nature walk

by mikka


Above: ominous clouds over a field. 

On Saturday, some of Iain's students invited us to join them on a 12 kilometer nature walk in a nearby town, so we pulled ourselves out of bed uncharacteristically early to meet up with them. The walk itself was being sponsored by the JR Line - our train to the starting point was packed with people in walking gear, there were JR employees handing out maps, and the entire route had been sign-posted. We all got little badges, too - a lot of the hikers we passed (or who passed us) wore backpacks covered in tiny badges from similar such walks.  Iain's students are all beginner English speakers who hadn't explained it very much, so I didn't know what to expect - at first, it seemed like we were just being herded through lots of farmland. 



Tea plants.


Soon enough, though, we were climbing up hills and passing through shrines and forests.


Some seriously weather-worn statues. 



Wisteria blooming in the trees. 


Three quarters of way to the end, there was a special "Green" festival, where we were given free postcards and (very excitingly) free packets of basil seeds! Also there was some drag ballroom dancing. 


And a monkey doing crazy tricks! Who doesn't like monkeys? (Some of those kids, by the looks on their faces.) 


Also, there was a crazy beautiful waterfall. AND I bought a cone of cotton candy the size of my entire head, and totally disgraced myself by eating the whole thing in front of Iain's lovely students. So, all in all, a pretty good day - this area just keeps getting more and more beautiful.