Pilgrimage People Part 4

More interesting folks in and around the island.

Shikoku Laverne and Shirley- I was heading to temple 42, but I wasn't going to make it in time. If I turned back, I would have to redo like 10km the next day. So I asked for a ride from these random ladies. It could have been my final mistake. The driver, let's call her Laverne, drove her little Japanese car like she had a death wish. This didn't seem to bother Shirley, who I believe was her mother. She was going like 50km an hour along one lane dirt roads next to the rice fields that are only meant for hikers and miniature rice tractors. We missed multiple signs, nearly backed into a ditch, and only made it to temple 42 by the grace of Buddha. I thanked them for their kindly assistance, and I have not attempted hitchhiking since. I'm too enlightened to die!!!

Half-Korean anime bro- When I was wandering around Kokura in Kyushu looking for my cousin's fortune telling cafe, this random dude came straight up to me and asked me what I was looking for. I was immediately suspicious. This is not how Japanese people typically act, and I feared that he was some weird talent scout or other swindler. But no, it turns out he was just a friendly dude! I let him hold my Kobo Daishi staff as we went here and there in downtown Kokura. He even showed me around the Kokura Anime and Manga Building, which is 5 glorious floors of cartoons, video games, comic books, and paraphanelia! It turns out the guy was half-Korean, which may partially explain why he was super outgoing; most Koreans I've met and observed are more expressive and up front than the typical Japanese person. But he may have also just been an awesome dude. Either explanation works for me.

Kumiko- I was resting at a bus stop when this lady hit me up. Her English was pretty good, and that's because she lived in Philadelphia like 20 years ago! I asked her if she ever saw some of The Roots original acoustic street performances. As you might expect she had no idea what I was talking about. She was in the area to visit her relatives, and she proceeded to unload all of her elderly auntie presents on me, such as some homemade tea and bread and fruits from their garden. Usually I would refuse all this random stuff, but I was hungry as hell and gladly devoured everything she put in front of my face. I gave her the customary Thank You ofuda, but she didn't know what the deal was with that either. Turns out she lives in Tokyo and works at a hospital out there. Even non-Shikoku people are hooking me up with random gifts! Good stuff.

Japanese Holy Diver- Now this was a cool dude. I was in the town of Kubokawa back in Kochi. Most towns in Kochi prefecture are depressing shells of their former selves, but Kubokawa had a little more spark and personality than most. A big reason for that is Japanese Holy Diver. He runs a restaurant called Asiana Cafe, and they served the best Katsu Curry I have had yet on this trip. And the guy isn't even originally a chef; he was a scuba diving instructor for like 20 years all over the world, from Hawaii to Thailand! He was totally fluent in English, and even helped me to find a place to stay that night, which turned out to be a random room in an unmarked house run by some 90 year old lady! Never would have found that one. I went back to the restaurant no less than 2 times that night to try their selection of world beers from India and Thailand and chop it up a bit more in good old English. Just like the two Japanese dudes who studied at University of Alabama, Shikoku needs about 10,000 more people like Holy Diver to shake up the status quo and bring new life to the island. With their energy and dedication, I believe they can do it.