16 April 2025 - Day 45 - To the highest Temple of the pilgrimage and back - 27 km

The prospect of walking a pink trail (pink is the most difficult) to Unpenji Temple kept me awake. So after a very short and interrupted sleep, I was lying awake since 2:30 waiting for 4:30 when I could finally get up and prepare for breakfast at 5.

Breakfast was good and slowly one after the other of the 6 henros walked into the dining room. Departure for our group of 3 was set at 6 so there was still enough time to lose. But around 5:50 I hear a car outside and start to panic. I don’t want to be left behind so I gather my things, put on my shoes and walk to the car that is already packed and ready with the two Japanese, 5 minutes ahead of the time.

We leave before 6 and on our way make a stop at a little shop for the Japanese man to get some food. Only the shop opens at 7. After a few talks, outside the car which I cannot follow, the shoplady opens the shop and the man can buy his lunch. Would that work in Luxembourg??

So by 6:30 we are dropped off and ready to walk the infamous road to Unpenji Temple, Nr 66. It starts real easy but after hardly one kilometer along the river and parallel to the mountain, here comes the left turn that brings us right into the mountain. The path is steep. It is extremely steep. But it is a normal path which you find in our forests as well. Narrow, full of leaves but hardly any rocks or steps. Only extremely steep. It feels like at least 90 degrees which is of course exaggerated.

After yesterdays rain and partially hail, the morning is very cold but dry. So I climb up, one foot in front of the other. The two Japanese are in front of me as I had one toilet break before starting. There doesn’t seem to be anyone behind me. After about 1 km of climbing at this heavy rate, my body is completely soaked in spite of the low temperature, and I decide to take off my fleece jacket.

To my despair I realise that I have left my hakui (white pilgrim’s vest) at the Minshuku. I know I can buy a new one at most of the temples, but I want mine back! Not only because the heart sutra is printed on it, but mainly because it has been with me since Temple 10 where I bought it. It probably smells awfully and is full of stains but it’s mine! We’ve been through a lot together so what can I do to get it back?

First reflex: ask my guardian angel Kei, he will contact the Minshuku and see what can be done. So I sent him a message. Obviously my concentration has now somewhat slipped from walking an extremely steep mountain path to how could I forget my hakui?! I know what happened. I took it off the hook and put it on the futon thinking “Bad idea! White on white you will forget to wear it!”, but meaning to put it on immediately. Then I heard the car and was in my panic mood, forgetting all about the hakui. Still, I kept thinking that something was wrong, something was missing. But I couldn’t set my mind to it.

Anyway, the message to Kei has been sent, let’s now get back to climbing this mountain! But when will he see the message? When will he respond?

Finally, after about 3 kilometers from the beginning I reached the end of the trail and continued walking uphill, less steeply and on a tarmac road. This was way easier than the trail before. A hundred meters in front of me was the Japanese man who spent the last two nights at the same inn as I. If I can reach him he could call the Minshuku for me, as Kei has not read my message yet. I walked faster, putting plan B into action.

When I finally reached the poor man he obviously helped me and called the Minshuku, they had already found my vest and agreed to send it to my accommodation for 19 April. When Kei replied, I told him it had all been taken care of.

The rest of the way to Unpenji (the total was only 6 km) was easy, but the Temple was not exactly what I expected. Yes they are all rather new buildings and yes they lack patina, but apart from that, personally I miss the soul of this Temple. So

I was happy to bump into Nicolas again, who I thought was already far away, but then we talked and walked the long and hard descent and the few kilometers to Daikoji (Temple 67) together. It was a pleasure to follow in the Swissman’s tracks and with the both of us babbling along we managed said descent rather well.

Now Temple Daikoji was again a really nice one. A beautiful garden with a few very old and huge trees, made the perfect background for Temple 67. I was happy I could buy a new vest here, finally I felt less naked and my henro status was repaired.

After a lunch break, Nicolas and I said our probably final goodbyes, he will be doing longer stages and will finish the pilgrimage within a week. This reminds me that after Temple 66, somewhere in the woods, we have entered Kagawa Prefecture and the final Dojo, the Dojo of Nirwana!

I had a few more kilometers to walk until the town of Kanonji City, but they were uneventful and I was happy to reach my hotel after a long day.

Thanks again for reading, I hope you still enjoy my stories. If yes, there will be more tomorrow.