The WP-app just crashed, so I try again to give you a short update.
I’m on the way to Unpenji (#66), sitting in a little hut, where I built up my tent. Straight floor and a roof on top in case it starts raining. The last days I had really nice weather, walking became a kind of routine. I’m even not disturbed by busy roads anymore. One step follows the next, breath goes in and out, sweat runs down the back.
Sometimes I’m nearly overwhelmed by the friendliness of people. Some days ago, a woman stopped her car in the middle of the street, jumped out, gave me 200¥, said “osettai desu”, jumped back into her car and disappeared before I could say thank you. Later 2 days ago, I met an old man on the street. He was on his walk for health, as he said. We were walking some time together until Enmeiji (b12). After visiting the temple, he invited me for lunch and coffee. When I left him on the station, where he took the train back home, he gave me 1000¥, “for dinner” he said. On the same day in the evening, while I was buying dinner, another guy gave me 2 beer and some more food.
I still didn’t do takuhatsu, begging as monks were doing in the old times. It feels embarrassing for me and I guess I have to learn more humbleness to overcome this.
Today I was at Hashikuraji. I renamed the temple to “Kaidanji”, temple of stairs. Until one reaches the gate, it’s already quite a sweaty way uphill. Beyond the gate comes a nice wide way, leading to a red bridge, followed by 777 steps until the office and the Fudodō, 27 more steps to the temple bell and another long stairway until the Hondō and the Daishidõ. It’s worth the effort though. It’s a wonderful and peaceful place. The monk, who put the stamps surprised me on the end by asking me, if I know Kurt. We were talking for some time and we figured out that we had the same Shidokegyo teacher. So nice!
