Day 9. Quiet short day along highway

This day won't be in my mind as one of the more interesting ones for sure. More like opposite. Distance would be only about 17km or so and apart from very short shortcut consisted of walking same highway 55 all the way.

Breakfast could have been bigger...Tasty but quantities are rather small in this lodging. Well won't get fat with these meals!

I had no particular rush so slept longer than before which meant I felt great at the morning. Packed some of the stuff(I had deliberately left unpacked unlike usually precisely cause I had time to kill. More time to sleep) and went for breakfast. But eventually I decided to leave. Still too early I think. Could have taken like small nap still!

Stepping outside first I did...Was head straight to konbini to bolster the meagre breakfast I had had. Hey I had time to kill!

Yet another sunny day. But with Kochi prefecture fast approaching I had a worry it might be over soon. That prefecture is infamous for it's rain.

Then I started walking. And walking. Got into pace of walking until next rest spot or about 40-50 minutes before stopping to ANYTHING where I could sit. Not particularly long breaks ever, more like 5-10 minutes, but they helped keep my feet feel alive.

One of the many rest spots I passed through.

Views were mostly highway surrounded by hills with lots of trees. Did you know Japan has more forest than Finland has? Land area is about same so they have higher % of their country filled with forest. I was surprised to hear that and I don't think that's common image you have of Japan but Japan also has lots of mountains so trees there won't get cut. Guess that makes sense. In Finland trees are on flat land so more likely to get cut down for profit and land. But Japan really has more nature than one often thinks. They are just bit harder to reach.

Today was also day of several tunnels.

Hey this was sight my niece would have loved. Stable! With horses.

Wonder why the fur looks like that?

And another tunnel.

Hey old watermill.

Another rest spot. Luckily these were along here and there. Not much else to be had.

Another 72km to the Muroto that I'm aiming. It's rather interesting to look at distances like these for destination when you are walking...Feels bit surreal.

Apart from steady stream of cars I didn't saw much other human sight. But at least SOME sign of humans! Toward later half when I were taking breaks other pilgrims were passing me by including the guy from Saitama. Have your legs hold strong!

Okay okay! Got it. Keep going forward.

Another view with the mountain lines that I so love.

This was funny moment. I was walking along when I heard this weirdest hissing sound that was quite loud. Took me a while to figure what was going on but about 20m on my left this pair of cats were having quite a cat-fight. Guess they were determining who was the alpha-male/female of the area. Eventually black&white one won standing soooo proud lookingly while the other one skulked away.

Now I arrived to another bangai spot that was on route. Getting there was through one of the weirdest and least sensible(though fairly short) detour. that made me scratch my head for a while "why here?" until I realized this was the bangai spot on the map.

Named Komatsu Daishi(Small pine Daishi) story goes that 370 years ago stone mason living in village of Namba near Osaka received order for a sitting stone statue of Kobo Daishi about 33cm tall. When he was about to deliver it to the customer he received spiritual instructions from the Great Teacher to send statues of Buddha to Komatsu village(here).  The statues here are said to be those sent from Osaka and to hold miraculous powers.

Interesting how different coloured part of water is. I later heard of 5 coloured lakes on Fukushima prefecture that I would love dearly to go to see. Guess effect is similar though even better.

Approaching the Mugi Town that would be my goal for today.

Arriving to the Mugi I saw this statue.. I stopped there for food break at 7-eleven and  noticing clothing store went to buy myself belt(probably about only item on clothing stores that I would need and that fits easily. Others are probably too small on most stores!), then get some shippu(which seems to be some sort of taping thing that's supposed to release some pain relievers through skin) and then headed to post office to send a post card to friends daughter. I also called in to lodging asking when I could check in being told okay any time. Phew as I was going to arrive early! So stopping by yet another konbini for some supplies I headed there.

Above statue seemed to be in memory of 1964 olympics in Tokyo.

Before reaching the lodgings was one more tunnel to go through....

And this one was scariest one of all so far! Damn that section was NARROW. Actually I don't think I fitted fully in the walking pathway...Took care to wait until all cars were gone to minimize time I would be there together with cars and then walked very very very fast!

Shortly before reaching I arrived to beach(actually lodging is next to it). Great sight

And there's the lodging I was aiming for!

Interesting multi-level building. Common areas were quite an organized chaos of books and miscelangelous items(rather cozy...Just like home!) but guest rooms were standard bare rooms to be expected. Good functional lodging, no issues.

First time I got to see one of these kotatsu's in live. Have known of these and seen in many manga/anime/movie but myself first. These are japanese furniture used to combat cold in winter(japanese buildings generally not being all that well insulated they are COOOOLD!). Basically table with(these days electric) heater inside and blanket. So works as table you can do homework/read a book/whatever while getting warmed by the heater. Convenient in the cold and narrow Japanese buildings. Necessity is greatest inventor.

Lovely beach. Was tempted to go there but didn't want to start backtracking a bit to go there. Plus host was talkative enough didn't feel like had time anyway once legs felt like they could have gone there and back.

Legs were still bit painful but not to the extent yesterday so hopefully the muscle pain relievers and long rest help a bit.

I also have seem to have got first blisters though not serious.

As I had like 7 hours to kill before sleep I wrote some emails, notes etc. Wish there was more to write about today as I would have plenty of time but boy it was uneventful day!

Wish I had remembered to take the phone with me for the dinner(I was only quest this night. Last night had been busier with 6 but today I'm only one) as it was a feast. And lots of new dishes again. Apart from standard rice and miso soup it also had tenpura, various vegetables, sashimi of THREE different fish and some frigging big crab/lobster size of my fist. Never have had that one and had trouble figuring out how to get meat out but tasty.

Good thing I'm generally not too picky with food. It's always something new here. Would be hungry fellow if I would be unwilling to try something new. If I had no taste for rice also I would be screwed :D

The host(men this time) spent quite a lot of talking with me along with beer he gave as service. Turns out his hobby is hunting. First I have encountered in Japan. Japanese don't seem to be big on hunting wild animals. Maybe due to generally not going to wild nature all that much? Either way this guy seems to be doing it.