16May09: Samantha Jennings
I woke up very early and hurried to catch the train. I was still tired and not sure if I was up for what was ahead. My grandmother had passed away just a few days before and I was still trying to deal with this. I finally started to get excited once I met up with other friends who were ready for the challenge.
Once we got to Nagao Temple we were given everything we needed, the walking staff, the pilgrim jacket and the conical hat. This was my first time to ever use these and I started to feel more like a pilgrim. We were then taught how to behave and what to do at a temple. A very kind monk explained about the buildings and about history of Kukai, the first pilgrim.
As we started to leave Nagao Temple we were given mochi as a snack. This is a testament to the kindness Japan shows to pilgrims. I am always amazed when I hear of these stories. Most pilgrims travel with very few belongings and little money. Complete strangers will offer money and try to help pilgrims along their journey. Essentially, these strangers are becoming closer to Kukai through doing this.
The walk was 16 kilometers and a majority of it was through woods and up and down mountains. It was breathtakingly beautiful. As our trail wound around creeks and scenic cliffs, we all had to slow a bit to fully appreciate our surroundings. I noticed that when we had started we were all very talkative yet as we continued through the mountains, we became more absorbed with the nature.
I've been to several temples, sometimes by car and sometimes on foot. Yet this was my first organized ohenro walk and definitely my most challenging thus far. Towards the end I was wondering if I had the energy to keep going. Yet, being with a group of people and thinking about all the others who had gone before me gave me the will to keep going. I started the trip with a heavy heart and found it a little lighter at the end. There's something magical about a pilgrimage that can unite so many diverse people with a common goal. Religious beliefs do not matter. This pilgrimage is about becoming closer to Kukai and becoming a better person. It challenges you both physically and mentally. I felt that I not only bonded with all the people I journeyed with on this trip, but with others who had come before and others would come later.
