Day 25

April 11, 2023 saucee19Leave a comment

Weather: sunny with a high of 23*C

Started the day with Temple 68(Jinnein) and 69 (Kannonji). They are literally right next to each other. I only had to go to one temple office to get the stamps in my book.

Telomeres 68 (Jinnein) and Temple 69 (Kannonji)

Then went to Temple 70 (Motoyamaji) which Ahmad an impressive pagoda and cut frogs under the rain water basin. The woman monk at the Nokyocho office gave me a scone as osettai. It was much appreciated. Motoyamaji’s main statue is of Bato Kannonji Bosatsu (a being with a horse head that eats worldly desires as a horse eats fodder). As per usual, the main deity cannot be seen and when one can see them, photos are not allowed.

From Motoyamaji I took a bus, but the bus driver said that the place I wanted to get off does not have a connecting bus…so I ended up at the last stop of the line in Niocho Nio. There is a beach there that has total ponds that people like taking sunset photo at called Chichibugahama. I wasn’t there at sunset nor did I have time as I caught another bus that brought me closer to Temple 71 (Iyadaniji).

Iyadanijiis a crazy stair temple. One has to climb stairs to get to the landing where you turn right to go up more stairs to get to the main temple. Then one had to go back down to the landing area to go up another set of stairs to get to the Daishi temple and Nokyocho office. One woman forgot her walking stick at the main temple and had to do those sets of stairs again!! I felt sorry for her. -you even have to take a separate set of stairs to go to the toilet! NOT a temple for people with mobility issues.

I then went to Temple 73 (Shusshakaji) where Usagi-chan got stuck in a tree. The female monk at this Temple gave me ¥200 yen to buy a cold drink from the vending machine… I guess my face must have been red from the heat?

There is some kind of campaign where Temples 71 – 77 put flowers in the water fountain area and display rabbits around the temple… I don’t think Temple 72 (Mandalaji) got the message.

I nearly walked past Temple 74 (Koyamaji) it was so close. It had many rabbits.

Temple 75 (Zentsuji), the birthplace of Kukai, was impossible to miss. The pagoda at this location is even bigger than the one at Temple 70! And the compound is so large one cannot take a photo of the whole grounds unless it is an aerial shot.

Zentsuji was one of the few temples where one can visit if one has mobility issues.

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Day 24

April 10, 2023 saucee191 Comment

Weather: Sunny.

Started the day going to Unpenji Ropeway to get to Temple 66 (Unpenji) -the last temple in Ehime. Luckily, today was a clear day so I got to see the view.

There were many statues of unhappy or slightly unhinged men along the path to Unpenji. Not sure their significance, the write up about this temple in the guidebook says it was a place of learning.

These ones were the “nicer” looking statues.

Before heading back down there was a line marking the boundaries and I was about the start the Nirvana stage of the pilgrimage. Usagi-chan also found some more friends.

I’m not sure if it is because I know I’m now heading toward the end of this pilgrimage or if I actually got to a state of Nirvana, but the walk to Temple 67 (Daikoji) was peaceful and beautiful. Unfortunately, none of the photos I took show the beauty.

The brown thing on the road is a Tanuki running away

At Daikoji, the monk said that my prayer was well done, which surprised me. I’ve gotten really fast at doing the prayer as I have said it 67 x 2 = 134 times . Multiplied by 2 because it is said at the main temple and again at the Daishi temple.

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Day 23

April 9, 2023April 9, 2023 saucee193 Comments

Weather: Sunny

The city I stayed in last night, Saijo, is listed as one of the 100 best spring waters in Japan and there is a drinking fountain in front of Ito-Saijo where one can sample it.

Usagi-chan drinking the the spring water at Ito-Saijo

It took two buses 1 hour to get to the top of the mountain where Temple 60 (Yokomineji) is located. The first bus was a retro city bus and it dropped me off at a bus stop and I had to walk less then 200 meters to get the second bus station. The second bus was a minibus (the type I’ve been seeing small groups of Ohenro using). I paid for the return ticket (¥1800) at the bus station and didn’t have to wait for a minibus (it waits for passengers). The driver drove me to the top. Waited for me. AND brought me back to the city bus stop. The drivers also radio a toll both and each other to let them know where they are on the route and how many cars they passed as a heads up for each other. I thought that was a great system they had.. very considerate.

Retro city bus (on the way back down the mountain)

When I was on the JET Programme (20 years ago) I spent one of my holidays on a organized bus tour to a couple of temples in Shikoku. Yokomineji was one of those temples.

The next temple on my journey was Temple 65 (Sankakuji). On the bus journey to Sankakui-guchi bus stop (2.8km away from the temple – again on a mountain) I noticed a smell. At first, I thought it was the older woman sitting near me, but the smell lasted a LONG time and I didn’t think the older woman could have THAT much hot air in her! Was it me!? I then remembered reading in the guidebook that the city close to Sankakuji has a lot of paper-manufacturing companies…sorry for thinking the worst older lady. 🙇🏻‍♀️

Usagi-Chan also found a friend on our way down from Sankakuji and heading to our hotel.

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Day 22

April 8, 2023 saucee19Leave a comment

Weather: Sunny.

This morning was a bit more expensive than I was planning for. I decided to take a bus that would stop close to Temple 57 (Eifukuji). When the bus arrived it wasn’t an ordinary city bus, but rather a highway coach used as a city bus! I was so surprised I left my walking poles by the bus stop. Instead of waiting an hour for a bus to go back to the station I called a cab and returned to the station, picked up my walking poles and had the cab drive me to Eifukuji. I didn’t want to waste time as I was trying to get to Temple 64 (skipping temple 60) today.

After I paid the cab fare, the driver gave me bottled tea, osembei, and some kind of puffed treats as osettai. (Osettai is a gift or help that someone gives a pilgrim to bring the giver good luck and lets the giver participate in the pilgrimage.)

I gave one puffed treat as an offering to Kobo Daishi to say “Thank you” and another to a fellow pilgrim who looked like they needed it more than me.

There was construction between Eifukuji and Temple 58 (Senyuji) so pilgrims who are walking have to take a detour. In all the excitement I only remembered to take a picture after I left Eifukuji.

On my way up to Senyuji, I was offered a ride as another osettai. The driver turned out to be a ceramist and there was a group of them setting up their goods before the Opera concert was to take place at Senyuji. It would have been nice to have stayed and take in the opera but it started at 2 pm and I was there at 8:45 am.

Senyuji always has some kind of flower in bloom throughout the year. The cherry trees are now mostly in leaf and the flowers in bloom are the mountain azaleas.

After Senyuji, it is a 6.2km walk to Temple 59 (Kokubunji).

There are 3 men I keep bumping into. One is a guy from the Netherlands, who likes to travel by himself and walks really quickly, and the other two are a Japanese man travelling with a Canadian guy from British Columbia. I have no idea what their names are. It is a bit weird, the first question people ask is, “Where are you from?” And they rarely ask after the person’s name. I have fallen into doing the same.

The reason I bring this up is because from Temple 57 to 59 I was kind of walking with Netherland man, but he would walk really fast and then wait for me at a sign he couldn’t understand and then take off again until the next sign. Definitely felt like the tortoise and the hare kinda situation.

At Kokubunji, Netherland man and I bumped into the Japanese guy and the Canadian guy. Kokubunji was the last temple for them today (even though it was only 12pm). They are going in order and Temple 60 is a hard one to get to.

Kokubunji had a life size Kobo Daishi where if one makes a wish and shake his hand, the wish is said to come true. But of course I didn’t take a photo of that…instead I took a picture of this guy:

I left the international guys and hopped on a train to Temple 61 (Koonji); walked to Temple 62 (Hojuji); and continued walking to Temple 63 (Kichijoji). By the time I left Kichijoji my feet were sore from walking on paved roads. I took a bus to Temple 64 (Maegamiji) and got my nyokasho stamped by 4pm (temples close at 5pm). As I was leaving I bumped into a guy I hadn’t seen since Temple 19. (Again no idea of his name only that he is from Israel). He told me that it is next to impossible to get a place to stay between temple 65 and 68… so now I’m going to have to try and figure out where to stay and how to get to these temples.

Temple 61(Koonji) at first I thought I was at the wrong place.

Tomorrow I’m doing Temple 60.

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Day 21

April 7, 2023April 7, 2023 saucee191 Comment

Weather: Rain

Before I forget: I hope you all have a good Easter long weekend (if you celebrate and/or are in a country that has the Friday and Monday off.)

First temple was Temple 52 (Taisanji). It was pretty easy to get to by tram, train, and then bus. The bus literally stops in front of the gate. One does have to walk further up a hill, but not too taxing a climb.

Note: Carrying wet pilgrims gear on a crowded tram and then a crowded train is not fun for me, nor the other passengers.

Temple 52 (Taisanji). I am standing in front of the bus. It is the last stop on this bus route.

After that it is a short 2.6km walk to Temple 53 (Enmyoji). However, the walk was when the rain was at its heaviest today. I was soaking and cold by the time I got to Enmyoji, but a hot coffee from the vending machine at the train station fixed that… as well as putting on more layers of clothing. One of the bad things about the Hakui (the white pilgrim’s top) is that it is made of cotton and when it gets wet it stays wet and clings to other clothing and the body making it hard to stay warm.

Train station where I got my coffee. No picture of Temple 53 (Enmyoji) I think I was too cold

After Enmyoji I took a train and bus to Temple 54 (Enmeiji). One of the things I learned about the Henro.org site and the public transport option is to play around with the departure times, for example, make the departure time a little later.

I ended up getting off at an obscure train station and waiting for a bus in the rain by the windy and cold seaside. The bus was scheduled to arrive an hour later and there was no shelter. Luckily, my fingers were numb and I accidentally erased the route it had suggested. So I requested the directions again and lo and behold the next train would take me to a bus connection that wasn’t such a long wait and bonus: away from the blustering ocean.

By the time I got to Enmeiji the rain was more of a drizzle. The next temple I went to was Temple 56 (Taisanji).

Nope, I didn’t forget Temple 55! I am staying in Imabari City tonight and Temple 55 (Nankobo) is closer to where I’m staying. It was faster for me to walk to Taisanji than it would have been to walk to Nankobo and back to Taisanji.

Temple 55 (Nankobo). There is a narrow road that runs through the temple grounds. You can see a car on said road.

After Nankobo I went to my hotel and took a long hot bath! I also used their laundry and dryer.

Note: most places offer the use of a washing machine, and some even have dryers! All the places have soap and shampoo as well as bath towels (no need to carry these with you), but not all offer conditioner and some bath towels are small. (Camping is different. No washing machines, hot baths, soap, shampoo, or towels).

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Day 20

April 6, 2023 saucee191 Comment

Weather: rainy

Today Usagi-chan and I did some sightseeing. We started at the Tourist Information centre near Dogo Onsen where we got a pamphlet for museums which gave us a discount for going to different museums/galleries. One gets stamps at the different places and if one gets enough stamps one can get a free gift. The gift varies depending on where you claim the it. I showed it at the Museum of Art and they were going to give me a beautiful and expensive looking art book… but it also looked like it weighed a lot, so I had to turn it down.

Usagi-chan and I boarded a streetcar and headed to Matsuyama Castle. Apparently Matsuyama is big on haiku…maybe it is all of Ehime as there have been a couple of temples where one can submit one’s own Haiku. I mention this because apparently one can also submit one’s haiku masterpiece on the streetcar.

Matsuyama Castle is on top of a hill in the middle of the city. One can get to the top by walking, taking a cable car or a chair lift. Regardless of the rain I chose the chairlift because CHAIRLIFT!!!

The Castle was pretty impressive and the view despite the rain was spectacular.

Next Usagi-chan and I went to the Saka No Ue No Kumo Museum because the English write up said that it showed the Meiji Period lives of three brothers… I got an English pamphlet explaining the museum… but EVERYTHING in the Museum was in Japanese….apparently these brothers were famous writers and intellectuals.. so LOTS of written things not many visual things and again let me emphasize that EVERYTHING was in Japanese. Very glad I got a discount for the ticket. The building was interesting.

Next was a visit to Bansuisou. This is the second house of Sadakoto Hisamatsu, the lord of Matsuyama in 1922. It was built in a Western style and the stained glass is supposed to be spectacular.

After that went to the Museum of Art. No photos. But I was surprised at how low they hung the paintings… I had to stoop to look at them properly and I’m not very tall. Not sure if they did that on purpose so it would be inclusive of children and Usagi-chan.

We then went to Iyotetsu department store and to the roof where there is a Ferris wheel. I didn’t understand the ticket machine and ended up buying a ticket for the clear car on the wheel… it was windy and besides Usagi-chan, I was the only one in the car. Not going to lie: it was a bit freaky.

Clear car on a Ferris wheel on top of a department store.

I did see, from the Ferris wheel, a kids ride section on the roof of the department store. None of the rides were operating, but there are often kids rides on the top of department store roofs (or at least there used to be).

Tomorrow I’m back to doing the Henro.

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Day 19

April 5, 2023 saucee193 Comments

Weather: cloudy turning into rain in the afternoon.

We (the motley crew aka Makio’s dog pack) met in the lobby at 7:30am to start off on our 6 temple day. Makino is the lone Japanese guy (from Fukuoka) who is kind of like our lead dog.

The first temple was easy: it was across the way from where we were staying. Temple 46 (Joruriji). The temple looked amazing with the light from the threatening rain clouds. Everything had a beautiful green lushness to the garden.

Next was Temple 47 (Yasakaji). It was 1 km away so easy walk. Again the light made the garden and flowers stand out.

After Temple 47 we went to Monjuin (one of the “extra” temples.) I was in a good conversation with Lari (an Aussie and her partner Hedley where the ones I met yesterday) and nearly walked by the temple (which had a giant, hard to miss Kobo Daishi). This is the place that the first pilgrim left from trying to find Kobo Daishi to ask for forgiveness.

Temple 48 (Sairinji) was a temple where there is a Jizo in a middle of a pond where it will grant each person one wish.

Temple 49 (Jodoji)… by this time I was hungry… so kind of rushed through this temple.

After Jodoji we stopped for ramen and Aly (American from California) and I shared a plate of gyoza. Although, it was quite heavy and kind of felt tired after lunch it hit the spot. We soldiered on to Temple 50 (Hantaji). The grounds there were spacious and seemed to have plants and trees that would bloom and make the place beautiful regardless of the season.

After Hantaji, we walked a bit faster to try and get to Temple 51 (Ishiteji) before the heavens opened up. Ishiteji was more like a temple in Kyoto. It was huge! We managed to get our prayers done at the two temples and I explored a cave/ tunnel with Allan and Sam (American professor of Japanese history and son who just graduated high school) before it started to rain.

Ishiteji is where I said goodbye to my travelling companions. They are staying closer to Matsuyama Station and I am staying closer to Dogo Onsen. I was sad to see them go as they were a nice group to walk with and it was nice to talk with and relate to their travel stories. I hope I might be able to see them again.

I went to Dogo Onsen after checking in ( got some kind of coupon from the hotel to let me into the Onsen for free.)

Dogo Onsen (It’s under construction at the moment – should be completed in 2 years!)

And I did a bit of sightseeing with Usagi-chan. More sightseeing tomorrow.

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Day 18

April 4, 2023 saucee193 Comments

Weather: sunny (a bit misty and cool in the mountain morning)

The guest house let me keep my rucksack with them while I went to Temple 45 (Iwayaji). Which was nice of them and I took the first bus to the base of the temple.

Buses and trains in Japan are extremely reliable. If it says there’s going to be at a bus at 8:11am there will be a bus at 8:11am. The only thing about buses in rural areas (read: most of Shikoku) is that if you miss the bus, you might have to wait an hour to two hours until the next bus.

The bus stop for the temple, as per norm, is at the bottom of the hill/mountain. And it says it is only 0.7 km. Great! Except it is up a hill and many steps.

In the end it wasn’t too bad. And I bumped into an Australian couple who were travelling in a skirt and kilt, respectively.

At the top and beside one of the temples there was a ladder to go to a cave above the temple. Some people might think it stupid to go all that way and not climb it – in my case – given I’m accident prone… it would have been stupid for me to climb it. And just as stupid, if not more so, for me to do a circular route that puts one on a cliff face to see where Kukai did his training. One needs a key from the monk in the office to do this trip. Needless to say, I did not ask for the key.

I started to walk back to Temple 44 (Daihoji) and my rucksack at the guest house and got as far as an onsen hotel, where I saw the bus schedule – and if I waited 15 minutes I could catch it most of the way back.

I got on the bus and we travelled a little ways when we stopped and picked up the Aussies, an American, and a Japanese. Apparently, they have been travelling together since around Temple 13. (There were 2 other Americans travelling with them, but they were doing the crazy cliff side circular route).

I ended up travelling with them back to Temple 44 where we parted ways only to meet up again on a bus that brings us to a pass where we walk to a Ryokan in front of Temple 46 (Joruriji). It was too late to visit Joruriji, but it turns out we are all staying at the same Ryokan.

Tomorrow I will be travelling with this self proclaimed motley crew.

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Day 17

April 3, 2023April 3, 2023 saucee19Leave a comment

Weather: Sunny high of 19*C

Started the morning with Uwajima City’s favourite dish: Hyugameshi – fresh sliced sea bream dipped in a sauce containing raw egg and soy sauce, sake and mirin. It is supposed to be served atop piping hot rice… but I’m not a fan of raw egg on rice so I just dipped the fish in the sauce and ate it that way.

The interactive map I’ve been using henro.org is great. I can put in my destination and it will tell me the best way to get there…except for going to temple 44. I checked at Uwajima City and it showed me a ridiculous route. My Henro guidebook said to catch a bus from Matsuyama Station, so I went to Matsuyama Station and tried again. This is what the link showed me.

I asked at the Tourist Information Centre and they pointed me to the correct bus. The bus ride only took 1 hour and 20 minutes as opposed to the 1 day and 2 hour journey the interactive map suggested. It was also a fraction of the cost.

I made it to the half way point Temple 44 (Daihoji)!

Temple 44 (Daihoji). Half way point. The giant straw sandals are replaced ever 100 years.

I am staying at a place near Daihoji in a town called Kuma-kogen. Walking down a street in the town there were hinamatsuri dolls everywhere! I’ve never seen so many in one place! Today, apparently is the last day they are displaying the dolls.

Hinamatsuri dolls with a hinamatsuri song.

At 3pm there was a siren (like a tsunami warning siren) and then an announcement that I couldn’t understand partly because of the echoes from the loudspeakers and partly because there were words I didn’t understand and then a bunch of fire trucks, police vehicles, and ambulances started flashing their lights, wailing their sirens and speeding down the road. I started to freak out, but then realized that no one else on the street looked worried nor were they running for their lives. It was a mountain fire, luckily it was put out quickly. In mountainous areas, I found out, there are 3 sirens: one for fires, one for earthquakes, and one for heavy rain (which may cause landslides)…tsunami…not so much. 🥴

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Day 16

April 2, 2023 saucee194 Comments

Weather: Sunny again high of 22*C

Started today with train ride to Ito-Miyanoshita, and walked to Temple 41 (Ryukoji). I then walked to Temple 42(Butsumokuji). Apparently, I was quite lucky as after I got my Nokyocho stamped the monk closed the stamp area, and people who arrived after me were wondering what to do.

At Butsumokuji, I met Mr. Akisue who was doing his 9th Henro. He was my guide and companion through the Hanaga Pass (a dangerous 500m mountain pass). I was glad he was with me as there were many times when the path was not clearly marked and there was one section which was lost due to a landslide, but it was worth the view and “short cut”.

Not sure what this is but it eats insects and is becoming rare in Japan

We reached Temple 43 (Meisekiji) at about 2:00pm. The hardest part of walking the 13.7km was the asphalt roads.

On my walk from Meisekiji to the train station we walked through on old part of town and passed an old and famous Ryokan (I have forgotten the name). Part of me wishes I had known about this Ryokan as I would have tried to stay there. Instead I headed back to Uwajima, and my rucksack. I am glad I did that part of the journey with only my zudabukuro (pilgrim’s bag) as the heavy rucksack would have made the Hanaga Pass miserable.