We’re on day three of our trip to Osaka with our friends. We’ve adopted the name of 6-4 Okay for our trips because inevitably when we’re in Japan and announce that we’re a party of 10, the response is usually a look of surprise, followed by Tim saying “Betsu, betsu!”, which in my head I’ve translated as “Separate, separate!”, and then we get a nod and “Six, four, okay?” And we nod back, “Six, four, okay!”

We traveled with our friends on a trip like this three years ago. I feel like that was a formative trip for us in a lot of ways. The kids bonded on that trip and the relationship has held, even as they’ve all grown. It was the foundation of a solid friendship. It’s Interesting to travel with occasional glimpses back through the lens of that previous trip. So much has changed, and so much has stayed the same.

At any rate, on Tuesday we had a slow start to the morning, but then headed out of central Osaka toward the Katsuo-ji Temple. It was established in 727 AD. Let that sit with you for a minute – 727. Then in the 9th century, the head priest held a procession to pray for the recovery of the Emperor, and many credited the temple for his return to health. Since then, it’s been known for a place of winner’s luck. Pilgrims (and nowadays, tourists) visited the temple to purchase a daruma, imbue it with intention to accomplish an annual goal or a life goal, and leave it on the temple grounds for good luck after the goal is accomplished.

The temple is in the foothills above Osaka, nestled in the trees, waterfalls and lakes above Osaka in stunning beauty. And tucked into every nook and cranny are the daruma dolls that pilgrims have left behind in supplication.

We arrived after a bus ride through narrow, twisty, steep roads above the Osaka suburbs, and we were all freezing. We found a stand right at the entrance selling piping hot, daruma shaped dough balls that were so appealing to all the senses. The kids had a blast searching out all the crazy spots where intrepid visitors had set their darumas – high up in trees, under the eaves of temple buildings, behind waterfalls, and on rooftops.

Part of our group hiked up the hill from the temple in search of a Buddha sitting on the hillside. They never quite made it, but they had a great hike and saw some beautiful vistas along the way. Maybe it isn’t about the destination, but about the journey…?

Entrance to the temple also includes a blank postcard that you fill in by stamping at six different locations throughout the temple grounds. Each stamp applies a different color and shape to the card, that in itself seems abstract. After layering all six, you end up with a beautiful rendering of the daruma dolls on the temple grounds.

We had originally planned on doing another hike at the nearby Minoh Falls, but between the late start and taking far more time at the enchanting Katsuoji Temple than we expected, we ended up taking one of the last buses down the hill and back into civilization.

*** some photos by Duke