Day 1: Henro Life: Homeless, Hornets & Red Snapper Charades
Woke up around 5:30am feeling shockingly rested—possibly for the first time in my entire adult life. Chatted with Sabrina and Reece for a bit before heading downstairs for breakfast.
Breakfast & Mini Bento Moment
The meal: salmon, rice, various mysterious pickled things, and a hard-boiled egg (Japan’s fave). The hosts even packed me a cute little lunch to-go, which made me feel like a kid going on a school field trip. Love that for me.
I chilled in my room until 9am checkout, awkwardly filming myself for whatever this project is turning into. (Still unclear what I'm making, but the footage will be vulnerable content for sure.)
Homeless & Free
My next accommodation was only a mile away, but I couldn’t check in yet—so I was technically homeless. I left my pink bag at the new place without asking (classic me) and hoped the host would just get it. A little rude? Maybe. But it was very much a “this bag is yours now” situation.
First Shrine Vibes (and Pee Desperation)
It felt amazing to head out with just my backpack. The sun was shining, and I felt strong. Invincible. Except... I had to pee. Badly.
At the first temple, I wasn’t sure which shrine was the shrine for official prayers. So I did what any confused pilgrim would do: threw coins into several of them, bowed randomly, and clapped at inconsistent intervals. A spiritual mess.
Eventually, I noticed other people and realized there’s a rhythm to it: coin, bow, bow, clap, clap. Got it. Filed that away for future me.
Murder Hornets & Baby Ceremonies
Saw a murder hornet warning sign and immediately texted Terrell, because what are friends for if not sharing mutual insect terror?
Also witnessed a beautiful family doing what seemed like a baby blessing. Two grandpas walked quietly and proudly, two new mother-in-laws were giggling and gossiping like future BFFs. It made my heart melt. Loved that for them. Loved that for me.
I restarted my temple donation journey so I could “do it right.” Threw another coin, and the translation said “prosperity in business,” so I guess the gods are rooting for my creative empire.
Henro Gear & Mild Humiliation
Next stop: buy my official Henro gear. I had no idea what I was doing, and the guy working there absolutely hated that about me. He kept sending me between two counters like I was playing an escape room with no clues. It was awkward and slightly aggressive. Loved that for my confidence.
Thankfully, things turned around when I asked a mom and daughter to take my photo. They asked for one with me afterward, called me beautiful, and completely restored my will to live. Women supporting women—international edition.
Got my first official Henro stamp and the man doing it was… extremely cranky. I think it’s part of the job description.
Back to the Fancy Spot & The Forgotten Stick
I returned to my fancy guesthouse (obsessed with this room, by the way), showered, and got my stuff organized. That’s when I realized… I left my walking stick at Temple 1. Rookie move. Will fetch it tomorrow.
Dinner Shenanigans & Fish Charades
Dinner was a multi-course adventure. Some dishes were hits—like the sashimi. Others were, uh, mystifying. At one point an older woman gave me her extra piece of sushi (bless her). The kitchen staff laughed when they brought mine out and realized I’d already eaten it. VIP service, baby.
Best part? The staff translated each course for me. When one woman didn’t know the English word for a fish, she started flapping her arms and wiggling like one. We both cracked up. Turns out it was red snapper, but honestly, I would’ve believed her if she said it was a dancing eel.
Winding Down
Got to my room and was greeted by cozy vibes only. I’ve got my own little bathroom with a compact toilet that looks like it belongs in a dollhouse. The shared showers downstairs look super chic—I’ll check those out in the morning.
Dinner? Decent! Some bites were tough (looking at you, octopus), and I still hate mushrooms, but I powered through like a champ.
After dinner, I noticed the pillow is basically a beanbag. But strangely... it worked? I slept like a rock. Right before bed, I had a mini panic spiral about earthquakes—the room looked very earthquake-ready—but then I knocked out around 8pm. A+ sleep.
Coming Up Tomorrow:
Go back to Temple 1 to reclaim my beloved walking stick
Eat more strange and mysterious things
Try not to get stung by a murder hornet
Stay tuned.
