I got separated from others on my way back.  I rode on a different bus for Miho Museum.  Then, from the Museum, I transferred to an extra Teisan bus non-stop to Ishiyama Station.  Everybody could find seat on the buses.

  I visited Kyoto National Museum to see the special exhibit “Masterpieces of the cultures of the dynastic age, Exhibition of Treasures of Yomei Bunko.”  The museum was open till 8PM on Fridays.  Then I moved to a business hotel in Nishi Fujinomiya.

  Before my visit to Misono, I only slept for only 3 hours in the morning of the 3^rd after my night shift works.  I spent other times viewing internet pages.  I could sleep only for another 3 hours in the bus to Misono.　　So, I had to stay awake while I was on JR trains.  I had to change trains twice and it would have caused a big trouble if I overslept somewhere. 

  In addition to the lack of sleep, the time I went to bed was as late as 1:20AM, and this made me worry if I could wake up at 4AM.

  This is because I was planning to worship at Fujisan Honguu Sengentaisha shrine at 5 o’clock next morning.  I wanted to do this at 555, or, to be exact, at 5 o’clock on the 5^th day of the 5^th month.  I decided in advance to accomplish this even if I encountered some heavy rain.

  I woke up at 4 next morning, no problem, and successfully left the hotel.  Excellent weather!

  I was startled, excited and glad when I saw Mt. Fuji.  There was some cloud at the top of the mountain as if it was a wig on top of somebody’s head.

  I stood in front of the main shrine just before 5 o’clock.  The shrine people came out from the door, started to beat the drum.  I prayed, addressing Amatsu Norito.  The o-mikuji, random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines in Japan, I drew was “No.2. Excellent luck.”  The tanka, a short poem, a genre of classical Japanese poetry written on that o-mikuji was:

 Hisomiishi Fuchinotatsuramo Tokiwoete Kumoininoboru Kagenomedetasa. (Dragons that had been hiding now get a time. They will climb up the sky.  Happiness of the shadow.)

  

I went back to the hotel, had a breakfast.  I took a train to Fujinomiya Station and bought a round trip inclusive ticket “Passport light: Mount Fuji and Fuji Five Lakes, From and To Mishima and Sin Fuji.”  They have had this kind of ticket valid for 3 days from before.  Now a new type, valid for two days in on sale now and I bought this one.  I visited the site of Fuji moss phlox festival.  (There were no coin lockers at the site.)

  I thought this festival will not be held this year, but they seemed to hold the festival as the growth of moss phlox was better than expected.  It was not in full bloom yet.  Still, a part around the pond was almost in full bloom and very beautiful.  Above all, the view of Mt. Fuji from there was marvelous!!

  The name of the pond was Ryujin-ike, literally meaning the pond of dragon-god.  So, I wished in my mind, ”Ryujin-san, would you kindly show me your existence, something like a fish jumping out of the water?  But nothing like lightning.”  A pair of birds flew in on the pond.  Then, a crow flew in at the other sore of the pond.  Later I searched about the paired birds and found out that they seemed to be Canada geese

　　　　　　　

  I walked around the site.  Then I had some sweet stuff and oolong tea at the venue of “Fujisan Umaimono Festa”, where I dropped in for some rest and killing time until the next bus.  Then I bought a sheet of postage stamps of Mt. Fuji at the temporary post office, and, bought 3 kinds of deliciously looking confectionery of Yamanashi at a gift shop.

  I sat on bench near the bus stop, waited for a local bus, reading the scriptures(Meishusama's Teachings).

  The bus did not arrive after twenty minutes passed the scheduled time of arrival.  I asked the person in charge, “The local bus does not come.  I suppose that it is not possible to get on a shuttle bus with my inclusive ticket, right?”  He gave me a special offer of getting onboard a shuttle bus for Kawaguchiko Station.  The passengers on the bus were taking photos of Mt. Fuji with their cell phones and cameras.

  I was seated at a left side, or a lake view side, not only looking at the lakes but talking silently in my mind or whispering once in a while to Ryuujin, the dragon gods, which were believed to lurk in Fuji Five Lakes.  There live different Ryujins in each lake and they have different names.  I talked to them looking at a copied sheet of paper with all the names on.

  The bus arrived at Kawaguchiko Station without delay.  I checked my baggage at a baggage storage of the station with the fee of 300 yen, because I could not ind an empty colin locker.  Then I got on a sightseeing bus called “retro bus.”

  I got off the bus at Yamanashi Gem Museum.  I first wondered if they can get gems in Yamanashi prefecture when I heard the name of the museum.  I found out that the exhibit was jewelry from all over the world.  In any way, everything was glorious and beautiful.

  I started to walk toward Fuji Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine as there were plenty of time before the next bus.  However, I did not figure out the right way and turned back to Kawaguchiko Herbkan (literally meaning is Herb House) next to the Gem Museum, waited for the bus to come, eating lavender ice cream.

  I was glad my decision of giving up walking earlier as I found out, riding on the bus, that it was so far away.  I worshipped at Fuji Omuro Sengen Jinja, prayed with Amatsu Norito. I drew o-mikuji there and I got another “excellent luck” with the number 18.

Uzuwomaku Taninoogawano Marukibashi Wataruyuubeno Kokochi Surukana

(A log bridge over a small river, whirling, in a valley.  I have the feeling of evening, crossing the bridge.)

  I got curious that if this tanka was a poem of excellent luck, then what sort of poem would we have for bad luck.  The explanatory notes on the o-mikuji said that it might be so in the beginning but it would be better off later.  I was relieved to read these notes.

  I spent my time rather loosely at the lakeside of Kawaguchiko for I had about 30 minutes until the next bus.


　

  I got on another bus and got off at Fugaku Fuketsu (wind cave) but stop.  I ate Yoshida Udon and drank iced coffee.  Then I got into the cave.  It was really cold as the information had told me.  Everybody was taking lots of photos.  I took photos of ice pillars.

  It was about 4 o’clock.  I could visit only one more place.  My choices were Narusawa Hyouketsu Ice Cave or Ryugu Doketsu Cave, and I could not decide too soon.

  There was some traffic jam and I could not rely on the bus timetable.  It seemed that it would take as long as 15 minutes of walk to Ryugu Doketsu Cave, so I started walking down the paved road.  I was planning to climb Mt. Fuji once the mountaineering season began, so I thought that it might be a good practice and preparation for that.

  I found two cars parked near the bus stop of Ryugu Doketsu Entrance and several other cars came out from the mountain path.  Ryugu Doketsu was very near from the Entrance, but it was a little scary and tasteful to walk in Aokigahara Jukai (Sea of Trees).

  There were several people around there when I arrived at the Ryugu Doketsu Cave.  I saw a young woman down below and her friend was taking a photo of her from above when I started going down the stairs to the cave.  I turned back at the half way of the stairs.  I did not feel like to go all the way down to the cave which I felt was eldritch.

  Two men were walking into Jukai, Sea of Trees, and I followed them.  A rope was extended along the way, but I turned back again when I walked in around 15 meters as I thought it might not a road for walks.  The two men also came back in 2 or 3 minutes, so I guessed it surely was not a great road.

  I waited for the last bus, sitting on a cornerstone of the Ryugu Doketsu Entrance bus stop.  I had walked only for 1 or 2 hours, but I was already fatigued, and this made me worry if I could climb Mt. Fuji someday.

  I was thinking that my legs were in good conditions as I had been in a job where I always stood.  Maybe walking in a mountain is a different thing.  I am also not good at a place with little oxygen.

  It got colder as it became dark in the evening, even though it was hot during the daytime.  I kept on sitting on the cornerstone though several people came to the bus stop.  The bus arrived here, delayed for approximately 30 minutes.

  I drank white peach juice at a restaurant in Kawaguchiko Station, while waiting for a train for Fujisan Station.  I was watching Mt. Fuji fading out in the darkness of the night from in front of the platform wicket.

  There were many foreigners in the train, a very international and rather strange space.

  I arrived in checked in at the business hotel near Fujisan Station, which I had booked in advance, at around 7:30 PM.

  I wanted to go and bath in a hot spring spa as I came to Fujisan all the way, so I left the hotel at 8 o’clock and asked the person of the railroad company at Fujisan Station what time the Fujiyama hot spring spa would close.  The answer was “It is only open till 9.  So, it’s no use going from now.  Also, it is expensive.  Go there in the morning instead if you still want to go.”  And, I gave up the visit.

  There was a restaurant in the station building, but they were already closing the shutters of the building.  So, I went to a Mos Burger restaurant outside of the station.

  I asked “Can I eat in?” and the answer was “This shop is open till 8:30.”  It was 8:20 already, so I ordered a “nan tacos marine” or “marinated stuff together with taco covered with nan bread” and took it out and went back to the hotel room to eat.

  I watched a TV program for an hour or so, took a bath in a tub in the room and went to bed soon.  I was going to wake up at 5 o’clock next morning.

  May the 6^th, waking up at 5 in the morning.

  A little after 6 AM, I asked the hotel person for delivering my duffel bag to my house, and checked out.

  My destination was Kitaguchihongu Fuji Sengenjinja Shrine.

  I walked up a slightly upward road called Fuji-michi from Fujisan Station.

  The road was filled with refined clean air and it was very refreshing as if my soul got cleaned up.

  I bowed, looking at a magnificent figure of Mt. Fuji, trying to engrave this happy feeling of this moment on my mind.

  The weather on the 6^th was a bit different from the clear sky of the 5^th.  The forecast was like clear sky at first, then cloudy with occasional rain.  Still, I could see the different aspect of Mt. Fuji.

  I arrived at Kitaguchihongu Fuji Sengenjinja Shrine.  The approach, where old Japanese cedar trees, giant white cedar trees and stone lanterns were lined up on both sides, was overwhelming.  I had never seen such a dignified tree-lined path in my life.

  I even felt as if I could take a time travel back to ancient Age of Gods.  I talked to the giant trees “I came to worship here after ○○○years’ absence.”

  I found huge stones in the middle of the approach, on both sides.  The explanation board of the left side stone taught me that it was a cornerstone of Nio Gate, a gate with wrathful and muscular guardian. And the right one was “Kakugyo no tachigyou ishi,” a memorial stone where Kakugyo, the founder of Fuji pilgrim, had his ascetic practices.  I was upset while reading these explanatory boards.

  “Oops. I should not be reading them now.  It is going to be 7 o’clock soon.”

  I MUST worship at the main shrine building at 7.

  I was a little afraid that I only copied the map of this shrine, even though I copied all the gods’ names of Ryujin.

  Anyway, I was assured to find that the names of gods of this shrine were written in front of the main hall. But the name of Ninigi-no-Mikoto was a long one and looked strange.  It was different from the one that I saw in a homepage and that panicked me.  Well, I tried my best to memorize the name by repeating several times.

  And I worshipped with Amatsu Norito.

  After my worship, I heard the beat of the drum.

  Oh, no.  I concentrated myself on memorizing the deity’s name and forgot about the time.  The drum must have been the sign of 7 o’clock.

  I soon took a look at my cell phone which showed the time as 7:01.  This cell phone time was precise and this should mean I must have been in the midst of worshipping at 7.

  There might have been something not correct about the name of the deity, but I supposed that should be forgiven.  And I drew o-mikuji.

  Then I addressed Amatsu Norito again at the east building and worshipped toward Mt. Fuji.

  The o-mikuji was Chuu Kichi, or, middle luck.  “Sorry for those who bet something other than Chuu Kichi.”

  I was sorry myself that it was not Daikichi, great luck.

  The number was 47, but I first thought 47???.

  But this impression gradually changed into a joy as I started to understand the gracious meaning of this o-mikuji.  I was feeling that I received the best one.

  First, there was something innovative in it, which was unimaginable from the atmosphere of the old aged shrine precincts with the history of 1,900 years.

  “Throw away the oldness.  It should be better to get close to the new ones.  Stop pursuing one thing or one idea.  Abandon the thing which does not give you energy and walk on toward your goals.”

Be newer in the day to come

Newer day by day

Truly newer in the day.

Avant-garde was the word which came into my mind and I was so surprised at the gap between the images of this shrine and the words of this o-mikuji.

Furthermore, there were words that resonated in my heart, just as the proverb “The scales fall from my eyes.”

Reflecting upon yourself is not blaming yourself but knowing your own self.

How cool it is!  Really cool!!  They were words that swept my delusions away.

And there was a tanka on the back side of the o-mikuji.

Kunitamino Kamadono keburi Hosokutomo Nagakuhisasiku Tatetudukenamu

(Steam from the kitchen oven of the people of the Country may be thin.  However, it keeps on going up eternally and for long.)

  The first impression when I read this poem was not a good one: boring, too quiet, too plain.  But when I came to think again, I realized that this tanka was a grateful one in a way that there was no starvation, one of three small evils for humankind (starvation, illness and war).

  And the number one thing that made me glad was when I got to know the meaning of the number 47.

47+3=50

  I realized that the number “3” must be the three deities of Kitaguchihongu Fuji Sengenjinja Shrine, without fail!

  Then I got on a “Circle around Mt. Fuji, the World Cultural Heritage Site” F-Route bus (Fujikko-go) to go to Oshino-Hakkai.  A pond made from snow melted water from Mt. Fuji was so beautiful.  The color of water which I saw was more fascinating than any gems I saw at Yamanashi Gem Museum yesterday.

  I wanted to eat soba, buck wheat noodle, as there were many soba restaurants there, but, unfortunately, none of them were open yet.  Some gifts were available in these restaurants, so I bought dried peach, dried grape and dried apple.

  I took the F-Route bus again, enjoyed the view of Mt. Fuji and flower fields after going through woods, and, then, went on the route around Lake Yamanako.

  It began to be cloudy.  So, I got off at Asahigaoka bus stop, giving up the idea of walking on Kirara walk way, and waited for a local bus bound for Mishima.

  I bought and drank a small bottle of grape juice at a kiosk on the first floor of the bus terminal building.  It was heavy, thick in taste.

  The local bus took me to the final bus stop, Gotemba Station.  I saw many motorcycle tourists on the way.  I thought that it would be fun to ride a bike on this road.  I heard some students talking about tactics on long distance relay road race.

  I wandered around Gotemba Station and went into a building with a sandwich shop SUBWAY, where one could also find a restaurant that served various kinds of rice bowls on the same floor.  I ordered a “gotten-don” (literally translated as a Palace rice bowl) and a cup of pudding made with local eggs.  I also ordered a glass of iced coffee Medium sized.

  The person at the rice bowl restaurant seemed to have too much time to kill and he was burning the surface of the pudding with a portable gas torch lots of times.  The pudding served had a solid surface of caramel as thick as 3mm.  It was delicious anyway.

  In my original plan, I was supposed to come back by a train via Shiojiri for the first time.  The reasons are I got days off till the 6^th, I wanted to stop by in Kofu as I would go all the way to Yamanashi, and I had used Tokaido line all the time in the past.  And I was looking forward to this return trip.

  Yes, this was my plan.  However, the person sitting next to me in the founder’s temple at the memorial festival on the 4^th asked me, “you said you would be separated on your return trip.  Where are you going to?”  I answered, “To around Mt. Fuji.” He then said to me “If you go to Shizuoka, then you should visit Shimoda, where you may have delicious fish.”  I asked him “Where is Shimoda?” and he replied “In the southern part of Izu Peninsula.”

  As the conversation was done in the founder’s temple, I got concerned about that later on.  I thought that there was a sengen shrine that deify Iwanagahime in Izu Peninsula and searched in WEB sites on my cell phone.  I found out that was Kumomi Sengen Jinja Shrine and this shrine was located in Matuzaki Town, on the other side of the Peninsula from Shimoda.

  I checked my travel guidebook and asked at the tourism association at Mishima Station about Shimoda, but just could not find any reason to visit there.

  I only imagine staying at Japanese style hotel with hot spring spa for relaxing purposes when I hear about Izu.  It was not easy to visit there because of time and money, so I decided not to go this time.

  At the same time, I was worrying about going back from around Kofu in some ways.  And I thought that it must have been a notice that I had to go back via Tokaido.  So, I decided to go back from Mishima.

  I bought a train ticket, reserved seat ticket for Shinkansen and a limited express free seat ticket at Mishima Station ticket booth.  The person in charge said “Only smoking seat available,” and I replied, “All right.”  Five tickets in total.

  I was supposed to go to Shizuoka by Kodama and transfer to Hikari at Shizuoka.  I think it is sort of a bet to purchase a reserved seat ticket.  I will be useless if the train is not crowded.

  In the Kodama which came into Mishima Station, the free seating cars were almost empty. But, cars for seat reservation were rather crowded.

  It is a stupid thing to be seated among lots of people while the free seating zone is empty.  Furthermore, the reserved seat I had was in a smoking car.  So, I went into a free seating car and sat at a window seat, the side of Mt. Fuji.

  It started to rain when the Shinkansen departed and it was not possible to see Mt. Fuji at all.  It was as if a thick gray curtain was shut.

  I was grateful for the protection about the weather for the last two days.  To Ryujin-san, Mt. Fuji and, of course to Meishu-sama.

  After a while since the Shinkansen departed, I heard the following public address: “There was a gusty wind between Mishima and Shin Fuji a while ago.  The train coming from behind us, Hikari 475 ceased to run, but this train, Kodama 659 will keep on going.”

  Some time later.  It stopped raining.  A sudden change occurred in the scenery of the window maybe because of the gusty wind mentioned in the PA.

  The color of the air, originally very dark like thick gray curtain changed to lighter one, like from black to white by gradation and the whole figure of Mt. Fuji emerged in silhouette.

  I felt like I would have goose bump to see that scenery.

  The train arrived at Shizuoka Station.  The following Hikari 475 also arrived at the same station, 4 minutes behind of schedule.  Several people were making lines at the platform, ready to get onboard the free seating zone.

  I sat at a reserved seat from Shizuoka.  The man seated next to me smoked 4 cigarrets before he got off at Shin Osaka Staton.

  I transferred to a limited express train, Shiokaze 23 at Okayama Station.  Public addresses that there would be no on-the-train sales of food and beverages were repeated so many times, I went out of the train to buy some juice at a vending machine on the platform.

  Later on, when the train conductor came to check my ticket, I noticed that I had dropped my train tickets while taking out my wallet from my pocket when I bought this juice.  For the time being, I showed the limited express ticket and two reserved seat tickets of Shinkansen to him, and told him to come back to me later as I would be searching my pockets and baggage for the train ticket.

  The conductor walked by a couple of times since then but he did not speak to me.  And, after that, he did not appear for another one hour or so.  The conductor made the following public address several times: “The next station is ・・・.  At this station, give the train ticket to the conductor when you get off.”  I was wondering in what way I should deal with this situation with three tickets that I have in my hand.

  The conductor passed by when Niihama Station, where I was supposed to get of that train, got closer.  I tried to call him but he went away.  The other passenger near to me called the conductor.  I asked the conductor to come to my seat afterward.

  I told the conductor that I had dropped my ticket and he said that I had to purchase a new ticket.  I said that I had been through boarding gates with the lost ticket for 3 times, when I got into Mishima Station, and getting in and out of the Shinkansen gate, and asked if that would not be ok.  He once again told me that still I had to buy a ticket and I said “so, what in the world this serial number printed on the tickets?  I bought them all together so you can check it out, can’t you?”

  The conductor then asked me where I dropped the ticket and I explained to him that it was the time when I bought the juice at Okayama Station.  As I had no intention of paying for the new ticket, I said to him “How dare I buy a new ticket all the way from Mishima?  I will speak to the person who can communicate well at the station.”  He must have thought that I was a troublesome passenger, so he said to me “if you say so, just do so,” and went away.

  I explained my situation and this saved me from worrying about the troubles I might have at the platform after I got off.  The conductor was very young, and I understood that he was doing the things he needed to do according to the manual.  I did not want to say such sarcastic word as “speak to somebody who can communicate,” but I lost control of myself as the price of ticket was more than 10,000 yen.  I was aware that it was my fault to drop the ticket, but, at the same time, my idea was that the ticket price I owe should be from Okayama even if I needed to pay something.

  Many passengers got off at Niihama Station and two station staffs were receiving the tickets from all the passengers at the ticket gate of the station.  “Oh, well, it was not the conductor’s business to gather the tickets,” I thought and waited until other passengers went through the ticket gate.  I talked to the older one, showing the three tickets in my hand, “Excuse me.  I cannot find the train ticket even though I searched everywhere.”  The station staff said, “Oh, from Misiha, right?  Person in charge at Uno (Okayama Station) has reported us that a passenger from Mishima dropped the ticket there.  So, it’s all right.  Go ahead,” and let me go through the gate.

  I was relieved and, at the same time, was grateful and sorry that I had been protected during this trip from the beginning till the end.  So, I went to pray to my place of worship.  It was about 8 PM anyway.

  I wanted to receive jorei.  I did not get one on the 5^th, the previous day, and I felt a little sick from riding vehicles, which I had not felt for a long time, maybe because I had been nervous and worried since I noticed that I lost the ticket.

  After worshipping, I stopped by at Aeon shopping mall for dinner as it was already after 9 o’clock.  I wanted to eat Sashimi because that was the thing I could not do during the trip as I did not go to Shimoda.  I looked at the menu shown outside of a restaurant, they only provided predetermined set menus.  I was not that hungry so I went into a Chinese restaurant where I could order a seafood rice bowl.

  I found a huge drawing of a dragon on the wall right in front of the seat I sat.  I felt really at ease to see the drawing, feeling that my mission was done without mishap, and I wanted to drink a toast to safety to myself, alone.  However, as I do not drink alcoholic beverage, literally, I just had the feeling.

  I went back home at around 10:15 and got to know about tornadoes, hailstones and lightning in TV news.  I got lost for words.

  I started to watch another TV program, “Bi-no Tsubo” (Pots of Beauty) at 11 o’clock.

  In this program, they were featuring a house with European style building, which was in fashion in earlier days of Showa.  The European style house in which I have been living for the last 20 years was also built in earlier time of Showa.  It used to be a hospital my grandfather was practicing as a doctor.

  This house was empty for a long time and officially registered address was lost.  The registered address in use right now is the address of the main building, and the next-door neighbor’s address is 470.  And the address of this European style building used to be 471.

  Plaster of the ceiling on the first floor, just underneath of my bed room, has started collapsing.  I started saying “Thank you very much, Meishu-sama” whenever I walk through the place.  The main building is the place where I eat, go to the toilet, take a bath and do the laundry.  I only used the main building entrance.  So, every time I go out of the house or do one or more things mentioned above, I need to pass this room.

  I started to worry about the cracks on the walls and the ceilings of this building while I had never had any concern about them.  Luckily enough, the room I sleep is a Japanese style one whose ceiling is made of wood board and I can fall asleep without worrying about anything.

  Another thing I’m worrying about now is if it is going to be hotter or cooler in this summer owing to this plaster collapsing of the ceiling of the first floor.

  During the 20 years of my living in this house, I used an air conditioner for 3 years.  After the conditioner broke, I have been using only an electric fan for the last 10 plus some more years.  Once in a while, the room temperature sometimes goes over 35 degrees Celsius.  I am now starting to worry that the same thing could occur to me when I hear the news that people die from heat.

  I thought up an idea to put cold insulators around me, which I did not throw away in the past for no specific reasons, from last summer.  And this is saving my life somehow.

  Windows of this building has been breaking one by one, and this means that numbers of windows which I may open are decreasing every year.  Less wind go through my house than before and this tends to help the room temperature to go up.  I do hope these days that this plaster collapsing works for the better.

  What I was worrying about most during my trip to Mt. Fuji this time was the on which dates I should go.  In the teachings, it is said that even the Deity cannot take necessary action unless the suitable time has arrived.  So, I was really glad when I read the tanka of o-mikuji at Fujisan Honguu Sengen Taisha Shrine.

  I stuck to numbers 555 and 567 as I decided the trip date.  567 derives from the belief concerning the years of Maitreya’s appearance to the world.  Furthermore, there was something that made me think “it has to be 567.”

  It was when I watched a video of a TV program broadcast from 4:30 PM of Saturday, February 11^th this year.  It was an “NHK Special” program titled “Atomic bombings, secret information which was not utilized.”  In that program, they said that the call sign for the cryptograms of operations for bombing to Hiroshima and Nagasaki was V675.

  I felt, while watching the video, that there was definitely some meaning in every number.  I also thought that “675 could cause nuclear wars.”

  So, I decided the date, stick to the number 567, and to pray for the purification of this world with sacred fire of divine spirit and heaven and earth, not of nuclear while the last judgement would be baptism of fire.

　Those who believe in the Deity and follow the Deity until the last moment are blessed even whatever occurs.