TNT Day 32 - detouring
22 oct
Map : (tent) ikoi forest park -> yokokura-ji -> ibi gorge -> otsudani park -> kodera observatory -> ikeda onsen roadside station -> Ogaki city outdoor center (tent)
Low/mid 20s, ideal walking weather
Last night got chilly enough that I used my sleeping bag for the first time, I think it got to around 12°c. Previously I'd been able to get by with my inner sheet and my raincoat as a top layer if needed in the early hours of the morning.
After pack up, I left the ikoi forest park and went straight into the grounds of yokokura-ji temple. I had the whole place to myself until 8am when a little old lady with a leaf blower made herself known.
I had seen pamphlets about a mummy enshrined in the area but had not pinpointed where it was. Turns out Myoshin, a monk who self mummified and died in 1817 at the age of 37, is enshrined in one of the yokokura- ji temple buildings I passed by last night. It is also a building that when I passed it I'd thought to myself 'a tent would fit under that' - I am very glad that the picnic shelter proved to be an adequate campspot.
The temple holds an autumn festival in november, hopefully the leaves have turned by then.
leaving yokokura-ji, I was faced with more trail closures this time the trail through katsuji pass to tosen-ji temple, which has infact been closed since 2008 but never removed or a detour given on the official Gifu maps. I decided to turn south, detouring through ibikawa and walking to otohara and ibi gorge.
The local clock tower; 3 clocks, 3 different times and yet none the of them were correct.
I had another decision to make once in otohara, turn right and rejoin the trail in Nishitsukumi, only to then have to detour around Mt nabekurayama as the descending trail is closed, or go left and rejoin the trail in ibigawa, skipping any further detours.
I choose to go left at the end of the tunnel and head down the ibi gorge towards ibigawa. This does mean I am taking quite a large shortcut and cutting out the kuze dam/Mt nabekurayama section but in the interest of actually reaching Osaka and not walking kilometers of road detour it had to be done.
The valley I would have walked out of if I'd gone the long way round.
I rejoined the Tokai nature trail at 12:30 after 12km of detour and a stop at a convenience store - I really was carrying too much food now that I was back in the 'burbs.
Next stop was the Ganjoji Nishifun no Koshi Ancient Tomb Group, the largest ancient tomb group in Gifu prefecture. There are 114 confirmed tombs. Tomb 43 is just of the trail and has an intact burial chamber that is open for viewing.
Tea fields and a sprawling urban-rice field mosaic was the backdrop to my walk along the edge and of the forest and developed areas.
The forecast was for rain tonight and all tomorrow so I made my way to he Ogaki city forest recreation area which has a camping area and a sheltered cooking area. The building itself appears to be open between 8 and 5pm, the camping area is free, however, you are meant to reserve a place in advanced.
21km, highest point: 205m, elevation: +215m -333m
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