April 9
We have worked out a plan to visit the rest of the temples and make it back to Temple 1 where we started. Depending where the temples are located we have tried to book lodging to make sense of distances and to spend time at the temples. We have a shorter day today plus only one temple and then we are staying at an AirB&Bin the town of Takase. The day is overcast, but the rain has stopped for the moment. We feel that we have reached the peak of the blossoms, but it is hard not to stop and take more photos.
We find a Lawson’s to resupply our food bag, and unfortunately or fortunately depending how you look at it we make a wrong turn after leaving the store and there in front of us is a bakery. We have added a little more distance to our day but the rewards of having a bakery treat outweigh it.
Worth going out of our way.
This snail was enjoying its morning walk.
We have about a 3 mile walk to arrive at the temple. We have a leisurely start having had a delicious breakfast at our hotel. We walk along a swollen river, all of the rain must have made it rise. By mid morning we have arrived at temple 70. It seems unreal that we have been to over 70 temples so far. This temple has one of the oldest surviving Hondo’s built in the 1300’s. It also has a 5 story pagoda. There are only 4 other temples that have 5 story pagodas .
The wood work on these buildings amaze us.
This temple also had statues of horses and you could also purchase small china horses to put in front of the big horses
We have been noticing that more and more temples are putting fresh flower arrangements in various places.
As we leave the temple and begin walking past the parking lot, we notice the raining of the blossoms. It is like pink snow falling. The peak is coming to an end. We may experience more peak sections depending on the elevation. We are close to the coast now.
It is too early to go to our lodging tonight so we stop at a convenience store for lunch and to charge our electronics. We have received the location of our room tonight so around 2 we head to where we think its is. We thought we had the correct address, but when we arrived there all we found was an empty field. We call the number and it is answered by a person who does not speak English. She does however, have Don’s name then she understands that we are the people staying in her rental. She sends a different address and photos of where the key is hidden. It is sort of like being on a treasure hunt. We find the building and with a little more sleuthing find the key.
Success we have the key to get into the room.
It was a very nice room and we are relieved that it all worked out. We walk back to a bakery that we had passed on the way to the house, but unfortunately it had just closed. There were a couple more little stores along the street and we were able to get our almost favorite meal, Cup of noodles. Another good day with a happy ending.
Accommodation AirB&B in the town of Takase
Miles walked 12