Tokushima Shi

That's what the bill board said, how appropriate. The downtown train brings me to the first temple on the other side of the wide flat industrialized valley. I ride with Agnes, a French lady who has all her accommodations lined up for the entire walk. She gives me a link to a geo-referenced map of the 88 temple trail. It's very handy and prevents getting lost in the woods, which the group I meet yesterday managed to do a couple of times.

I'm just visiting three temples today. We speak French and I keep her company on and off as we're on the same schedule. The temples reflect many centuries of Japanese culture. There is a Japanese group that follows the ritual and chants beautifully. I observe their energy, it's uplifting the spirit. As I do this I connect with the universal power again.

Agnes is a caretaker for a couple who are 101 and 95 years old every morning the man leans over to his wife and gives her a kiss on the mouth to show her his love and we believe that that is part of his longevity.

I get to meet the man who wrote the guidebook that everybody uses. David is telling me a few things as he is guiding a Canadian couple from Temple 1 to 4.

Agnes is having a hard time and needs to take a bus to the fourth temple, I'm afraid that she won't be able to stay on her detailed schedule without a lot of public transportation. I find the bus stop for her and we part ways.

I walk in the park down town and receive a recommendation to go see the Sakura, cherry blossoms, by the river. I go to the Awaodori dance performance which is mesmerizing in it's simple elegant movements.

The rest of the evening is spent on a jet lag nap and obtaining lodgings for the next few days. This is going to be a rather tricky situation, I might get caught out which won't be good considering how cold it is over night. The climate of Japan is a lot like that if northern Europe.Read more