Yamanobe no-Michigan road

Our hotel in Nara is a modern western hotel where we revelled in hot showers and chairs to sit in and had a traditional Japanese style bar-b-que on our first night - meat, chicken,pork and omelette - so good.
Our goal for the day was our last substantial walk - 21k including a section of the oldest road in Japan. After a train trip we met our volunteer guide (78 years old) who led us through the old town to the start of the walk - did I mention it was raining? Our first stop was at a temple Isonokami Jingu Shrine which is the first of three national treasures on this site.


The road then headed off through forest bordered with rushing streams with our guide setting a steady but cracking pace. We walked through small villages,one partly moated from ancient, less peaceful times, burial mounds and many small farms. Roads were very narrow and lined with wooden houses, many very old as well as agricultural buildings. Many properties were gated but revealed neat and treasured gardens with elegant homes and the occasional Mercedes parked.




Fields of rice very under water - many families grown their own rice in small plots. 

This area is famous also for it's imperial past. More than 500 burial sites are to be found including the 10th emperor (current emperor is 300th).  He is buried in a keyhole shaped mound llike a small hill which has never been excavated in any way. This burial mound and others,  rise like green oasis, towering over the rather pedestrian and utilitarian landscape. These burial mounds were created to take the tombs of the emperors and high court officials - this whole area was of significance around 300 AD.


Lunch at the half way point. We were welcomed with hot tea and the rain stopped!

Our guide kept us to a strict timetable but we were happy to keep moving as it was very cold. Our last stop was to Japan's oldest shrine - Oomiwa Shrine also famous for making sake! Here our volunteer's wife met us with rolled apple pies and hot tea - what a treat!


A great cedar ball hanging in the temple which is for luck and prosperity at the beginning of the year for sake.

The last 3 kilometres from the temple to the train station were the hardest - how lovely to sit in the heated seats back to Nara.  Farewell and "Arigato" to our guide. A great walk.

 

Unchanged for centuries - no wires, buildings, fences or bitumin - just the trail taken by countless travellers!

Comments

  1. GirtsO3 September 2021 at 17:21

    Like this Lesley, esp the last pic no wires, buildings, fences or bitumen. We need that here :-))

    ReplyDelete

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