Day 12 – Buses, Dolphins, and Definitely Not a Rest Day
March 20, 2025
🚌 Smiling Bus Drivers, Broken Google, and Travel Math
Today was supposed to be a rest day. LOL. My plan is to take transportation to skip ahead a very long and boring section that will knock off around 2 days of walking.
It started promising enough. The sweet old woman at my last stay helped me book my backup accommodation ("Plan Z"), and even though she struggled with something as simple as dialing a phone, I was patient. She got it done. I was grateful.
I headed to town and walked to what I thought was a bus terminal. Turns out it was just a bus stop.
Google told me I had an hour to wait, so I strolled into the terminal just to double check—and the guy inside pointed right away to the bus already parked outside. Apparently Google is correct - but still doesn’t seem to have all the information.
I hopped on the sunny seaside route, and honestly? The bus driver looked so joyful. Just smiling, living his best life, looping coastal roads in the sunshine all day. I kind of want to be him. It made me think about how happy and proud the Japanese people are, even when doing jobs many Americans would be ungreatful doing.
💸 Bus Fare Drama and Beachy Transfers
So here’s a thing I didn’t know: when you get on a Japanese local bus, you’re supposed to take a little numbered ticket so the machine can track where you boarded. I… did not.
At the end, I awkwardly Google Translated an apology. The driver just smiled like, “Bless your confused foreign heart,” and showed me what to do. I stuck bills in the change machine, thinking I was paying—but nope. That machine just gives you your money back in coins. So you can then pay properly. Now I know for next time.
Once off the bus, the next terminal was unexpectedly lovely. Full-on beach town meets artisan grocery store—like a Japanese Whole Foods with sea breeze. While waiting for the next bus, I met Mark, a tall, skinny French guy who speaks fluent Japanese and very smooth English. We bonded over weird bus rules and polyamory. (His wife has a lover. He thought I’d be shocked. I was not.)
🐬 Dolphin Detour & The Questionable Hand Sign
Mark wanted to keep busing. I wanted to walk. A 90-minute stroll? After all I’ve done? Easy.
Along the way, I noticed I had starred a spot called the “Dolphin Center.” YES. I detoured.
For just ¥1500, I got to:
Pet a dolphin
Feed it
Make it jump with sign language
The jump signal made me very uncomfortable. It looked like a questionable gesture I’d rather not describe but it involves holding your arm out straight in front of you. Good thing no one filmed me—if I had the ability to get canceled I might have.
🧗♀️ Whoops, Mountain
Leaving the dolphins, I discovered something important: the temple was at the top of a freaking mountain. My quick 90 min rest day walk turned out to be an insanely un-restful climb.
I had truly convinced myself I’d be chillin’ today. Rest day, I said. Gentle day. Not sweating profusely while climbing steep stairs in the sun day. But no. I huffed. I puffed. I cursed. And then I kept going.
Saw Mark again, coming back down. He looked fresh. I looked like a boiled sock.
🪨 Magicless Temple and Musical Stones
I really thought Temple 24 would feel special. Cape views. Sunshine. Ocean breeze. But when I reached the top… nothing. It was fine. Beautiful. But no magic spark. And I’m proud I didn’t force it. Sometimes the sacred shows up. Sometimes it doesn’t.
I did find a stone that played musical notes and got my stamp. Then I hiked the downhill trail toward my very nice, very expensive ryokan—where I should’ve been chilling all day.
💦 Roadside Rituals & Awkward Google Translate Moments
On the way to the hotel, I passed a family throwing ladles of water onto religious statues—just absolutely soaking them. I tried to ask why, but my translator glitched and they just stared at me, confused, while I fumbled and gave up. Classic.
🏯 The Nicest Stay Yet
When I arrived—WOW.
Best place I’ve stayed so far, hands down. Huge private room. In-room tea service. My own shower and mini tub. They’ll even come in and make my bed during dinner.
The shared bathhouse? Stunning.
The robes? So stylish.
The vibe? Immaculate.
I felt very fancy.
🍱 Dinner Theater, Wasabi Tears, and Sake Surprises
Dinner was next-level. I sat on the floor for a multi-course masterpiece and felt very Japanese eating on my little pillow.
Tried broccoli covered in wasabi lava. My eyes watered, but I kept a straight face like a brave little warrior.
A girl nearby ordered a massive grilled fish she couldn’t finish and then sent me a little plate with a wink and nod. Angel.
Another man got the sake pairing and the server went into a long, passionate explanation. He made a bunch of overwhelmed/existential noises while trying to keep up with the passionate host.
Another guy overheard and said, “Wait, I want that too!” Everyone laughed and soon everyone in the room joined in on the sake pairing experience. Except me, it was just happy to watch.
🧘♀️ Bath Meditation & Meal Prep Musings
Later, while soaking in the giant bath like a sleepy sea creature, I thought about the meal prep. So many little dishes. So much detail. Six diners. One kitchen. That dinner probably took all day to prepare. If it were me running the kitchen, I’d have started at 5am.
🧾 Closing Thoughts
Not a rest day. But a full day. A funny day. A luxurious, dolphin-petting, mountain-climbing, wasabi-weeping, sake-sipping kind of day.
