Today I decided to take a half-day rest in Takamatsu. It's still 25 km to Takamatsu.

When I woke up it was raining. I really didn't want to get up, but after waiting 15 minutes I set off.

The man I met at the restaurant yesterday recommended Takamatsu's udon. He said, "if you're in Takamatsu, it's got to be udon," so I went to eat some today. It was delicious! At first I didn't understand the "self" system and was a bit lost, but I copied the people around me and soon got the hang of it. It's like a Japanese-style buffet.

The moment I got into the onsen, fifteen old men suddenly turned in my direction and stared at me. I was pretty startled, and I really wanted to laugh, but I just about held it in. They looked at me as though some rare animal on the verge of extinction had walked into the onsen. I spent an hour there, and the stares didn't stop for even a second. Even so, the bath felt great and it soothed my muscles. There was a tingly bath too, one that uses some kind of electric charge to make your muscles tingle. I didn't notice when I first got in, so it gave me quite a shock. I also talked to an old man, and he explained how to use the baths. On my way out, I ran into a woman I'd met in Kitakyushu again. Apparently she's taking on the 88-temple challenge.

Today I was mentally tired. I wanted to do lots of sightseeing, but I had no energy at all. I wanted to write my diary too, but every time I sat down I just zoned out. Even though it was meant to be a half-day rest, I was on the move all day. Still, I felt truly calm while I was in the onsen. I also went to Busshōzan.