15th Nov – Day 9, Temple 52 (Taisanji), Temple 53 (Enmyouji)

My alarm was set at 7 but I hardly could wake up. Felt very lazy to continue my pilgrimage again after a relaxing day. When I finally woke up 20 minutes later, I realized a sad disaster! While I was happily enjoying myself last night, I had lost a comrade. A great general! My jacket! The last thing I could remember was hanging my jacket on the chair when Hajime-san and myself came to check in at EcoDogo hotel. We asked the staff in charge but he hadn’t seen any. The staff who work yesterday would only come in at 4pm. So, I sought Hajime-san’s help to ask him if he had seen it. I was very sad. Hajime-san tried to console me. He said it could be a “shiren” (test) for the pilgrimage. Later, I realized I had forgotten my shampoo and soaps as well at the onsen! What a down day to start with!

I had to continue my pilgrimage. I thanked Hajime-san and bid him farewell. I went to the onsen and managed to get my toiletry back! I decided to look for my general. I went to the first lodging that we’d been to, but the place was locked. The shop attendant next door was really kind and offered to call the owner. Unfortunately, the owner couldn’t understand me and thought I was one of the tenant last night. Next I went to Fujiya. The owner was around, but they hadn’t seen any as well. I forgotten about Funaya and left very reluctantly.

On the way, I met an old man who directed me although I didn’t ask. He said a lot of sentences, but I could only catch koban (police station), shingo (traffic light) and the well wishes. It was a mournful morning. I hardly greeted anyone. And it was very windy too. I missed my general. I wasn’t myself. Kept thinking about how silly could I be to drop the jacket unknowingly! Missed a junction. Went back but couldn’t find the original path, and continued walking forward to follow a different route instead.

I was sweating when I walked in the sun. But when the wind blew, it chilled me. I was pulling up my sleeve up and down and up and down repeatedly. The feeling wasn’t good at all. I wanted to complete the day as soon as possible to check with Hajime-san at 4pm.

Reached Temple 52 and did my business. I remembered Hajime-san mentioned that it would start to be cold from today onwards. The staff at Temple 52 warned me again! There was no food around. I had several chocolate. At Temple 53, I met the same guy at Temple 52 whom I asked about the Daishi hall. The current one was renovating then. He told me many things about kami (god, which I just learned yesterday from Yumi-san). I couldn’t understand the rest, but he was very enthusiastic and I didn’t want to interrupt him. Then, he prayed for me. I read about this in one of the henro book before. He used his hand to crisscross in front of me, while mumbling something. My palms were clamped together. Next, he took a kind of priest’s necklace and put them on my head and started mumbling again. I thanked him and gave him a name slip. Soon, it got very windy, and looked like it was going to rain, but luckily it didn’t.

I recalled Hajime-san’s word. I decided to take the “shiren” (test) with stronger courage. I walked pass the sea side. It was exceptionally windier there. Found a phone and call a Youth Hostel further down along the henro path. It was also very close to the train station. If Hajime-san managed to retrieve my jacket, I could take a train back to pick it up. Finally, it was 4pm. I called Hajime-san but there was no answer. The phone card would be charged anyway. It was a very very long walk and I got very tired. I called again at 5 plus, but there was no answer still. I walked passed a place that looked like a tsuyado (free lodging for henro), but it was locked and there was no one to ask around. I continued to walk to the Youth Hostel. At 6pm, Hajime-san called back. I didn’t want to answer to save the oversea calls charges and try to find a public phone to call back. When I found one at the train station and returned the call, there was no answer again. I had already reached the Youth Hostel area actually, but was trying to wait for Hajime-san’s call. So, I went to a nearby restaurant and had my dinner. Luckily, I got the call once I just finished. Quickly paid up and made the call again, but there was no answer still. Eventually, I used my iPhone to call and it was Yumi-san, who, understandably, didn’t want to answer unknown calls. As expected, Hajime-san didn’t manage to find my jacket. I talked to Yumi-san using a public phone for a while and we bid each other all the best.

It was dark and I couldn’t find the Youth Hostel. It was all houses around. And there was no one to ask as well! After spinning around like a headless bird, I finally saw a girl to ask. She wasn’t sure too, but she got help from a man, who was very kind to walk me there! I thanked him very much.

The Youth Hostel was actually the owner’s home. Shin-san’s daughter was married to a foreigner and probably so, he could speak very good English. He had a very cute dog, Miu! Miu greeted me as soon as I went it! She was huge! Quite and very obedient! I wanted to play her longer but I was exhausted. I asked Shin-san if there was a convenient store nearby and quickly went to get my breakfast before it was closed in half an hour. Came back to shower and had my supper. There was free wifi too. I planned my trip, prepared my name slips and try to update my blog but was still left with today’s. Too tired and too late to continue, I went to bed around 12:30am!

Today, I completed 24.2km.