Day 8 – Tokushima PAX Hostel
Out of bed at 630 am and on my way to Lawson for breakfast. After that it takes a little time to find the trail to Temple 18. Google maps is usually pretty good but it takes me on all the side street with little to no room to walk. I look at the Ohenro Bible and it says to take Highway 55 almost all the way there. Sure enough, there is space for humans to walk along side the highway. Much better. I make it to Temple 18 and as I walk up I get my first ossetai of the day, an orange from a man just driving by. I walk up to Temple 18 and I quite like it. However, the main temple is under constructions. Off to Temple 19, it is only about 4 kms away thankfully. I get there rather quickly and realize my feet are finally feeling better. Or maybe it is that my pack is lighter since I left the camping gear at the hostel. Anyway, after 19 I head to the rail stop to go back to Tokushima. A typhoon is on the way and I do not want to be caught in it tomorrow. After a nice train ride, I take a moment to look at some pictures in a shop near the rail station. The Japanese grandma in the shop realizes I am ohenro and offers me tea and cookies. A 2nd grader joins us for an nice conversation about America, my ohenro, and math of all things….all through the wonders of Google Translate app. I head back to the hostel and then spend dinner with the Frenchman at this lovely Japanese tapas bar. Very good food again! I am done and tomorrow I head to a nice hotel to wait out the typhoon. Good night all.