I ventured even further this time to Arima, a city famous for Japan's oldest hot springs. I hiked to Tsutsumigataki Waterfall Park after taking two accidental detours both times going about an hour up Mt. Rokko before determining I was on the wrong path. It turns out the falls were not far away at all once I was on the right path. A side note... I think "lost" is a state of mind, what I mean is the subtle difference between being lost and taking some accidental detours. When I'm lost I have lost my desire and motivation to venture on my own until I know where I am again. Many times on this trip I have taken wrong turns that have lead to other cool adventures and if nothing else helped me to gain my bearings. After all of the hiking in the heat of the day I decided to take a refreshing hot bath in one of Japan's public Baths. This was an interesting experience as I was the only non-Japanese in the bath and they are so modest and the rituals so different. Next I ventured further to the mountain city of Fukuchiyama for the Dokkoise Festival. I didn't have a map or know where the famous bridge and river where the festival was to take place were so I followed the kimonos. I got to enjoy the 4000 fireworks display with the beautiful Otonase Bridge and the Yura River as a backdrop. In the middle of the festival they released and set afloat thousands of colorful lanterns that flowed down the Yura River it was so moving that it brought tears to my eyes. I rushed out of the festival before it ended like Cinderella, as I had to make it through all of my train connections before midnight or I would have to take an expensive taxi instead of the trains and subways. I ran onto the last train and made it home just in the nick of time.
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