We’ve just completed our second and third days on this ancient trail and are resting up after a long soak in the Onsen Bath.  Highly recommended for those with tired muscles.  The trail has been easy to follow with the help of our Oku Japan self guided walking instructions.

We’ve seen some fabulous plants including a whole valley full of flowering white Cornus contraversa with bright purple Wisteria sinensis twined around it.  We feel really lucky that the Wisteria was still in flower.  Lovely burnished leaves of Rodgersia polyphylla adorning the path along with Astilbe and Cimicifuga that were yet to flower.  Absolutely stunning ferns all the way and a wide variety of them including the Painted Fern Athyrium nipponicum.  Arisaema dot the track, tall, short, white and purple.

Today the groundcover was made up of Scuttelaria and a soft lavender Violet mixed with Maianthfolium topped with pretty white flowers.  Above in many areas large stands of Japanese Cedar, bamboo, large leaved Magnolia, flowering Chestnuts (Aesculus indica) and many more.

Tonight we stay in the ancient town of Narai in an Inn built on 1818!