Dual pilgrim

The Camino in Spain and the Kumano Kodo in Japan are really chummy. That relationship is way more pronounced on this end, where the opportunity to be a dual pilgrim is made clear from the outset. Dual pilgrimage means you complete both - there are certain thresholds for that, and walking Takijiri to Hongu is one of them for the KK.

Accordingly, I packed my Camino credential and this morning we peeped into the Heritage Centre where they process you. In Santiago de Compostela this was an entirely anticlimactic affair, similar to renewing ones licence at Service Tasmania. In Hongu, it's on. It was overwhelmingly joyous and sweet and we were both a bit emotional.

Heritage Centre staff checked both stamp books, had me fill in a form, and then presented me with a pin, certificate, and postcard, and took a photo of me holding these, to be posted in due course at
dual-pilgrim.spiritual-pilgrimages.com - don't bother refreshing constantly, I already am and it's not there yet.

I was then instructed to go up to the shrine and into an office there, where a woman had me sign a book and a lovely excited man led me past the keep out sign on the main shrine (!) and to the special Taiko drum (!!!) for a short ceremony, part of which was telling me if I broke the drum it was ok, and, afterwards, that he hoped I had found happiness. James was in the paparazzi pit and helpfully captured it all, before we were ushered back to the office to be presented a gold scallop shell with the emblematic three legged crow and they all shouted congratulations and clapped.

How lucky am I (!!!!)Read more