June 22-23

Mountain Temple Night

The quiet mountain temple chapter, reached by approximately every vehicle except a submarine.

A bullet train out of Tokyo with gyozas and bentos, then a long chain of trains, cable car, and bus to a temple ryokan, one train-station filming incident, meditation, temple dinner, expensive pants, and the unforgettable Okunoin cemetery tour.

Remote, quiet, strange, and instantly quotable.

Sarah, Zach, and Ashley holding tickets and snacks at a train station.
The Koyasan transit chain begins with confidence and many small objects.

Days

How this stretch unfolded.

Monday / 2026-06-22

Tokyo To Koyasan

A beautiful mountain temple, accessible by four trains, a cable car, a bus, and blind faith in signage.

Shipped luggage, took four trains, a cable car, and a bus to Koyasan, bought expensive pants, meditated, ate a gelatinous temple dinner, and toured Okunoin cemetery at night.

luggage forwardingbullet train gyozas bentoskoyasan trainryokan room

Chapter Moments

transit

Local Film Critic

While leaving Tokyo, Sarah filmed in the train station until a local yelled at her to stop and smacked her phone. Not a five-star review.

funny

Throat Bone, Small Box, Big Box

Nori, the Okunoin guide, delivered the dramatic burial explanation that became the most durable inside joke of the cemetery night.

transit

Bullet Train Bentos

Sarah had the bullet train out of Tokyo with gyozas and bentos on the highlight list, which is exactly the right level of train appreciation.

All moments