Ōminesan 大峰山, Peak of Gold 金峯山 (May 1–4)
Several seasons have passed since last I visited Ōminesan. Returning to a place. A place that exists outside of Facebook, emails, and even phone calls at times. You know and you care, so you just show up. This was my sixth visit in about a year. My perspectives and indeed my person have changed much since that first visit. I knew no one then but was drawn to come since first I saw the name – this I am well used to by now as my life and adventures in the big world progress. Here I am again, new and old, same and different. Settling into ‘my room’ at the inn, greeting the family, drinking tea. Go over my rough plan for the next few days with Kino-san, the innkeeper. He worries about me when I go into the mountains, or anywhere really, so I have to make sure he approves of what I have in mind. First stop is the gate marking the climbing entrance from which women are prohibited, and then the glorious hike along the heavenly river (literally, Tenkawa 天川 ) to the caves, past the teahous