How's the serenity. So much serenity.

Dale Kerrigan would have enjoyed Mt Koya, and so have I.

Today we are in the hills of the Kansai region, and the best part about it; I have gone on strike and refused to do any more walking !  Those of you who have travelled with Tom know he sets a punishing pace, and Japan has been no different.  We walk everywhere; for hours; everyday.  My calves have reached their level of tolerance and today they are having a rest. 

So I am pleased that the halfway point of our tour marks a visit to this peaceful hilltop town and overnight in a Shukubo, a temple lodging.  It seems this is the thing to do up here.  Our Shukubo is run by monks from the esoteric Shingon school of Buddhism. Frankly, the distinction of the various Buddhist philosphies is lost on me, and I still think Buddhism to be self indulgent but maybe that is because I am a long way off from attainment. Perhaps joining the monks for Buddhist prayers at 7:00am tomorrow morning may help me on the path to enlightenment.

However, I am quite happy to spend the night here in the quiet hills, being feed vegetarian dinner by the monks (with beer, they are civilised), sleeping on a futon and rambling around in slippers on the tatami mat floor.  I even did the onsen public naked bathing thing.  What I had not expected was the crying baby next door - and remember the walls are very thin. I don't recall any crying babies disturbing Dale Kerrigan in his Bonnie Doon Shangri-La. 

Post script: Went to morning prayers with the monks and there is no indication that I have moved any closer to Nirvana.