Recent Adventure #2

My next adventure was a little one-day hiking trip with one of the chaplains. Before I went home in December we had a conversation and he asked me if I liked hiking. I said that I did and so we planned on hiking a little bit when I got back. I brought my boots back with me and was very glad to go on a hike. Japan is a jungle in itself with all the huge buildings and lights everywhere, but it was neat to get away for a day and see some of the countryside. We went on a trail on the outskirts of Kamakura and hiked for about 8 miles. The weather was super comfortable and it couldn’t have been a better day to go hiking.

We stopped at some of the shrines and temples. (As I said before there are about 200 of them all over Japan so you see them everywhere.) One of the ones that we stopped at was made in 1235. The shrines and temples are (by the way, temples are Buddhist and shrines are Shinto) made for all different reasons. I know some of the ones we stopped at were made to prevent spirits from coming into the city. All of them are a little different, but they all have the same traditional ritual items. The hike was super nice. We stopped at a little rest stop along the way and got to see a good view. It was pretty cloudy around Mt. Fuji so that was a bummer because it would have been an awesome picture. Nonetheless, I had a great time talking with Chaplain Mulkerin. He’s been all over the world, knows something like 8 languages, and has a whole lot of knowledge about Japan and its culture.

Along the trail were these caves that we burials sites way back in the day. I took a picture in one of those. Also, I took a picture of the plum tree blossoms. Chaplain Mulkerin was saying that blossoms mesmerize the Japanese. Plums trees aren’t necessarily huge, but I know that when the cheery trees are in blossom that it’s crazy. I’m going to make sure that I get to go see all of them. Anyways he was saying that the Japanese are interested in the first blossom and that’s about it. I guess they will wait there all day and night to see the first blossom on the tree (I think it has to do with reincarnation and all that), but after the first blossom they are over it and go look at the next tree. Anyways I’m excited to go see all the trees in blossom, which should happen here pretty soon.

So I’m hoping that I get to do some more hiking around here. Eight miles was pretty good for the first time in a while. I’m thinking that I will be able to do some more when the weather is not so variable. Anyways that’s about it for hiking. I hope you enjoy the pictures.