DewaSanzan

So here is the highlight of the whole trip! I decided to take a detour towards Dewa Sanzan where I had gifted myself booking an accommodation in a temple with the Yamabushi monks (which was out of my budget), but I had to stay in the area for three days because it wasn't available until then. It was a big detour of 40 km, but I felt like that place was going to be really special and I didn't want to leave at, and there was the possibility to hike three mountains as a form of pilgrimage and I wanted to do at least one of them. The reality is that I was struggling a bit with my decision of leaving Japan earlier and making my trip shorter than what I had originally planned. I felt like I was failing myself a little bit and that leaving so early so I could make it for the training was too early and rushed. But on that day, as I started cycling through strong rain I had people coming to give me food for the ride. When people who don't know you share something with you out of genuine kindness, I believe it is the most beautiful thing you can ever experience. So the day already started on such a special day. As I got deeper into the mountains the landscape became more and more beautiful and pure. At some point, the longest waterfall was coming from the mountain and disappearing into a shrine behind a strong and savage river. It was so wow that I could not put into words. As I reached the last opportunity of a convenience store I stored enough food for the three days I was planning to stay around, I was going to look for a place to wild camp on the first day, hike the mountain on the second and go to sleep in the temple and go on on the third day. After a few minutes out of the convenience store I wasn't sure where I was going to find a place to set my tent around there, and I was really dirty and tired. So I thought, if I see someone in their garden that seems nice I will ask if I can camp in their garden. After a few houses I saw a man mending his garden that seemed so nice (how could I tell that from just a quick look, that I don't know but I felt it). As I went to approach him I realised he had such a nice garden, that I couldn't do that to him. So I just asked him if he could help me find an affordable accommodation. He called a friend who arrived all at once and they both called and called until they found me an option. But I said I couldn't afford it. And then, he said, just stay at my place. He called his wife to adk for permission and nodded. After a nice warm shower (very needed, mostly for his home), we chatted for hours (through google translate). His lovely wife arrived from work, she made us an amazing dinner (which was surprisingly vegetarian), and later at night one of their sons and his daughter in law arrived.

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