Some folks I have met

 

 Fellow pilgrims on the way to Valhalla

There`s no people like henro people, like no people I know.

Mr. Eiguchi: The first guy I had an extended conversation with. Retired salaryman, believes that doing the pilgrimage any way besides on foot is totally meaningless. I'm not quite that absolutist, but he was a friendly guy all the same. He had an awesome staff with a bunch of jangly rings that seems to be reserved for Buddhist tour group leaders and ultimate spiritual badasses.

Yuuta Ishikawa: Besides having the same last name as my favorite player on the San Francisco Giants, I like this guy because he seems to be totally fearless. Hes got two daughters, but I guess hes letting mom take care of them while he goes on this two month spirit journey. Not only that, he studied abroad at Alabama State! Where East Meets West. I want to clone him 1 million times, and then send the Ishikawa Army all over Japan to shake things up.

Kaya Tei, or was it Taya Kei: I can't remember which for the life of me, but shes the bald chick along with Yuuta in the facebook picture. We all assumed she was a Buddhist nun, but I think she just shaved her head because its humid as hell and it was more convenient, which is so cutthroat that I respect it. Any chick willing to go Sinead O'Connor in the pursuit of spiritual realization is alright in my book.

Mr. Miyauchi: An older guy from the sleepy fishing village of Yuki, hes a retired tatami mat maker. He was overjoyed to see me and find out I was American. He, like most of the older generation, is stridently antiwar, and despises the Japanese government`s new hawkish stance on foreign affairs. We talked about Japanese history, and compared notes on the wars that both of our countries have lost. He gave me some awesome tatami style drink coasters, which are now on their way back to America, courtesy of Japan Post Office!! Earnest, goofy, genuine dude.

Tainen: Kind of a weird guy I met after the brutal mountain climb of temple #12. Tainen is kind of an unusual Japanese name, and he was sort of an awkward dork, which means we got along perfectly. We bonded over our love of Dragon Ball Z and crummy 80s action movies. . .I believe his favorite movie star is Mel Gibson. Seemed to be doing the pilgrimage with his mom, who gave me some tape for my blisters.