Journey to Shoren-in Dainichi-do
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Road signs are fairly international, but as I am not a driver some of them are completely nonsensical to me. Pushing my bike up the steep road that snakes to Shogun-zuka, I passed one sign that seemed to suggest that two-wheeled vehicles are banned between the hours of nine and seven. There was no further explanation of whether that was morning or afternoon, and although there was no sidewalk does that necessarily prohibit walking? Two minutes into my climb I was passed by both motorbike and jogger, but rather than set my mind at ease I worried the whole way that I was breaking the law and helicopters would swoop in and pick me up.
Having abandoned the trek on Saturday with Rhod, I was determined to finish the hike alone today, though there were a few times in the shadeless 31 degrees heat that I considered turning back. The road from Keage Station winds steeply through forest, quickly leaving the city far below. Strangely the first thing of any note was an abandoned Aqua-Park, mostly intact though the pools had muddied and weeds poked through the concrete. The saddest thing is that with its slides and diving boards looking over untouched mountains it would be the perfect escape from the summer heat and Kyoto desperately needs more swimming pools. I have no idea why it had been left to rot. Possibly the company went bust. Twenty minutes later and the road forked, taking me past dozens of vans lined up with sleeping inhabitants. I parked and locked my bike, finally discovering the hiking tracks that would have been easier to use but were frustratingly absent from my map. I had the entire Shogun-zuka to myself, though the car-park was again filled with running vehicles, men sprawled in the air-conditioned front seats. A group of men had gathered round a tethered cat lapping up water, giving the stretch of lawns an unreal feel. With heli-pad and picnic tables, I imagine the mountain top is flooded with people come the weekend. For now and I had the view-point to myself. |
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