a gate and a hike

I am coming to the end of my fortnight with the Sakamotos, and am very reluctant to move on. Shigeo and Keiko have been incredibly welcoming, and their house now feels like home, dust and all. Their clarity about rest and work times, and the nature of the work - real jobs that make a difference to them, have made this a very satisfying experience. They feel like true friends and I will miss them both, and Yohei (son) and Kayo (daughter-in-law).

Alongside the work, both Shigeo and Keiko have done all possible to help me explore the surrounding area: when I tried to pay the yoga teacher earlier this week she told me that the bag of veggies we'd given her was in lieu of payment; on Mayajima island, from where I've just returned, Keiko put me in touch with a former woofer, and I was able to spend the day with her; Shigeo furnished me with maps and information and taxied me to and for the station; the trip to Takehara last week came about via one of Keiko's friends; when they see that I'm Skyping with Juan they are positively delighted and encourage me to take my time even if this means arriving late for supper. Etc etc.

Shigeo, thin and high-wired, burns around from dawn to beyond dusk. Why walk if you can run? And he drives in the same way, accelerating into amber traffic lights. Yohei jokes that Shigeo can wind down for a max 3 hours. I guess that's why driving 2 hours, and then a high-paced mountain walk, is his choice of relaxation.

Keiko, mother of the universe, surrounded by family, friends, woofers. Always late as conversations take priority but has the strength of an ox as she runs "her" veggie fields. Her warmth and humour balm to all around. Laments her inability to lose weight. I was amused, last night to see her finish her "main" (doesn't exist in Japan) course, eat the dessert I'd brought back from Mayajima, then revert to a fish dish. I think typical of sweet-and-sour Japanese mixing but very curious, all the same.

So I've just had 24 hours on Mayajima, an island just south of Hiroshima and one of the three top attractions in Japan. ("Beep! Beep! Danger! Danger!") I arrived in colossal rain. But the streets were nevertheless filled with boatloads of school kids. The big pull is the Torii gate (see FB pics), a 16m high structure first installed in the 12th century, and part of Itsukushima Shrine. The shrine was designed and built on pier-like structures over the bay so that it would appear to be floating on the water, separate from the sacred island, which could be approached by the devout. According to Wiki, retaining the purity of the shrine is so important that, since 1878, no deaths or births have been permitted near it. So e.g. pregnant women are supposed to retreat to the mainland as delivery day approaches.

Rain or shine, the group posing continued. In front of the Torii gate class after class stood on racked benches, quickly removing umbrellas for the obligatory, "Cheese!", amid indignant squeals as they were instantly drenched. Pure entertainment for me.

My first view of the gate was at low tide. I subsequently discovered quite how unusual that (people-empty "liked" FB snap) is: the following day at the same time, the throngs of tourists on the sand were impressive. (Though I was the only person to take off my shoes and, feeling strangely rebellious, paddle a few metres seaward to view the gate from a different perspective. What rule was I, unknowingly, transgressing?)

By chance, I learned, in some tourist literature at the hotel, about about the nightly floodlighting and returned to the scene after dark. The FB pics convey something of the magical quality of those high-tide illuminated views. But the streets were still alive with people. Where was that quiet-because-all-daytrippers-have-gone-home time that I'd been promised, the reason for me overnighting? By getting up early the following morning, I found the P & Q I was looking for: at high tide, in company with a handful of other tourists, I watched as the gate was gradually lit up by the sun.

After breakfast I met up with Saki, who had spent 6 months with the Sakamotos earlier this year as an agricultural trainee. She plans to make a living as a farmer but, in the mean time, is saving money by working a short contract at one of the island hotels (one of the "kimono girls" who meet and greet guests as they arrive). I'm afraid that, after visiting Daishoin temple and watching some intriguing dance and music (curious soul-tormented whining I subsequently discovered via Dad was gagaku, ancient court music ) at a nearby shrine (see FB pics), both in complete ignorance, I cut short visits to sacred sites and spent the rest of the day hiking up to Mt Misen. Rewarded by a new view of the Seto Inland Sea islands, and Hiroshima coastline. As we started the walk there were signs to the cable car: "10 minutes or 7 minutes if go little quickly". Which perfectly captures the spirit of Japanese tourism. I did wonder, afterwards, if I would have covered more ground if I'd taken that short cut, and gone a little faster. Am I in danger of becoming a "Japanese tourist"?