Izumo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. End of the first day.

After leaving Gakuenji the trail heads up into the mountains. On the other side is Izumo where I have a hotel room waiting....

The first few kilometers of trail are part of the Chugoku Nature Trail, but near the top it branches off and heads along the mountains towards Izumo Taisha. One of these days I will walk that section. It was here that I came upon the deer skeleton.

Over the pass and Izumo can be glimpsed through the trees....

and in the direction of Izumo Taisha the Izumo Dome

Once down, a look back at the mountains I had just crossed and then a straight line walk across the plain towards the town center with the paddies gradually being replaced by things urban....