Morning Ritual

The weather is starting to warm up again so it’s time to add a brisk morning hike to my training routine.

One of the nice things about living in the Ichijouji area is that we’re snug at the base of the north eastern mountains of Kyoto. There are lots of little hiking trails, fresh air and beautiful, quiet temples to relax in and around. My favorite of these is Tanukidani Fudoin.

The road leading to our house takes me directly up to the temple at a rather steep incline. It’s a great way to stretch out my calves and wake my body up. At the entrance to the temple grounds, stands a large tori gate and the daunting promise of 250 stairs to the top. The first time I did this it was truly an effort, but the more I do it, naturally the easier it gets and I’ve managed to work myself up to being able to run half the distance. There’s a certificate you can get if you do the challenge 12 times which is really awesome.

The nicest thing about Tanukidani, aside from it being in a beautiful location in the mountains, is that hardly anyone goes there on normal, non-festival days, so it’s a perfect place to sit and meditate before the start of the day.

After climbing the stairs, I sit and plan my day, think about how I’m going to do my kendo, if I have practice that day, or just relax and take a quiet moment for myself before I get start my morning.

All in all, it gives me a great deal more energy than I would if I didn’t perform this little morning ritual. I stay pumped for longer and generally get more done after having climbed the stairs and taken some time to just clean out my thoughts.