May 18th
They add more dishes to the breakfast each day. Today there was asparagus with goma dofu, an eggplant dish and a konnyaku dish.
Dining room doors open this morning
Last day, so thought I would make a final shrine visit.
Was still beautiful, even in the sunshine, though much more crowded and punctuated constantly be the sound of two claps. Lots of subsidiary shrines, all attracting individuals with specific needs.
Bought amulets for each of the household.
My plan for the rest of the day was to buy a couple of bottles of beer and head up to the lookout at the nearby plateau and just sit in the forest and relax with the camera for a couple of hours. Unfortunately, the shop where I could buy said beer, located in a nearby souvenir street, was not open. I waited and waited; it did not open. The only other option was the fifteen minute walk to the cable car station and purchase from the shops there, one of which did sell the cheapest beer in the village. By no means cheap beer, just cheapest relative to the rest of the town.
That done, I set off back to the forest.
Stopped on the way to drink one of the beers at the point above the cable car station and to photograph a broom for Katie.
Spent the rest of the afternoon as planned, just sitting still in the forest.
Taunted by small birds and butterflies, none of which would hold still long enough to be photographed.
Quiet interrupted
Occasionally you could hear a deep guttural sound, which may have been the goat-antelopes, though I did not see any. Mixed with this was the occasional sound of taiko coming from the shrine.
A relaxing day.
Some party going on at the accommodation tonight. Normal beer handed over by a worker, not the owner, unopened, but with a bottle opener. Saw the owner explaining to a suit, that I am an Australian. Lots of noise from downstairs. At bath time a side room has a table with more than a dozen glasses on it, many still with amber liquid in them. Raucous laugher coming from another, unseen, room. Worker races up to me to ensure I use the correct bath. The other bath has a new sign on it, normally it is either occupied or available, this one just said MEN – that was not for me.
I suspect some form of Shinto/ Illuminati gathering.
Apart from that, another quiet evening. Finally drank some of the sake purchased days ago. Not overly impressed with it.
Travel day tomorrow.
Kai Cho