Chapter 6 Pilgrimage Day 20

Diary of the White Bush Clover

Day 20 (25 October) Fujishi to Namuzu

Last night we talked about our religion and I heard about their experiences. Oda-san said, “Humans don’t always have good circumstances so we must live the right way. Only then will we succeed.” He was the president of a big company. Every morning and evening he prayed to a statue of the Buddha in his room. I thought his employees must be happy that they had such a good employer.

I looked outside. This place was at the foot of Fuji-san. Even though the weather was cloudy I could see the sacred mountain, covered with snow on top.

Starting out I looked at the map and walked along Route 1 once more. Too much traffic, I hated it. It might be further but I chose a smaller road. A typhoon was coming and the weather was getting worse but it was still good for walking. Later I encountered construction for the new Tomei Expressway, with many dump trucks passing by.

At noon I bought bread and milk in a shop. The owner asked, “Where are you going?”

“I am walking from Kyōto to Tōkyō,” I replied, “praying for the people who died in the war.”

She was surprised to hear I had walked all the way from Kyōto and asked me to sit on a zabuton and talk. She told me, “My brother also died in the war. I don’t always remember him because I’m so busy. You are walking and praying for many people who died in the war, including my brother. I feel sorry that I don’t remember him often so thank you for what you’re doing.”

We told stories about the war and life after the war. She gave me apples and sweets, saying, “Please eat them when you feel hungry. I will pray for my brother and others who died from now on.”

I decided to pray for the woman’s brother at the temple where I would be staying that night. Again I thought of the saying, ichi go ichi e. I have all these memories of meeting with people yet I have only met them one time in my life. I felt I was saying sayōnara to someone I knew very well.

I walked on the beach. I could still see the row of pine trees far in the distance. After awhile I arrived at Hara. This place was on the old Tōkaidō. Pine trees lined the road so people called this Senbonmatsubara, Thousand Pine Trees Row. I walked along this road, looking at the sea blowing in the wind, until I reached Numazu.

I found Monpō-ji easily so I arrived earlier than I had expected. Two priests with many believers welcomed me warmly. Hayashi-san looked after me from my arrival until my departure. I was very happy.