10:00 am — TSH, day 27

I’ve started walking really late, after 9am, and it was kind of a mistake. I had to walk for more than an hour over shadowless city streets and it was really hot. Yet the views of Inuyama castle were nice.

Riverside promenade with view of mountain and castle in distance
Calm river reflecting clouds with Inuyama Castle on forested hilltop
Inuyama Castle perched on wooded hill overlooking mirror-still river
Looking up through green maple tree canopy

4:30 pm — T-storm

At some point in time I saw some heavy clouds closing in from the rear, yet I decided to try to quickly traverse the mountain in front of me in the hope of getting to the accommodation before the real rain started.

As soon as I stepped on the mountain path a small drizzle started and I put a raincover onto my backpack. And continued to walk. In ten minutes the rain turned into a wall of water with visibility of no more than 30 meters and just as I decided to turn back the lightning strikes came. They struck 3-4 times a minute just above my head. A scary experience in the mountains.

By the time I got to someone’s open garage I was completely soaked and my boots were full of water. Literally. The rain got even stronger and the road I came to the garage on turned into a river.

I had to wait for about an hour for the rain to stop and then continued walking.

Good thing it was warm enough so that I felt comfortable even standing still in wet clothes. Actually, while I was walking over the mountain after the rain I saw steam going off the mountains and turning into new clouds…

Still mountain pond reflecting dense forest and hillside
Industrial facility in mountain valley with mist rising after storm
Village houses along misty river with fog-shrouded mountains

7:30 pm — Wrapping the day

At the end of the day I reached the house I’ve booked via airbnb and I’m going to stay here for a couple of days. To rest, to see the city, to celebrate half-a-way. Yep, I consider Gifu city a symbolic midpoint of my trail.