I woke sleep-deprived and ate the breakfast Grandma had prepared. Then we left. Next time bring the great-grandkid implied she’d basically chosen Kano already.
(Marriage-and-kids requires economic independence; great-grandkids are far off.)
”…Knew it would be packed — Fushimi Inari is insane.”
“Number-one Kyoto tourist spot.”
We’d arrived after train transfers. As at Arashiyama, lots of international tourists — felt like another country.
Through the great torii into the shrine grounds — fox statues everywhere. We did temizu and prayed at the main hall. Kano took forever praying as usual. Then to the famous Thousand Torii.
“This is the Fushimi Inari signature view.”
“Yeah, no point coming if you don’t see it.”
“Just hard to get a clean photo.”
We waited for a gap and got a selfie. We proceeded through the tunnel.
“Says the Inner Shrine is past this.”
“The Oku-no-In, basically.”
“Yeah — you know.”
“Been here a few times.”
We reached the Oku-no-In. Kano stopped at a Omokaru Stone sign.
“That’s the make a wish and lift, if it feels lighter than expected the wish comes true stone?”
“Yeah — almost no one calls it light.”
(As a kid I couldn’t lift it. Ayato couldn’t either, he sulked.) Kano lifted it cleanly.
“Felt light to me.”
“What?!”
(Maybe my kid memory was distorting — let me try.) I tried — heavy. Like it was bolted to the lantern.
“Not light at all.”
“Hmm — felt light to me.”
”…Really?”
She looked casual but there was no way it was light. She’d faked it. Master actress.
We headed on. Many people turn back at the Oku-no-In; we went for the summit.
“Summer break is half over — homework okay?”
“On pace. Have to leave time for post-break tests.”
“Then you’re set. How about Suzuno?”
“Same as last year — nothing progressed.”
“Figured.”
(I’d had the feeling at the fireworks festival. She procrastinates all break and panics last day.)
“And she’s been nursing Ayato pretty much around the clock.”
“Yeah — when Mom’s out, Suzuno’s at our place fussing over him.”
“He’s sick partly because of me, so I can’t lay into her about homework.”
(For once even Kano couldn’t enforce her usual standards. I’m not normally happy he’s around — but his absence feels off. I miss the snark.)
”…Let’s drop this topic — getting heavy.”
“Right, focus on the sightseeing.”
We had each other in front of us — that mattered most right now.