Day 15 – Blistered, Banned, and Blessed by a Cave Light Show
March 23, 2025
🌮 American Night (We Tried Our Best)
The day began with a truly tragic breakfast, following an even more tragic dinner the night before. It was “American Night,” which apparently meant a microwaved enchilada from the depths of hell. Easily the worst meal of the entire trip—but bless them for trying.
Also, found Band-Aids floating in the community bath. Yum.
The room itself wasn’t much better—pretty dirty—and I spent the night listening to the relentless chirping of the nearby crosswalk signal, which now lives in my soul. Silicone earplugs saved me. Truly a godsend. Managed to get decent sleep.
☀️ A Good Start… Until My Leg Betrayed Me
Woke up, talked to family, felt strong. Started walking. Thirty minutes in: a sharp pain behind my left knee and calf. Sudden, intense, and worrying. Walked with a limp. I tried not to spiral into full injury panic, but it scared me. It didn’t feel bad enough to stop—yet. I stretched. I kept going. I knocked on wood. Since I don’t have experience with these long walks I don’t know what pains you should shake off, and what is serious.
🥪 The Blueberry Cream Sandwich That Changed Me
Quick stop at 7-Eleven for a blueberry and cream sandwich. It was divine. Like top 10 foods of the trip kind of divine. I think I saw God in that plastic-wrapped miracle.
🧭 Lost, Found, and the Foam Incident
Ran into Maria and Carla (sweet girl from New Zealand) just after accidentally walking the wrong way around the beach and hitting a dead end. At least I saved them from making the same mistake.
It was hot. So hot. Everyone was drenched. I tried really hard not to complain, but this is exactly why I prefer walking alone. I felt like a moody, boring, wet sock version of myself. I felt the pressure of trying to be cheerful and social while I was suffering through the long walk.
Trying to rally, I reached for one of those fancy electrolyte tablets I’ve never used before. I popped it in my mouth…
Instant chaos.
It FOAMED like an exploding science project. Turns out, you’re supposed to dissolve it in water. I just chewed it like a savage. The girls laughed. I did too—eventually.
🥵 Melting Down and Saying Goodbye
By the end of the walk, I was at a record low mood. Blisters, hot sun, no patience. Maria stayed chipper, but I could barely grunt out a “yeah” every few steps. She talked. I walked. I felt like a husk of a person.
We hugged goodbye outside our hotels. I was beyond ready to fall apart into a pile of cold towels and ice cream.
🛁 Tattoos = No Spa for You
I was so excited for my fancy hotel—especially because it had a huge on-site spa with hot tubs, saunas, the works.
Then… the sign: “No tattoos.” Actually… there was about 8 signs saying it.
I asked at the front desk, hoping guests might be exempt. Nope. X of shame. Denied. The spa is attached to my hotel room and I literally can’t use it. Tried to take it in stride, but honestly? It stung. It felt personal. I know it’s cultural. I still wanted to cry. Especially after the hard day I had.
🕳️ Into the Cave: A Spiritual Surprise
Despite everything, I rallied. With 30 minutes to spare before closing, I called a taxi and headed to the famous cave I’d been planning to visit.
Vendors outside were selling knives—some looked like real samurai swords, others like ninja cosplay accessories. I bought a ticket and entered the cave, and it was…
Otherworldly.
Since I was the last one in, I had the entire thing to myself. No crowds. Just the eerie, quiet beauty of stone and light.
The air changed. The walls narrowed. I had to crouch and twist sideways at times. And then—around a corner—a projection light show, just for me. Music filled the chamber. Images of life, birth, moonlight, nature, ancient people… and I was the only one watching.
It felt like the cave was telling a story just for me. It was one of the most moving experiances of my life.
It was odd to walk out alone. No one had witness what I had just seen. I had no proof that it even happened. Nobody to share it with. Although I was happy, I did feel a twinge of loneliness that all I can do is tell the story of what I had been through, but nobody was there with me. I felt like Rose from Titanic on her death bed when she says “he lives now… only in my memory.”
🧖♀️ Redemption in Massage Form
After the cave, a sweet staff member called me a taxi back. The staff giggled and chatted among themselves while I waited—clearly close friends. Their kindness softened my heart again. It’s cool to see co-workers enjoying work like real friends.
Back at the hotel, I took a bath and went to my first-ever dry massage. Thank God I didn’t strip—because it was fully clothed. Of course, Japan is so conservative.
At first, I was disappointed. No oils? But then the massage started… and oh my god. This man had magic hands. He didn’t treat both sides equally—he adjusted to my body, found the tight spots, and melted them with surgical precision. My calves were rocks, and he worked them like he trained for this his whole life. Maybe he did.
🥩 Grill It Yourself, But Carefully
Dinner was at an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ spot. I was psyched… until I realized how much effort it takes to cook your own meat after a day like this. There were flames. There was danger. There was no one helping. I realized I wasn’t in the mood for this level of effort.
In the U.S., someone usually steps in before you torch the pork or burn down the restaurant. Here, it was like: Good luck, pilgrim. Still, the meat was amazing. And the cute waitress told me she’s visiting LA in September and he acted like I was some type of celebrity for being American. I told her to look me up when she is in town.
At dinner, two adorable 7 year old girls across the restaurant tried to talk to me. I couldn’t understand them. They couldn’t understand me. I think it was their first time encountering anyone who didn’t speak Japanese and they seemed confused that I couldn’t respond. I like to imagine their parents taught them on the walk home about different languages, and that not everyone speaks the same. Maybe that awkward moment became a sweet little life lesson that I made happen.
🧒 Lost Keys and Language Lessons
On the way back, I panicked thinking I lost my room key. The sweet front desk lady offered to help. I insisted it wasn’t in the room. We walked up together. It was in the room. I looked like an idiot. I think she now sees me as a lovable but chaotic American.
Today was one of those days where everything felt harder than it should, but still offered magic anyway. If you walk long enough—past the blisters, past the letdowns—you might just find yourself alone in a cave, watching a light show that reminds you why you’re here in the first place.
Feet: destroyed. Heart: slightly healed. Massage: 10/10. Tattoo ban: 0 stars. Cave gods: forgiven.
