It's a strange feeling to be at an airport after all these weeks. It’ feels crowded, unsophisticated. Everyone coughs on the plane. I still like flying, seeing the earth from above. Both the fishing village we were the day before and the Buddha statue on the mountain can be seen from the plane. When we get up in the clouds, we sleep. Low-cost airlines such as HK express are not prioritized and when we land, we have to wait on the plane well over an hour before we get a gate.

Steep walk up narrow paths. The ground is covered with wet leaves. Sometimes there are steps of round logs. Sharp edges in both directions, no railings. We walk on the brown leaves. It smells damp and dark. The air above us is compact light green of high bamboo and Japanese maple.

The last day of our hike we get out into damp gray mist. This is the longest, most remote and most dramatic day of walking, across the mountain at the Touge Pass. We walk in a mysterious landscape where the trees gradually fade out and disappear.

Buckwheat flour and water is mixed together, kneaded and rolled according to strict rules. The soba chef instructs us very seriously and corrects us when we are not doing right. The round dough is twisted between each roll and the circle becomes larger and larger. After careful folding, the dough is cut with a traditional square knife, very thin strips.

In premises in the local Buddhist temple, on tatami mats, a group of people gather for Tuesday Taiji training. The second hour there is sword training. We have not trained this form before, but some principles are similar. It is difficult, but is an introduction to advanced Taiji.

We always live in Asakusa when we are in Tokyo. Here were the old entertainment districts in the early 1900s, and here we meet another Tokyo than the fancy department stores at Ginza, the high-rise buildings in Shinjuku or the technology shops in Akihabara. The houses are lower, it is cluttered, more lively, less polished.

The most remote point on our journey is at the same time the most familiar. Returning to Japan feels almost like home, but at the same time it becomes a reflection of our own home ground. We have been many times in Japan and it is difficult to generalize, but we see parallels to our own country.

Cloud Hands is a movement that exists both in Taiji and Qigong, where the hands are moved smoothly from side to side, as if they moved clouds between them, sometimes standing still, sometimes with steps to the side. The movements improve coordination, calm thoughts, strengthen the back muscles and cause the neck and shoulders to relax.