The following day I am entirely calm and in peace with myself and the fact that I’m going alone through the mountains. Everything feels correct and I’m absolutely happy with myself. The thought of living and hermit’s life is very appealing in this moment while I walk through the fresh morning air and the cedar trees.

I’m not thinking that much anymore and the mind is clear. The feeling is an inner happiness, not joy or excitement, but just being happy to exist. Maybe I should never stop walking.

I walk through bamboo groves and overlook the valleys. More villages are to see in the distance and soon I approach them. At supper time I enjoy my last meal – some banana leaf packed rice balls –

before I arrive at the little Takijirioji-gu Togo shrine and a small information center at the village of Tanabe which mark the beginning of the Kumano Kodo.

I enjoy green tea in a small tea house and get to talk with the owner. The lady loves her cat and motives and pictures of her appear everywhere. I have to wait quite a while for the next bus to take me to a train station,

but the woman offers to bring me there after a brief conversation. I reach a train and am on my way to Osaka sooner than I anticipated.