Fairly “classic” somewhat “boring” Kumano Kodo forest shot — just half-a-day’s walk north from our cafe, outside Koguchi — but, huh, look at that fecundity, blanket of wetness and greenery, early morning as evidenced by fog up above (burns off fast), adds to moisture (moss love this), moss covering Edo-era stone staircase, moss leading up to “body cutting slope,” one of so-called most difficult climbs on road (not that tough, actually), and to right, wall, subsumed by more (surprise) moss and ferns, old foundation circumscribing edge of long-since abandoned woodland rice plot, most likely teahouse once nearby; and final detail: those cedars, sad monoculture of path, cedars cedars and more post-war cedars, which is why you may notice so very little birdsong in these woods, but on them: characters, words, sometimes protests against UNESCO listings, sometimes a simple cataloging of trees by owners of logging companies (as is case here).