Chapter 1 - Hakone Forest
He had planned the day before to give himself the benefit of an early start, knowing from prior journeys that the Tokaido would be fuller and busier with the onset of spring. The majestic road connected the fortified towns of Osaka and Kyoto with Edo and long of 303 miles, it ran mainly along the pacific coast of the island of Honshu.
Since the turn of the 15th century and the rise to power of the Tokugawa clan, the road had transformed itself into a bustling and vibrant artery of the country linking the new shogunate capital of Edo to central Honshu. The flow of travellers and transport of a variety of wares was ever increasing and at the last post-station town of Hakone, the innkeeper warned that the control checkpoints delays were getting unbearable leading to occasional skirmishes between weary travellers and the guards. The strict control applied along the road to the new political seat of power was considered essential by the Shogun and without the required seals of passage, access was not possible. Anyone venturing without them on the road and found wanting would be deemed a conspirer with dire consequences for their necks. These were still troubled times and the Shogunate officials would not take chances lest a wanted enemy of the Tokugawas slipped through their fingers.
Saito had left the inn before the break of dawn, collecting some rice cakes, steamed fish and vegetables from last dinner and a bottle of sake for the road. The drowsy guards at the gates grumbled noisily when he knocked at the outpost doors - they were not too enthused with the lone traveller breaking off their sleep but when they saw the two katanas, they obliged deferentially. The road was still dark, and the silence was only disturbed by the hoofs of his horse on the crushed gravel that made up most of the Tokaido. After a few hundred metres, he broke into a small canter to warm himself and his horse. There was still quite some road to reach his destination and there was no point in loitering unnecessarily.
After a few hours of steady ride, the landscape started to change as the terraced paddy rice fields that fed the city started to ease off and the natural forests took over. He was fast approaching the nearest ‘onsens’. The unique geological location of Hakone had given the birth over centuries to a variety of different hot springs scattered from the base of the mountains to the upper highlands. They were favoured by the wealthy and the poor, a gift of nature and the Gods for all, irrespective of status, to enjoy and benefit.
His mind was already refreshed by the lush greenery and he vividly felt the comforting embrace of the forests ahead. The bathing rituals were loved by all and Saito smiled to himself as he looked forward to a first stop to refresh and relieve his growling belly. He did not have to wait long as he soon heard the water sounds coming off a spring. He slowed down the horse into a walk.
The sound of gurgling water was getting louder as he was closing in on the spring and soon, he found himself facing an idyllic scenery. A gentle cascade of crystalline rainwater from the mountains was easing down a moderate slope and feeding into a calmer light green pool. The geysers were letting up rivulets of steam that hovered around creating a warm mist. The rocks had been washed smooth through the centuries and the trees had formed a canopy letting only slivers of sunshine which further made the place unreal and out of time.
He breathed a sigh of contentment feeling quite assured that there was not further need to scour the woods further to find a resting place. The spot offered the tranquillity he was craving for unwilling as he was to spend time small talking to fellow travellers. This spring was sufficiently deep into the forest and he would not be disturbed by anyone. Having lightly secured his mount on a grassy mound nearby for it to graze at leisure, he disrobed and entered the pool. At the outer edge, the water was warm, and he plunged gratefully into it. The pool was shallow enough for him to simply walk across to the small waterfall where he leaned his back and shoulders into the water. The gravitational effect of water worked its magic then did its work, easing the sore and taut muscles of his back.
He stayed under the water for a while such was the feeling of rejuvenation. The old masters back in Kyoto would often rave about the healing properties of the mineral water that flowed from the mountains. As he had found often, they were right. The combined effect of the lush greenery and the warm water contrived to relieve him of the tension, and he basked happily as the streaming water washed over his naked body over and over.
Slowly a gentle drowsiness came over him and before long, his head was bobbing up and down as a light sleep took away the tiredness of the early start. He did not stay in slumber for too long though as he awoke from the sound of a rather petulant ryuku robin standing atop a branch with its tail-feathers pointing up and its mouth open wide clearly enjoying its own singing. It was an odd spectacle, this rather small bird with a big voice.
Grateful for this unexpected alarm bell, he got out of the water and dried himself with his spare hakama. The cotton of the skirt-like garment rapidly drank up the droplets from his torso and limbs. He needed some food and gobbled up quickly a couple of rice cakes and the fish, washing them down with a few swipes at the sake bottle. He left some food for the night as he was not sure whether he would have found an inn before the next day. The meal was now heavy on him and the little jay having flown elsewhere, the wood was eerily calm.
He settled down under the trunk of a huge cedar tree further up from the pool where he would not be surprised by any brigands and at the same time keep an eye on his horse. Before long though, all these thoughts had vanished, and he slowly lapsed into a deep dreamless sleep.
