The priest spoke very slowly. Every two minutes he asked Frederic to translate for me. It was a tale - not only about the red-clothed skeleton munk sitting right in front of us - but about how Dewa-san had been a one of the most holy places in Japan for centuries.
On the first day, we climbed the 2440 steps to the top of the mountain of birth: Hagura-san. On the second day we reached Sansan at 1980 meters - the mountain of death. But would we make it to the third top: rebirth at Yodo-san?
A terrible thunderstorm was approaching, and miraculously the rain had stopped just long enough for us to visit the small Dainichibou temple - with the now mummified Daijuku Bosatsu Shinnyokai Shonin. He was sitting right in front of us - draped in a beatifully red cloth. And the Shinto priest told Frederic all about the life he had lived before he died in 1782. How he worked for buddhism, helped the townspeople, lived himself only on nuts and garlic, and finally at the age of 96 - had stopped eating altogether - and let himself be buried alive - breathing through a straw till he died.
Frederic finally received a small gift: a charm containing a bit of the mummy`s clothing (they change him now and then and produce health charms from the cloth). We donated 1000 Yen to the temple. Then we ventured back out into the rain - and went in search of a place to spend the night - the thunder was getting very close indeed.
We must find a place to sleep in this area.
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