Day 34 : 10 May 2009
We shared coffee and breakfast with Masa and Araki before setting off. Masa’s shoes were falling apart and held together with tape. Araki had bad blisters but both were determined and planned to walk a lot further than us that day.
The rice in this area hadn’t been planted yet. We passed a large group of men and women of all ages, clearing out the water channels in preparation.
A lovely, grassy path led us into Uchiko where there are many antique buildings. Yasukuki and Sanae Onishi invited us into their 150 year old home which was also a shop selling hand made kimonos for a look around and a cup of tea.
In the afternoon we followed beside the Oda-gawa River, which looked cool and inviting. A man was grilling fish beside the road.
While we were resting, a car stopped and a lady purchased 2 bottles if ice tea from a vending machine then crossed the road to give them to us. We are thankful for all we receive.
Little villages hug the hillsides of this narrow valley. We could not find un occupied flat ground to put up the tent so opted for a bus shelter, a cute little log cabin, open at the front. There was no bus due till lat the following morning so we closed the entrance with a ground sheet and slept on the floor.
We had a call from Katie and Chantelle for Mother’s Day and enjoyed a bottle of Japanese wine (Tokachi) that we had carried all day.
(33.5758 N 132.7258 E)
