  Totsukawa > Kōyasan > Kasihara City 
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph 

Yoshiko’s husband inherited the 150 years old home of his grandfather with its spectacular woodwork and furnishings.  When the kitchen door suddenly and unexpectedly cracked open, I thought perhaps it was grandfather’s spirit returning. 

150 years old home.
150 years old home.
What a welcomed oxymoron to have the closed off sitting room equipped with microwave and space heater kindly aimed at me.
Saburo, Namiyo, Yoshiko, and Kazuhiro

Goodbye Totsukawa –  March 22, 2025 

  • Location:  Totsukawa > Kōyasan > Kasihara City 
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph 

OVERVIEW 

  1. DRIVE:  1h 15m from Totsukawa to Namiyo’s ceremonial tea friend Yoshiko’s house in Gojo
  2. DRIVE:  20m from Gojo to Kōyasan 
  3. TOUR: Kōyasan
  4. DRIVE: 1h 30m from Kōyasan to Kasihara City 
  5. SLEEP: Namiyo & Saburo’s daughter Noriko’s home in Kasihara City. (granddaughter Akane, and grandson Yuma)

Saying goodbye to Totsukawa home. 

Namiyo and Saburo’s house from garden view.
Plum trees in bloom.
Home shrine.
Namiyo and Saburo’s home from street level.

Japanese Cuisine –  March 22, 2025

  • Location:  Totsukawa
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph

Namiyo has infinite patience teaching me Japanese cuisine. We have made sushi, tempura, rice balls, and ceremony matcha tea. I have learned many techniques but can’t imagine duplicating the ingredients.

Sushi
Stew
Tempura
Well stocked refrigerator has a wide range of ingredients.

Road Building –  March 20, 2025 

  • REST DAY
  • Location: Totsukawa
  • Weather: 34-50° / blue skies

Totsukawa is having a new road constructed. Road work must include stabilizing the mountain and is typical for Japan. 

Many time I have written how vertical are the Japanese mountains. Banks of concrete are applied to stabilize the mountains.
Concrete road wall.
Concrete road wall.
Concrete road wall.

Equinox –  March 20, 2025 

  • REST DAY
  • Location: Totsukawa 
  • Weather: 34-50° / blue skies 

Vernal equinox is a special day in Japan for visiting family. 

We visit Saburo’s second cousin living a 10 minute walk from his house. Her 100 year old home has amazing wood work. Space heaters warm individual rooms. The gray table skirt is a cozy warm electric blanket.
Totsukawa is on a Kumano Kodo route. Saburo’s second cousin keeps a rest space for pilgrims. It’s most welcoming with day beds and literature.
Namiyo teaches me how to make sushi which we will serve for dinner when Saburo’s brother Morito visits.
Morito gifted me a beautiful Nara piece of pottery.

Burning Torches – March 13, 2025

  • Nara
  • Weather:  60’s°, overcast 

Serendipitously my first night in Nara coincides with Nigatsudo Hall’s annual fire touch procession.  Ten 25 feet long torches are carried to the temple’s balcony and held over the crowd’s head allowing  the burning embers to shower upon the onlookers. Omizutori is a 1250 year ritual and one of the oldest reoccurring Buddhist events in Japan. 

Torch carried up steps to Nigatsudo Hall.
Torch carried across the balcony.
Torch held off balcony.

The burning embers are thought to bestow onlookers with a safe year. (Oxymoron?)