Saint of Mt. Koya
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"It had been my original intention to try to make it to the pass that day, and with that in mind I had set out from my lodgings at about three o'clock in the morning so that I might get a good start. I covered six miles or more while it was still in the cool of the morning, and made it all the way to the tea house without pausing to rest, but by then the day had dawned clear and sunny and it was rapidly becoming very hot.

"As I had been single-minded in my attempt to make good progress, it was inevitable that my throat was feeling parched and dry. I decided to stop at the tea house for a quick cup of tea before hurrying on my way, but it was too early and they told me they had not yet got the tea water boiling.

"That's the way it was done in those days. At the best of times there were few travellers on that road and it was unreasonable to suppose that rest stations along the way would be open so early. The saying was that the shops don't open while the morning glories are still in bloom.


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Intangible