TNT Day 11 - shower day!
16 Sept
Map 6 + 7: (tent) Picnic shelter -> fumoto suspension bridge -> jinba falls -> kodanuki marshland -> lake tanuki // bus to fujinomiya (capsule hotel)
Warm, overcast, muggy
The day started off with another glorious view of Mt Fuji.
It rained a bit last night but the shelter kept the majority off my tent so drying it out this morning was a relatively quick process. However, rain means wet vegetation, which means soggy shoes and socks when the trail is overgrown with knee high grass/plants. The trail took me around the back off some agricultural fields, cattle sheds and campgrounds and through forestry areas before I reached fumoto suspension bridge.
Today is a public holiday (respect for the aged day) so the sea of tents were being packed up for a 10/11am checkout, I'm assuming by noon most of the campgrounds would have been deserted as people returned to their normal lives. The fumotoppara campground reminded me of a scout jamboree or music festival, lots and lots of tents packed into a muddy field with lines for the shower block and washing up stations.
I then wound my way through village streets to reach jinba falls, and then onto forest roads to reach the kodanuki marshland. Not much wildlife activity at the marshland, maybe if i'd been 4 hrs early I could have seen a single bird or heard the dawn chorus.
A short walk down the road and I was at lake tanuki, where fishing was the activity of choice. I saw one man catch a fish...and then release it - not sure if it was the wrong type of fish or if they aren't fishing to keep the catch. The fishermen were set up all around the edge of the lake and each had a chair or seat pad and then what looked to be homemade but quite sophisticated setups for their rods, lines, bait, umbrellas, drinks, cigarettes and eskys.
The route around the lake is part of the shizuoka bypass route and the area was very well signposted and toilets and rest areas were abundant.
I caught the 12:30 bus into fujinomiya as I and my clothes were in need of a good wash - I don't think I can go more then 3 days in the current humidity/heat without a proper shower and laundry run. Normally bird baths would be fine but the levels of sweat and general dampness are sending me a little crazy.
I also needed to stock up on some food for the next little section of trail, however, when I went to the supermarket the workers were busily pulling everything off the shelves and into crates. I'm not sure if it was to clean the shelves, change the layout or move expired stock but it made my shopping very difficult, although I still managed to buy too much food.
I've booked a 'room' at a capsule hotel and am quite surprised at the level of amenities and space you get for a reasonably low price.
I was originally going to just get a supermarket meal for dinner but that wasn't going to happen with the madness there, so instead I grabbed some udon for just ¥740.
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