As I have little time to write and hard to upload photos with just camera full reports will come later but here's some notes so far.
Obviously I'm still alive as I write this :D Arrived to Japan in Sunday and getting to first bus and first train got to temple 1 while it was still open. Bought pilgrim goods there except for hakui(no size fit) and wagesa I forgot and bought next day. I then proceeded to walk to first 2 bangai places Jurinji and Torinji. I could visit these as I was staying in business hotel rather than ryokan so less worry about when I would come. I ended up getting to hotel around 19:30. Too late for ryokans generally as dinner time(shared) is way before that.
Day 1 saw me proceed from temple 1 to temple 6 and included also the first bangai temple. All in all distance ended up to around 30km in about 10h stint. Most interesting temples were 4 and the bangai temple. Also had lovely conversation with the two older ladies at the stamp office of book 2.
Streets around here have been generally eerily quiet which has been big difference to Tokyo etc. You can walk long times seeing just car or two passing. But at other times there are more people who then proceed to ask you where you come from, how long you have lived in japan(well if you speak japanese), how far you plan to go etc. Japanese people are question machines!
Received bunch of osettais(free gifts). People here are so friendly. They are also cheering you forward so now I feel like betraying them if I quit!
Taisanji(bangai temple) was hardest part of first day being at around 450m tall mountain. First I had to climb very steep part, then less steep part but with seemingly endless fall right next to me and finally very long stone stairways to get to temple. I was rewarded there with another visitor coming who talked with me long time and another long talk over cup of tea with the ladies in the ticket office. This talk resulted in me having to hurry to the temple lodging at the Anrakuji!
Temple lodging was very nice and provided interesting experience of taking part in buddhist ceremony. I had watched one in another temple lodging but this time we were asked to take part. Part of it was particularly emotional as we had been asked to write name and day of death of ancestor. I picked up mother's mother who was the one I remembered best(she died when I was already adult vs others who died when I was kid or even unborn). Brought me memories of her. Hadn't thought about her for a while so suddenly felt very nostalgi and sad.
Next day I proceeded further west hitting temples 7, 8 and 9 seeing often other westerners. From denmark or Holland. Those 2 countries provide lots of pilgrims! There's small nordic invasion going on with 4 danes and 1 finn walking around same area right now!
Temple 10 saw me go through one of the longest stairways made of stone I have climbed. 333 steps. And the further to get to see big pagoda. But views were great. And lots and lots and lots and lots of talking with various japanese people as I was resting and people came and went often hearing me talking in japanese with one person and joining in asking questions themselves.
Heading toward temple 11 I decided that backbag was definitely way too heavy so headed toward post office. Flat land I think I could manage especially if I don't need food but mountains and food plus water could be too hard. I sent over 2kg off and trashed some more so hopefully that eases it up a bit.
Met wonderful guy who's 70, doing pilgrimage in reverse and just did over 30km day including mountain I'll be climbing tomorrow but not planning to descen before thursday! Unbelieavable!
Overall having fun. Feet are slight worry but hopefully reduced bag weight and/or getting used helps.
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