Naka to Hiwasa to Tokushima, Day 5 of 8

While I’ve enjoyed my time in Japanese-style inns, sleeping on a tatami mat and partaking in the communal baths, there was a very large part of me that was happy to find I was staying in a Western-style hotel tonight.

This morning I woke up bright and early as the sun shone through the shoji¹ and the heat coming through was palpable. That didn’t bode well for the day. After having breakfast and checking out, I walked the 3km to the bus stop where I had transferred to the mini-bus yesterday. I was early, so they kindly let me wait in the sort of office they operate out of. Being that it was air-conditioned, I was glad of it.

We eventually departed Kawaguchi for Hiwasa. Today was supposed to be an easy day; a short walk to the temple, an easy 6km loop overlooking the sea, and wait for the train to take me to Tokushima. It did happen that way, but I had a mental shift near the end of the walk.

To wit: I’m done with the heat and humidity. I really had assumed this trip would have been nothing I hadn’t already done in Spain on the Camino. But I forgot how much I do not do well in the humidity. Having lived in dry climates for the last 15+ years, it really takes its toll on me. Not to mention I’m already a furnace as it is.

Today’s temple was a quick five-minute walk away, and I was already mostly saturated. I paid my respects, received my nokyo shuin, and backtracked to the train station having stopped by the convenience store to grab more electrolyte drink. With four liters I once again set out.

I made my way up to Hiwasa Castle, though it was closed, so I continued on the path to the ocean overlooks. They were beautiful, and I was glad for the opportunity to rest a bit, but doing so in clothes that were soaked head to toe was less than appealing. The breeze was nice, but that I just meant I was approximately 80% saturated. It still felt disgusting.

Checking my watch, I was fairly ahead of schedule. The recommended train from Hiwasa station was at 14:43, but given how early I was, I felt confident I could make the 12:43 which would put me in Tokushima just after check-in at 14:00. As much as I would have liked to sit and stare at the sea, it didn’t seem worth it to do for an additional two hours. So after catching my breath and drinking profusely, I continued on.

Every time I thought we must be near the end because we were descending, it would ascend once again. With my strength and resolved sapped by the weather, I admitted defeat and changed my view of the trip.

It was no longer a walkabout of temples. It was a tour of Japanese onsen and food… that happened to have some walking involved.

The reason that this is relevant is that the book I received on my first day of the tour is more than one-hundred pages of directions, maps, charts, guides and anything else one could need to make this 8-day journey by oneself. And part of that includes options to shorten or skip the days walking each day. The company I’m going through has been planning these tours for 30 years, and I’m sure they’ve learned that people’s desires change as the days go on. Mine certainly has.

Had I not come during a prolonged extreme heat warning, I’m sure I would have enjoyed that aspect. But now, I’m going to focus on enjoying the hot springs, the food, and the amenities, and be grateful for the opportunity to visit this amazing country.

And that’s how I came to find myself on the eleventh floor of Hotel Clement Tokushima on a Western-style bed with my laundry about to go into the dry-cycle, and planning my dinner of supposedly famous ramen down the street. Tomorrow, I plan on sleeping in, having a leisurely breakfast, skip the walk and take the 12:00 train headed for the picturesque Iya Valley.

It’s my vacation, so it is what I make of it. I’m not going to make myself feel bad for not finishing an arbitrary goal. After all, it’s not as if the shrines were the selling point for me and that this is something I’ve set my sights on for years. The self-guided walking tour was just a means to an end. And in the end, I will adjust my sights so that when I go home next Wednesday, I will be happy with my time spent in Japan, looking forward to the next time I come and visit the Land of the Rising Sun.