We had a good start to the day, and a comparatively easy walk to our destination – in the rain! However we have also spent much time sitting around – in a replica of a traditional Japanese tea house.
Our day began with us retracing our steps back down the hill to our breakfast appointment. In typical fashion everyone’s breakfast – the 2 English people we met a coupe of days ago, the 4 Melbourne women and us – was set out for us and the coffee was poured, presumably just before 7. We were instructed that breakfast would be at 7.00, and being about 3 minutes late, our coffee had started to cool. Others were considerably later and their coffee was cold! Japan is a very precise / ordered place and if something is to be done, it will be, at the time stated.
We wandered around the rather lovely village and stopped at a cafe just up the road to have another coffee before taking off. We actually only had about 5kms to walk today and so we were in no hurry. However we headed off before 9.00 am and arrived at Nonako, our stopping place for the night soon after 10.00. We stopped at a tea house, run by volunteers, for pilgrims, and rested. We ended up staying there for nearly 5 hours as check in at our guest house was not until 3.00.
Kaoru sako, our hostess for the morning shift was a delightful young woman. It turned out that she was teaching herself some English songs, one being “The Rose” and the other “Let it Be”. We sang those for her, and she was thrilled, singing the harmony for it along with us, but I must admit I struggled with “Let it Be” – somehow I missed all those modern songs!!!! After that I wracked my brains for some simple English songs that I could teach her, and out came “Cuckoo”, Kookaburra sits”, “Stay Well & Safely” and finally the “Maori Farewell Song”. A Dutch woman came along and joined in with singing the “Cuckoo” song – in Dutch. We Had quite a party going for a while, and Kaoru sako was absolutely thrilled with her morning. She kept saying “happiness, happiness”, and I had to sing the songs into her phone so she could transcribe them at a later date. It was lovely listening to her sing as she had a beautiful voice, trained I suspect, and seeing the pleasure that such simple sharing provided.
Our hostess for the night collected us (and some others) from the tea house and delivered us the 1.5 kms downhill to the Guest house, and we are hoping that she will be as generous tomorrow morning and return us to the same spot as otherwise we adding at least another hour onto a very long day.
The village where the tea house is has some extraordinary large cedar trees at a shrine. There are all sorts of legends associated with the trees in this area too. One of the trees is 800 years old. We occasionally see a few autumn leave, but they have yet to turn for the magic showing that it must be. I think we are probably about 2 weeks early.
It seems quite strange to be lodged in our guest house, have made our beds, and had a shower and it has yet to turn 4.00 pm. Tea is at 6, and breakfast is at 6. shower time tomororrow is between 6 and 7.30!
Our hostess has just supplied a wonderful meal for us. (below)
We spent over 4 hours here, drinking tea, chatting, and singing
Our day began with us retracing our steps back down the hill to our breakfast appointment. In typical fashion everyone’s breakfast – the 2 English people we met a coupe of days ago, the 4 Melbourne women and us – was set out for us and the coffee was poured, presumably just before 7. We were instructed that breakfast would be at 7.00, and being about 3 minutes late, our coffee had started to cool. Others were considerably later and their coffee was cold! Japan is a very precise / ordered place and if something is to be done, it will be, at the time stated.
This was a day of misty mountain views.
Mountain views at Nonaka
We wandered around the rather lovely village and stopped at a cafe just up the road to have another coffee before taking off. We actually only had about 5kms to walk today and so we were in no hurry. However we headed off before 9.00 am and arrived at Nonako, our stopping place for the night soon after 10.00. We stopped at a tea house, run by volunteers, for pilgrims, and rested. We ended up staying there for nearly 5 hours as check in at our guest house was not until 3.00.
The village of Chikatsuyu
Colourful berries. The white house in the distance was our abode for the night
The Nonagese family cemetery wth its stone stupa tombstones.
these are thought to be around 500 years old
Kaoru sako, our hostess for the morning shift was a delightful young woman. It turned out that she was teaching herself some English songs, one being “The Rose” and the other “Let it Be”. We sang those for her, and she was thrilled, singing the harmony for it along with us, but I must admit I struggled with “Let it Be” – somehow I missed all those modern songs!!!! After that I wracked my brains for some simple English songs that I could teach her, and out came “Cuckoo”, Kookaburra sits”, “Stay Well & Safely” and finally the “Maori Farewell Song”. A Dutch woman came along and joined in with singing the “Cuckoo” song – in Dutch. We Had quite a party going for a while, and Kaoru sako was absolutely thrilled with her morning. She kept saying “happiness, happiness”, and I had to sing the songs into her phone so she could transcribe them at a later date. It was lovely listening to her sing as she had a beautiful voice, trained I suspect, and seeing the pleasure that such simple sharing provided.
Kaoru Sako
Our hostess for the night collected us (and some others) from the tea house and delivered us the 1.5 kms downhill to the Guest house, and we are hoping that she will be as generous tomorrow morning and return us to the same spot as otherwise we adding at least another hour onto a very long day.
the garden where we are staying tonight, with early autumn leaves
The village where the tea house is has some extraordinary large cedar trees at a shrine. There are all sorts of legends associated with the trees in this area too. One of the trees is 800 years old. We occasionally see a few autumn leave, but they have yet to turn for the magic showing that it must be. I think we are probably about 2 weeks early.
at Nonaka, with it's ancient trees
Our hostess has just supplied a wonderful meal for us. (below)
We are sitting outside at Cafe Kondi hav8our coffee stop on the regular walk. Both of us reading of your adventures and of course loving it. Even Liam checked it out and we all had a chuckle as we imagined you in your element singing. Cheers B&I
ReplyDeleteThanks Bruce - Hi to Liam and co. Neil and I sometimes get a good coffee then other day's we miss out altogether. This is the toughest I have done I think.
ReplyDelete