Today was a very memorable day, up on My Koya, the most spiritual place in Japan.
It wasn't easy to get to, 3 trains, a bus and a balls cable car, but it was a great view of a more rural Japan.
It is a bit touristy, but the mountain is home to hundreds of monks across dozens of temples and temple stays, and a huge number of people making a pilgrimage to the site. Somehow, they really kept it classy.
We visited many temples and saw any monks and worshippers.
The highlight for on the mountain itself was probably the cemetery loop, a 5km walk through an old forest, lined with memorials and headstones. Some of the trees were over 50m tall, and over 400years old. Some of the gravestones were over a thousand years old. Some were very recent, or for corporations.
The best part was our accommodation.
Our accommodation was literally a temple. Sekoshoin was a great choice. The food was cold, the bed was hard and the monks running it spoke very little English, but it was incredible.
Our room had a view over the garden courtyard, we ate a (admittedly pretty gross, but still awesome) traditional cold vegetarian dinner and a pretty good breakfast, opted out of the communal showers, and got happiness bracelets.
Our evening was spent drinking green tea under a heated table, reading the teachings of Buddha.
Tomorrow, an inbetween day xx