{Shikoku Hachijūhachikasho Meguri}


NOJUKU HENRO
The following is a very rough guide that answers some questions regarding what to expect and how to prepare for living outside while hiking the Henro Michi. As I have time, I'll try to refine it.

Some things to consider: The following information takes for granted that the reader is not a complete beginner of Japanese, and that the reader understands some basic henro concepts and words like: Nojuku, Tsuyado, etc.

There are many tasks to consider when doing a henro nojuku-style. Bathing becomes a task in itself, washing, wringing out and drying clothes, cooking outside in the wind and rain on portable stoves, erecting shelters, hanging lines, cleaning gear, making tea and coffee, breaking camp, finding food each day in rural areas without so much as a vegetable stand. These are all things a nojuku henro must constantly be considering about. I will try and address some of the more important points below.



A DAY IN THE LIFE OF NOJUKU HENRO
04:30 Wake-up with the sunrise, make coffee, eat breakfast of bread, rice-ball, cheese, miso-shiru, break down camp, pack, fill up water bottle.
05:30 Hit the road
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Visit temple.
14:00 Snack and tea. Begin determining good place to sleep.
16:00 Food shopping.
17:00 Arrive at rest area. Lay out tarp on bench. Take out sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and pillow. String lines. Hang rain poncho strategically to give me privacy. Take off all clothes, put on bathing suit, go to toilets in flip flops. Wash clothes in sink. Then wash body, change into fresh clothes. Sit down at shelter. Cook dinner of macaroni, with okra and tuna. Chocolate for dessert. Coffee with whiskey. Write in journal. Read book.
20:00 Fall asleep in exhaustion.


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