点评:So. Noodles for breakfast, a feast fit for an Emperor before jumping on the 0909, mini Bullet Train for the short hour long hop to our next port of call Nagano the 1998 host city of the Winter Olympics.
With the rain keeping off it was Zenkoji Temple time. And I couldn't resist going full on "spelunker monk".
We descended into the famous pitch-black tunnel beneath the main hall, a rite of passage, they say, to find the “key to paradise.” Well, paradise smells a lot like incense, damp socks and someone’s leftover ramen sweat. YUK.
It’s WEIRD. VERY WEIRD.
A blackout mix of bodies, breath, and blind faith. You shuffle forward, hand on the wall, heart in your mouth, hoping you don’t accidentally grope a stranger or trip over a bunion. After about 50m, somewhere in the dark, you touch the sacred key and for a moment, I felt it. Calm connection and maybe a bit of me thinking I'd earned my mug of imported Yorkshire tea.
Came out blinking like a mole in daylight, spiritually stirred and slightly sweaty. Would I do it again? Absolutely. But next time, I’m bringing a flannel and a can of deodorant.
翻译:所以。早餐吃面条,一顿足以媲美天皇的盛宴,然后跳上09:09的迷你子弹头列车,短短一个小时的旅程,前往我们的下一站——长野——1998年冬奥会的主办城市。
雨停了,正是去善光寺的时间。我忍不住要来个“洞穴探险僧”。
我们下到正殿下方那条著名的漆黑隧道,据说这是寻找“天堂之钥”的仪式。好吧,天堂的味道很像熏香、湿袜子和某人吃完拉面剩下的汗味。真恶心。
很奇怪。非常奇怪。
一片漆黑,身体、呼吸和盲目的信仰交织在一起。你拖着脚步向前走,手扶着墙,心惊胆战,希望自己不会不小心摸到陌生人,或者被拇囊炎绊倒。走了大约50米,在黑暗中,你触摸到了那把神圣的钥匙,有那么一瞬间,我感受到了它。平静的联系,或许还有点儿觉得自己配得上那杯进口约克郡茶。
出来的时候,我像白天的鼹鼠一样眨着眼睛,精神抖擞,微微出汗。我还会再来吗?绝对会。不过下次,我会带上一条法兰绒毛巾和一罐除臭剂。