Long but rewarding 35K day.
The highlights not being Temple visits but 2 osettais, donated tea services.
The first being halfway between Temples 7 and 8 where we came across a quirky little fruit stand where we were directed to a side door by an old man.
Inside this old shack was an equally old sofa where we sat and rested and were served free green tea (osettai service) by a sweet 90 year old guy that looked 75 and his 92 year old wife. They have been married 72 years and have served tea to over 10,000 ohenros(88 Temple Pilgrims) over the past 17 years.
Then at Temple 9, Horinji, we had a great stop because there was another osettai, with a bunch of friendly local women who kept pouring more green tea and giving us additional potato chips along with 2 steamed flour cakes with red bean paste inside. So very kind and friendly.
The other interesting stop was Temple 7, Jurakuji, with 70 Jizo Bosatsu figures for the memorial for children who died before birth or as infants.
Last at dinner we met a 74 year old Japanese guy doing his 5th solo pilgrimage in 5 years.
We had some interesting food at our Minshuku just before Temple 12:
