Hongu Taisha

 Hike from Chikatsuyu oji took us through small hamlets as we climbed initially. Folks have small plots around their house growing vegetables, fruit trees. Hilariously although they are using netting to protect from? Some have blow up plastic tigers hanging, I kid you not. We have noted no animals....you would expect a cat lounging in the sun or chickens scratching. No pigs or any other livestock seen. Also when we pass the many blossom trees not a murmur. In NZ a  tree in full  blossom is alive with bees and insects. We do hear frogs/toads on the tracks as multiple streams.

Front of a small home

Locals have amusing signs for dog walkers. Irony is that most dogs we see are hand bag models.

Bee hive sans bees

Good signage

Every 500m is a wooden post with a number so at this point we have walked 26km.

Like the Carmino Way one can collect "passports" or stamps found in these wee boxes along the Kumano Kodo.

As you come into Hongu there are these killer steps and after 40km up, over and down the track. 129 to be precise but as Jeff reminded the 990 in Petra took some beating.

Japan is a country of 126m people on a land mass 40% greater than NZ. So even doing a simple pro rata there are a hell of a lot of people here given the topography. Notwithstanding that pressure the waterways are very clean. Crystal clear in this area. Hillsides instead of being pine trees and broadleaf in NZ in Japan are a mix of deciduous, cedar so a more gentle light vista than the dark moody look at home.

Hongu is famous for the largest shrine gates in the world. 42m high. Story goes that there was a very large shrine complex on a island in the confluence of two rivers.  In 1889 a monstrous flood wiped most of it out. They rebuilt a third as these shrines as the main meeting point of the three pilgrim trails in this part of Japan. Folklore and legend of three moons shining down together etc etc. They have awe, fear and reverence for nature here.

Below is a couple paying homage to the diety. They bow then clap their hands twice, pray the bow again. 

It is a very serene place and very beautiful. There is also a wishing wall where I wrote " good health for my husband and I until our hearts stop beating".

After that surreal experience we endeavoured to buy snacks for the next couple of days.....

Any idea?

Do not think so....

So back on the local bus to the Onsen.  There are hot pools beside the river having been dug out of the gravel. One trots down in appropriate yukata, sits in the hot pools until broiled to the right temperature then totters over the 4m river stones and flings oneself into the river. Issue being the river is only calf deep so one awkwardly staggers in (where are the boat shoes) to cool down. Rinse and repeat. And of course seperate gender pools. Lots of fun.

Would you pick up this man?

Amarni eat your heart out