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Ashioro Walkers
Mr. Takada cheerfully shows the worn sole of his shoe while balancing on one foot. 99.09.29/ Temperature: 10C/ Weather: Cloudy/ Wind Direction: No wind
Start: Shinmachi, Ashioro /Latitude: 43 15 56N/Longitude: 143 35 43E
Destination: IMeto, Ashioro
Latitude: Unmeasured/Longitude: Unmeasured
Distance Traveled: 20.6 kmI could see the tree covered hillsides on either side of the valley when I looked back in the direction from which I had come. As I approached central Ashioro, I left fields of beets and beans behind me. After days of walking too close to traffic along the shoulder of the road, I was now on a sidewalk. Box houses with red and blue roofs (angled slightly so snow slides of to the backside of the houses) lined the street. The sidewalk started at a bend in the road just before the Ashioro Library on the edge of town.
I had been walking for about 30 minutes since starting at 7:00 a.m. I sat down in front of the all-wood shingled Ashioro Library and stretched my hands out to touch my toes. Glancing up from my boots I noticed a man in an all navy blue sweat suit, a navy cap, white gloves, and well worn-in sneakers. He was walking briskly, heading toward town until we met eyes. His pace slowed, he smiled and he turned toward me to cross the street. I waited as a big farming truck drove by, curious about this middle-aged man who was walking! I have passed a few people walking in different towns; today was the first time to see someone just walking.
Usually I am the one to initiate conversation on this journey, but the man quickly crossed the street and taking initiative asked, "What have you done?" I told him that I had already been walking for a while and felt like a stretch. "Oh," he replied looking a little baffled about what I was doing such a large backpack. I sensed he was fairly old but the spring in his step and his smile made me wonder.
After we passed through the usual "who are you, where are you from" business, I asked him about his walking. "I usually walk from around 5 a.m. to 8 a.m." (It was 7:40 a.m. at the time). "Usually?" I asked. "Yes, I walk every day for about 3 hours." This was a surprise to me. I haven't come across any other walkers for over 200 kilometers and now I was speaking to someone who walks for 3 hours a day.
I tried to find out a little bit more about Mr. Takada . "I used to be a chauffeur and was far too overweight. Two years ago I started walking for my health. I was 74 Kg at the time. Now I weigh 56 Kg" "What do you enjoy about walking?" I inquired. "It's brought me good health," he said, his shiny complexion giving me a hint of how well he really is. "You can also see the change of the seasons in the mountains," he said looking up the valley that I had just walked down.
JTo show me his well-traveled shoes, he lifted up his heel. "A year of walking will do this to your shoes," he said. The layer along the sole of the shoe was completely worn through. After exchanging words of encouragement and both being a little baffled by how much each of us walks, we walked together. I struggled to keep up with his brisk and energetic pace until our roads went separate ways.
Further into Ashioro there were two convenience stores, camera shops, an old western clothing shop with a poster of a man wearing an old fashioned suit in the window, a giant discount shop, several gas stations, and a nice brick sidewalk. I took another break across from the Ashioro City Hall just prior to nine o'clock. As I sat staring out in front of me, I found it very strange that there were as many people as cars passing in front of me.
How could it be that there were so many people walking? I have seen hardly anyone walking for 12 days. All of the sudden I meet a man who walks 3 hours everyday and see people marching like ants through Ashioro. I thought for a second that Ashioro must have some policy about walking. I took the opportunity to follow several of the walkers to the city hall.
When I entered, it was silent. No one seemed to notice me. Trying to be noticed, I waited until a young woman asked if I need some help. it must have seemed Strange to her that I asked about people walking to work. Without hesitation, she told me that there was no secret to people walking in Asioro. "There is a parking lot the other side of that building. Even people who live a short distance from work drive." "I see," I said, feeling a little embarrassed and headed back out onto the sidewalk which would lead me to the other edge of town.
I said goodbye to the sidewalk, returned to the narrow shoulder of the road and headed toward Meto.
Greg
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