Through the Cedar Forest to the Shrine A Quiet Spring Morning at Mount Tamaki

On a spring morning, I drove along the mountain roads around Totsukawa toward the car park on Mount Tamaki. Eyes on the road, I turned through each bend one at a time. When I stepped out of the car, the air felt cooler than it had in town when I set off. I pulled my coat closed and got ready to walk.

The shrine is about 15 minutes on foot from the car park. In my sneakers, I followed the shrine path, sunlight falling through the trees onto the ground. It was a different kind of quiet from the drive I’d just made, with only rustling branches and my own footsteps to hear. The hem of my coat over my pink dress swayed a little with every step.

Stopping in front of the torii gate, I saw the shrine roof above a stone wall. As my gaze followed the steps upward, cedar trunks rose behind it. I held the edges of my coat in both hands and lingered over the view. I wanted to trace the stonework and the fine details of the woodwork with my eyes, bit by bit, rather than take it all in at once.

Tamaki Shrine has long served as a training site for mountain ascetics on the route between Yoshino and Kumano. After walking through the forest, remembering that history made the time on the shrine path feel like part of my visit, too. I climbed the stone steps, paid my respects, then let out another deep breath in front of the shrine. I felt quieter inside than when I set out.

On the way back, I noticed sunlight filtering through the trees that I’d missed on the way in. I’d rather take home the feeling of walking through this forest than a lot of photos. Once I’m back at the car, I’ll take a break near Hiratani. I’d love to make time for Totsukawa’s hot-spring pudding, too—a sweet treat to round out the morning in the mountains.