Flying to Japan

August 15, 2024

Feb. 17

We had a 4:00am check in time for our flight to Cairns and then on to Osaka. After scouting the route to the airport yesterday, we decided to walk from our lodging to the airport during the early morning hours. We arrived to the doors just as they were being unlocked at 4am. We found the JetStar gate and proceeded to check in. Everything was automated, but we did have some helpful hints by an employee. We have shed most of our excess gear and are mainly traveling with what is in our backpacks. Always reassuring when the flight is on time. It was a 3 hour flight with breakfast served. We soon realized what the word budget means when food is concerned. The flight was great, the food not so much. We had ordered meals for both flights today and will definitely be purchasing some food before our next flight. As we flew into Carins, the landscape looked tropical and very humid. A cyclone had hit this area in Dec. when we were hiking the Overland trail. One could still see some of the effects from the storm on the ground. We are still coming to the relization that we are headed to Japan to hike the 88 pilgrimage Route.

We first heard of the 88 Shikoku Pilgrimage route when we were hiking on Catalina Island in California. It sounded intriguing and definitely out of our comfort zone. We had gotten several guides and read numerous posts about the route on the internet. The more we researched the more what if’s came to mind. Now here we were getting ready to board the flight to Osaka and hoping that the planning we did would at least get us a little way down the trail. Our object at the Cairns airport was to spend our last Australian dollars. This wasn’t hard to do with all of the bakery options. We bought food to supplement the food that we had ordered for the plane ride. Immigration was quite simple for leaving Australia to go to Japan. They just wanted us to show them that we had a flight leaving Japan.

We settled in for our 7 hour flight to Japan. Osaka is almost directly North of Cairns so the change of time is just an hour earlier. The flight was smooth and our arrival time was even a little early. We filled out the immigration forms on the plane. We had tried to do them on line, but it seemed rather complicated. The paper forms were easy. After we saw the lights of Osaka we began our descent to Kansai International Airport. This airport is located on a man made island that was the result of leveling two mountain tops. There is a long bridge that connects the airport to the out skirts of Osaka. When I made a reservation at the Odysis Suites Osaka Airport Hotel, I assumed it was close to the airport and there would be a hotel shuttle to the airport. Further inquiry was that, no there was not transportation by the hotel and we would need to use public transportation. Japans transportation is a marvel in itself and soon we were going to experience it.

Getting off the plane, we were routed to a single line of passengers who were getting their photo taken, temperature taken and then also doing a set of fingerprints. So far so good, there were no red flags and so it was time to get our backpacks. Our next line was going thur customs. We didn’t have anything to declare. They took our form, checked it off and we were free to go. it was a very simple and efficient process. Next task was finding an ATM machine to get money for the train. After several false leads, one was found and we soon had yen in hand. Yen that we needed to purchase a train ticket. We found the ticket machine and glad that it also had directions in Englich. Put the money in and out comes the ticket, easy enough! Now off to the train and hopefully our hotel. We had done quite a bit of research on getting to this hotel and some of the information was on YouYtube. We were relieved when everything fell in place. We made it to the lobby of the hotel and one of the employees spoke enough English to give us the basics of what we needed to know for the next couple of days.

Our room was on the 19th floor and what a room it was. It was a suite with a sitting room.

Bedroom with all of the controls at the head of the bed. Including buttons to open and close the drapes.

An of course the bathroom had a bidet, which we soon learned is a standard fixture in most bathrooms.

The Bidet with diagrams ( quite helpful)

The sight from our window was impressive.

We were too tired to enjoy it, so we just pushed the button to close the drapes and fell into a deep sleep.

First full day in Japan

August 14, 2024

Feb.18

Sleep came easy and by morning, we were ready to greet the day. Last night we learned that there was a buffet breakfast on the 54th floor of our hotel, For $15.00 each we could have a selection of both American and Japanese food. It was a huge spread that was hard not to be tempted to eat all of the delicious looking food. They even had ice cream, which one can never turn down. We had read that there is no tipping in Japan and it is an insult if you try to leave a tip. sure makes that part of the bill easier.

From the 54th floor we got a a good view of the bridge that leads to the Kansai International Airport. It is a man made island that was made from leveling two mountains. Sound like it was quite the civil engineering project.

We also got a daylight view of Osaka, which is the third largest city in Japan.

When we first started planning our journey, we thought that we might head directly to Shikoku and begin the pilgrimage soon after our arrival. The hostel that was recommended was full for several days so after rethinking some logistics. We changed our minds to spend another day in Osaka and then head up to Koyasan for a couple of days. Koyasan is surrounded by mountains and is one of Japan’s most sacred sites. It is the center of the Shingon School of Buddhism. Many of the people who are hiking the 88 pilgrimage route will often start their journey here or end it here or do both. In 2004 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is only 2 hours by train and cable car from Osaka. We decided to visit it first and maybe when we are finished. That thought though is too far away. After eating breakfast we head back to the room and gear up for the day to go explore the area near us and visit a train ticket booth to arrange travel to Koyasan tomorrow. At least that is what we thought.. Our first stop was to go to the tourist information located in the same building as our hotel. We wanted to check on getting train tickets for the journey to Koyasan tomorrow. English was basic at best and they pointed us to the train ticket booth. The man there spoke no English so using the translator on our phone we tried to communicate our request to purchase a ticket. As soon as he discovered we were not going today, hje told us to come back tomorrow. There was some early morning trains and on google travel we had an idea of the schedule. Guess we will check it out tomorrow.

Just a couple blocks away is the Rinku outlet stores. It is made up of over 250 stores, many of which are well known brands. Quite a few were recognizable to us.

There are shuttles here that will take you to the airport. It is the largest shopping mall in Western Japan. Many people will shop here before their flights.

As we walked thru the many levels of stores, seeing bargains that did not make sense for us to buy. We were entertained by the displays of food that advertised what was on the menu.

No worries if you didn’t speak Japanese. all you had to do was point. we were impressed by the almost real looking food.

We found a Lawson’s store and used their ATM for getting more yen. In all of our readings Laswons is recogniized as one of the best convenience stores. Next to the Outlet was a park that hugged the sea coast. We spent some time there being amazed at some of the details of their landscaping.

The beach was made of similar sized white rocks. There was a warning that one should not remove any of the rocks.

Not a beach you would want to hang out for sun bathing.

Also along the coast was Tetrapods, They are 10 ton cement blocks used to break up the waves of a tsunami. We can’t imagine the effort to place them here.

On the other side of the sidewalk was a park with 5 different landscape techniques. The first was the technique of Ashideyou

An example of the landscape described above.

Another one was was called Hagitsubo.

It looked like this

One item that was missing in the park was trash cans. There are very few public trash cans in Japan, everyone is expected to take their trash home with them. In our case we have read that using trash cans in convenience stores is allowable as long as you purchase something. We headed back to the mall to buy some bagels for dinner tonight as well as to take on the train tomorrow, We bought some cream cheese and were give small ice packs to keep them cold. Back to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow’s adventure.

Koyasan

August 13, 2024

Feb. 19

It was good that we slept well last night as today is going to be full of activity. We spent some time last night researching options to get to Koyasan by train and then the Cable car. If it all works as we planned we would take a regular train to Namba, Then transfer to a limited express train to Gokurakubashi. At this station we would board the cable car to Koyasan where a bus would meet us and take us to the down town section of Koyasan. With plan in hand we head to the train station near the hotel. We hadn’t checked out yet, but were mostly packed up. The same man that we had talked to yesterday was in the ticket booth. We had translated on the Google app what we wanted to do. We told him that we would like to take a train that left after 8. He then replied can you be ready by 7;10. The train leaves in 10 minutes. We weren’t ready for that train and then he said how about 7:40. We gave it a quick thought, then said yes and bought the tickets. It was a run back to the room, check out and return to the train station. By the time we got back to the station we had 5 minutes to spare. We quickly learn that trains are on time in Japan, and you better be as well.

There was plenty of room when we first got on. That was soon to change and by the time we got to Namba, it was full with commuters and school age children.

We got off the train and showed an employee our ticket. He pointed to a nearby train. We had reserved seats and needed to find the right car, I guess we were moving too slow as we turned around and saw him running towards us and rapidly pointing to our car. That was good because we barely got on when the train started moving. This train was almost empty.

This was a limited express train so no transfers until we get to where we board the cable car.

This was the third train we have been on and the protocols for train travel that we read about were true. There was no loud talking, no eating and no drinking.

It was fascinating as we watched the landscape change as we headed up the mountain. There were a lot of garden plots as well as orchards along the tracks. Some of the orchards had the beginnings of blossoms. The higher we went the steeper were the sides of the valley . The train just chugged along and one could feel the strain of the engines. In about 2 hours we reached the last train station called Gokurakubashi. Here we would transfer to the cable car and begin our last assent to Koyasan.

At this station there was a sign telling about the area that we were soon to enter.

We slowly chugged up the tracks, pausing only when another cable car was coming down the mountain.

The cable car still had some room, but later cable cars were full.

At the top, a bus was waiting to take us to town. We are so impressed with the coordination of the modes of transportation.

Once we arrived to town, we headed to the temple where we had a reservation for the night.

We walked thru the gate and on to the porch where inside shoes were at the entrance. Outside shoes are never worn inside,

We were welcomed by a monk and when we asked if we could leave our backpacks at the desk till we could get a room. He said your room is ready and you can leave your backpacks there.

The room was simple with a table in the middle where we would be served dinner. We were given a tour of where the bathroom and baths were located and when to be back for supper. We were also told about the proper etiquette of a temple. We are already feeling a sense of peace here.

We will be spending 2 nights in Koyasan, one night here and another night in a guest house. We hope that will be enough time to appreciate this sacred town.

The visitor center was close by and could sell us a book of tickets for admission to some of the temples.
We could also get a tape recorder with tapes to give us an audio tour of the town. Our first temple was going to be Kongobuji. This is the head temple of Shingon Buddhism. The gate to the temple gave us a feeling of being ancient.

The original temple was built in 1593. Unfortunately many of the wooden structures have burned due to fires in the area.

Using our audio guide we walked thru the many room of the temple. Out of respect photos are not allowed to be taken of the rooms, but one can take photos of the rock gardens.

This is the largest rock garden in Japan. The design is a pair of dragons emerging from a sea of clouds. The garden is made up of 140 pieces of granite taken from the island of Shikoku and the white sand is from Kyoto.

Each room had a story and beautiful paintings on the walls.

Our next stop was the Danjo Garan Complex It consists of over 20 temples including a pagoda which is about 159 feet tall.

Another structure that is found here is the building that holds the large bell. It is rung several times a day, but we were never in the area to hear it.

The weather had turned rainy and it was getting close to 5. It was time to call it a day and head back to our temple lodging for the night and have dinner.

On the table in the middle of the room was the menu for tonight. All foods are vegetarian.

The food tasted great. The presentation showed lots of care.

When we were finished eating, two monks came into our room. They cleared our dishes and set up futons on the tatami mats.

The monk on the right spoke some English. He was excited when he learned that we were going to walk the 88 pilgrimage route. A friend of his had done it and he wants to do it in the future He said I will pray for you on your journey. He told us about the meditation service tomorrow and what time was breakfast. After he left we headed to the bath which has its own rituals. With our mind reeling about all the new things that we experienced today we finally fell asleep under puffy down comfortables.

Another day in Koyasan

August 12, 2024

Feb.20

We were up at 6 and headed to the mediation service. It was led by 3 male monks and one female. She spoke a little English and did some explaining about the service. The monks all set cross legged on the floor while we set on chairs. It would definitely take discipline to be able to sit cross legged. We completed the service by doing an incense ritual. We have a lot to learn in so many areas! After the service we headed to a room where all the guests were eating breakfast. Each guest room had its own table cordoned off by paper walls. As was Japanese custom, talking was kept to a minimum and voices were kept very soft. One dish that will be served frequently is a bowl of rice, Rice is a highly respected food and eating all of it is what one should do.

We are now eating with chop sticks and hopefully by the time we leave Japan, eating rice with chopsticks should be easier. Breakfast consisted of Miso soup, pickled vegetables, tofu and of course rice.

We packed up our backpacks from our room and left them behind the receptionist. We will pick them up later before we go to the guest house.

The day was foggy and cool as we headed to the Damon Gate which is the main entrance to Koyasan. It stands over 80 feet tall and was built in 1705.

On both sides of the gate our massive guardian gods.

There is a trail that goes around Koyasan and thru these gates ending at the Okunoin.(a sacred Buddhist site also known as the inner sanctuary. We hiked a little part of the trail, but decided to go back to the town and do more exploring there.

A small store on the way back offered cookies, as well as rice and bean cakes. We haven’t noticed any fresh vegetables or fruits in the stores. Our next stop was the Reihokan Museum. This museum houses over 78,000 cultural items. It was a walk back in time as some of the items were from the 6 th century. We are learning so many things about the history of
Buddhism. As expected we traded our shoes for the shoes to be worn in the museum. Don is a bit challenged as his heels stick way over the back of the shoes. It was a quiet morning here as we took our time to check out many of the exhibits.

We stopped at the visitor center to exchange our audio recorder as the battery had died. Our next stop is the Okunoin. On the way we pass numerous small temples as well as fish ponds with brightly marked goldfish.

This memorial was located behind a child’s playground.

Often temples have small ponds with colorful goldfish.

We walked thru town until we came to the Okunoin. We had no idea of its size. Over 200,000 memorials are located here. This Okunoin is one of the most sacred places in Japan. One can walk the approximately two kilometer distance thru the Okunion till you reach Kobo Daisha’s mausoleum. Using our audio recorder we learned about some of the individuals that are interred here. The memorials are from the 6 th century up to modern day. There are monuments here from feudal lords to famous Japanese people. A large number of monks are also interred here. We soon realized that it would take more time than. we had to appreciated all the things that are here. One thing that we noticed are the elegant cedar trees that are alongside the pathways as well as thru the Okunion.

There was a plaque telling about these trees.

We took so many photos, so thought we would share just a few.

Finally we reached the bridge that leads to the location that is Kukai Mausoleum. Right before the bridge are a row of statues that individuals can throw water on while praying for their ancestors.

Shortly after this location was the bridge and the no photo zone. We were heading up to the temple where lies Kobo Daishi who is also known as Kukai. There are places to light candles and do other rituals of the Buddhist faith. It is said that Kobo Daishi is in external meditation here. Our short visit turned into hours and then it was time to retrieve our backpacks and head to the guest house. Along the way we were enticed to stop at an ice cream shop that served their ice cream with a Japanese spice.

Delicious!

We retrieved our packs and once again headed back thru town passing by the Okunoin. We want to visit the Okunoin tonight when the lanterns will be lit. We are glad that the guest house is on this side of town.

It was a great guest house in a perfect location for tonights activity. We had a private room, but most of the guests were in a shared bunk bed room. The owner Ryochi has been running the guest house for 12 years and speaks excellent English. He told us that we should go to the Okunion tomorrow at 6 for a service and then attend a processional of the monks at 9. Once a month on the 21st the monks walk to the mausoleum. Sounds like great timing for us. Ryochi cooked a great meal for us.

After dinner when it was dark we walked back to the Okunoin to check out the lanterns. It was so worth while. We walked back to the bridge that one crosses over during the day. to the temple. In the evening it is not allowed.

It felt like we did 5 days of activity here instead of being here only one day. The bed feels great tonight.

Leaving Koyasan going to Wakayama

August 11, 2024

Feb. 21

Knowing that we wanted to go to the service at the temple in the Okunoin, we were on our way by 5:30 to be there at 6. The morning was slightly rainy with fog. It made for a great background as we walked to the temple.

We weren’t sure what to expect, but it was almost surreal, In a dimmed room, there were 7 monks chanting for almost 40 minutes. Some of the chanting was done in harmony. Unlike the first temple that we had stayed at, we were seated on the floor like the monks. They didn’t move their legs at all while Don and I definitely had to stretch. There was also the burning of incense ritual. Only several people attended the service. Don and I were the only non-Japaneses. After the service we paused at a couple more of the memorials.

Some were very modern. The remains of a Japanese astronaut is located here.

Some of the trees were numbered. This is so they can keep track of them and use the seeds to plant more trees.

We headed back to the guest house where we had breakfast and packed up our backpacks. Then it was back to the Okunion to wait for the processional happening at 9. Right at 9 the gong sounded 9 times and then the monks appeared.

The procession begins. Having the rain fall was a bonus. The contrast of the red umbrellas made for quite the photograph.

They continued on past the bridge where photographs are not allowed.

We followed them into the temple where more chanting was done. Around the back of the temple people were burning candles and more incense. There were also a lot of sutras being said. Some people were reading them while others had them memorized. We are always amazed at how being at the right place at the right time brings us so many experiences. The visit to Koyasan was a great way to start our pilgrimage on Shikoku.

We headed back to the guest house to grab our backpacks and make our way to the bus that would take us to the cable car. Roychi, the owner picked up a staff that is often used by people on the pilgrimage route. It had been left by a couple that did the Shikoku route last year. They left it with a note saying that the staff had been around the route once and perhaps someone might want to take it again. Don decided to go ahead and take it. Hopefully it will accompany us the whole way.

We headed into town to grab a sandwich and then thought we might have a walk to get to the bus pick up location. Then we saw a sign that had the bus schedule on it. There would be a bus arriving in 5 minutes. Sure enough it was on time and taking us to the cable car, that was also on time. Everything is so coordinated here. Since we were going to a new town, we weren’t able to get on the limited express train. We were on more of a commuter train that had many stops. Lots of school age pupils were taking the train. All the uniforms were different depending on their ages.

We got to Wakayama late afternoon and made our way to the Dormy Hotel. It is an onsen hotel which means it has both an indoor and outdoor bath. Males and Females are separated and no clothing is allowed. First you wash with soap vigorously and rinse well. After that you can soak in the hot pools. I can see why these onsens are so popular.

This is my kind of place, after the bath one had access to as many ice cream bars you wanted

No limit on how much you can eat! It was all free!

We thought that we were going to eat at the hotel, but when we went to the restaurant, it was closed. So option two was taking a walk down the street and see what was open. The streets were well lit!

It was great having the rain pick up the reflection.

As we were walking we saw a very small restaurant that was called a dipping restaurant. That caught our attention so in we went. The waitress brought us a menu that was mostly in English and pointed out the ones she recommended.All the food was covered with a batter and then deep fried.

It was great fun trying the different items. The kitchen was right in front of us and the cook enjoyed us liking the food. We gave them a thumbs up when we left which brought a lot of smiles.

Back to the hotel where we took advantage of the full body massage chairs followed by more ice cream.

Tomorrow we are catching the ferry to Tokushima and day after that we will start the 88 Pilgrimage walk. Hard to believe that our walk is becoming a reality.

Tokushima

August 10, 2024

Feb. 22

After having hot baths, eating as much ice cream that we wanted, and indulging in food that one would find at a State Fair, we slept well.( That doesn’t include the 30 minute massage chair that almost put us to sleep while in the chair.) In the morning we headed down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. It was a feast that was included with the Hotel stay. We probably ate enough food to last us for the day. As usual there was plenty of rice. The hotel had arranged for a taxi to pick us up and take us to the ferry at 9:00. Knowing that punctuality is a virtue, we decided to be ready 15 minutes early. Sure enough the taxi driver showed up shortly after we arrived to the lobby. We continue to learn new things everyday. Today we learned that you never open a taxi door. The driver has a control that will open all the doors. I am glad that we did laundry and took baths yesterday. The taxi seats were white fabric and the seat backs were white lace. Not to mentions the driver wore white gloves and had a suit on.

It was a 15 minute drive to the ferry. After entering the terminal, we were tasked with ticket buying. The ticket machines aren’t always self explanatory, but the clerk showed us what was needed and soon we had our ticket in hand. The ferry had arrived from Tokushima and after the passengers had disembarked, we were given the go ahed to board. It was a colorful walkway to the ferry.

There was also a sign with the word Henro.

Pilgrims on the 88 Temple route are called Henroes or Ohenroes.. Many people doing the pilgrimage use the ferry to get to Tokushima Soon Don and I will become known as OHeroes. We are getting excited.

The ferry was spotless. There was a playroom for children.

There were seats in the front of the ferry, but most people headed to the carpeted area where one could stretch out. Of course there was a place to put your shoes.

Don and I took advantage of the carpeted areas.

We have quickly become accustomed to vending machines that are found thru out Japan. The ferry had ones that sold hot noodles, coffee, cold drinks and ice cream. No need for a cafeteria.

It took us about 2 and 1/2 hours to get to the port on the other side. Fortunately the ferry ride was smooth. After arriving we needed to find the bus stop that would take us to the town of Tokushima. Unfortunately for us all the signs were in Japanese.

Sign for the bus. We were in luck when some English speaking Japanese showed us where to stand. The bus arrived within 10 minutes and took us to Tokushima Station.

We will be coming here tomorrow to get the train that will take us to the first temple.

Now though we need to find the hostel that we have reserved for the night. According to the directions that was sent to us, It is only an eight minute walk away. We are using AT&T for our cell coverage and we are impressed. We put in the address and using Google maps we find our way to the PAQ hostel. Our room isn’t ready yet so we drop our packs and head off to do some exploring.

I am not sure what we expected, but this is a full on city.

Our first stop was to check out a store that was known to have some items for pilgrims. The selection wasn’t great so we decided to wait until tomorrow when we go to Temple One. There is a store next to the temple which should supply us with all of our needs. Walking the streets we came to a small store that had a variety of fruits. We soon purchased some that looked quite tasty. Further down the street was a pastry shop .A good number of sweets found their way in to our bag as well. We are hoping that the strawberries, oranges and fruits will balance out the sweets. We headed back to our room to organize our gear. We plan to leave a small bag here of items we won’t need till the end of the trip. One of PAQ’s services is keeping your extra gear till you return. We have brought a second pair of shoes knowing that over 800 miles of walking will wear one pair out. We debate about taking both pairs in our backpack or leave one here at PAQ. The way the route works is that in about a week or so we will pass thru this town again. We learn that the hostel will be closed for several days when we pass thru. That helps make the decision for each of us to bring the extra pair of shoes.

We head to Lawson’s tonight for an evening meal. I have a feeling that this store may become one of our favorites.

There is too much adrenaline surging thru our bodies. Sleep may be hard to come by.

The Pilgrimage begins

August 09, 2024

Feb. 23

The Shikoku pilgrimage is one of the oldest pilgrimages paths in the world. It is totally located on the island of Shikoku which is the fourth largest island in Japan. Over 1200 years ago Kukai (Kobo Daishi) lived here seeking enlightenment by meditating in some remote parts of the island. It is believed that most of the temples here were started by Kukai. This pilgrimage visits 88 of them hence the name The 88 pilgrimage route. If one decides to walk the route, they will walk about 800 miles. It may take between 40-60 days depending on ones speed and interest. Don and I took 55 days. We felt like we kept a steady pace. We visited some of the 20 Bekkaku temples if they were close to the route. Some of them take more than a day from the main route so we opted not to see them. We did try to research as much about the pilgrimage as we could using the internet and you tube videos. We also purchased the app Henro Helper which we found to be extremely helpful. We also purchased and carried with us The Shikoku Japan 88 route guide and The 88 temples of Shikoku by Oliver Dunkus. Eventually though your feet are on the ground and you immerse yourself in the journey.

Sleep did not come easy as we tossed and turned waiting for the morning. We were up by 5 and headed to the train station by 7 to get the train to Bando. As we were waiting, we noticed another American sitting on a bench waiting for the train. We soon found out that his name was Clark from Michigan and he was doing the pilgrimage as well. He is planning a faster itinerary so we may not see him after today. We have some of the same unanswered questions. One of the biggest ones is accommodations. We have both found it difficult to figure out the best way to reserve lodging. We have our first few nights covered, but after that it may get interesting. We didn’t want to spend too much time figuring it out, as we are not clear on how to figure our time walking and time visiting the temples. We have done a lot of thru hiking and know our speed, but this is going to be completely different. We have planned to visit 5 temples today and have a reservation at a Henro house called Morimotoya.

The train as expected was on time and 20 minutes later we were getting off and heading to a store to buy some Henro supplies. No special items are needed to walk the trail, but by having some of them one knows that you are doing the pilgrimage. The local people are more likely to interact with you and assist you if needed. Items you can purchase are a sedge hat,( we tried them on, but with our backpacks they were hard to wear), white vest( we both purchased these.) a shoulder bag(used for carrying candles, incense, lighter, name slips and a pilgrimage book)(Don bought one and the items that went in it.),and a staff(Don is using the one from Koyasan). The staff represents Kobo Dashi and when using it, the idea is that Kobo Dashi walks with you. One could also purchase a stole and a bell. With our newly purchased items we were ready to head to Temple 1. As we left the store, we encountered a large group of people with matching shirts. There were TV cameras and lots of excited activity. We soon found out that the mayor of Tokushima was here promoting the 88 pilgrimage trail. Don and I were approached and asked some questions in English, as we were being filmed. Later we did find out that we were on the video that was produced. As we were walking to temple one, the mayor and the group loaded a bus and the moment of chaos was gone.

As we approached the gates of the temple. A man came walking excitedly towards us. In his broken English we discoverd that he had just walked the complete trail in reverse. This being a leap year, some pilgrims will walk the trail counter clockwise. Usually the way though is clockwise. He wanted us to take his photo and then he wanted to take ours.

Meeting him was a great way to start our journey,

Don and I in front of Ryozenji (Temple !)

From watching you tube and reading books we had an idea of the procedure for visiting temples. We tried to be respectful and follow the guidelines. First one bows at the gate before entering.

Then using the ladles found usually at the front of the temple. you do a cleansing ritual.

The next step is ringing the bell once.

After ringing the bell, one heads over to the Hondo Hall and then the Dashido(the hall for honoring Kobo Dashi). In front of each of the these places is a cabinet to place a lighted candle. From the candle you light 3 pieces of incense to be put in a basin of sand. Having lit the candle and the incense you are now ready to approach the halls and pray or say a sutra. There is also an offering box here as well as a place to put your name slips. These slips often will have things written on them by you that your are praying about.

The last thing one does before leaving the temple is to take your pilgrimage book to the office to be stamped and signed by a monk or volunteer doing calligraphy. The calligraphy specifies the temple name, and the number. There is a cost of 500 yen to have your book signed. This is your record to say that you have visited that temple. As you leave the temple you pass thru the gate and then bow facing the gate.

Temple One is somewhat different from the rest of the temples, because you can actually go inside the Hondo to look around. Most of the Hondos are protected by a barrier of wood that one can see thru, but not enter.

This temple is known for the lanterns on the roof. There are so many things to look at around the temples that one has to be aware of the time if they have a reservation at a Henro house. One needs to check in early at these accommodations as one needs to bathe before dinner. We like seeing the little buddhas in the fish pond.

After leaving this temple we decided to take a short detour to a Shinto temple. They are often marked by an orange structure leading to the temple.

This shrine seemed to be popular for blessing young children as there were several families with babies standing in front of the temple.

We especially wanted to visit this temple. It was said that visiting and praying here will protect one when. on the road and as well be able to prevent misfortune associated with age or direction. We would prefer not getting lost and approaching that being older era.

It is only a little over a kilometer to the next temple and the trail is flat.

Gokurakuji Temple 2

There was a beautiful garden here as well as several monkeys. We weren’t expecting that.

We are reinforcing our rituals by watching other pilgrims. A lot of the pilgrims either take buses or drive cars to visit the temples. It is a short walk to the next temple. Sometimes we walk on pavement other times on dirt paths. We keep a look out for arrows that show us we are going the right way.

It is nice to be off of the pavement for awhile. It is about 3 km to the next temple.

Konzenji or Temple 3 At this temple was a well that supposedly was built by Kobo Dashi, There were small bottles of water for sale that might be helpful for longevity. Again we marveled at some of the buildings. There was a slight hint of beginning cherry blossoms. We are looking forward to being here when they are in full bloom.

The next temple is about 5 km away. It is situated in a valley with steep mountains on three sides.

The name of this temple is called Dainichji or Temple 4 It is one of the smaller temples that we have visited today. It is well maintained and even has a following on Facebook. The next temple and the last one we are going to visit today is called Jizoji,

Jizoji is a simple temple located around a large square. It is said one can pray here for long life.

At most of the temples are statues of Kobo Dashi in his pilgrim attire, There are usually benches that you can leave your backpacks while visiting the temple.

Next stop was our Henro house for the night. We were glad that it was a very short distance from the temple. We were greeted by the hostess who showed us our room and took our clothes to be washed. Most places give you a yugata (bath robe) to wear after bathing and even at dinner. This would be our first meal served at a guest house. Needless to say it was amazing. The photo is the only description needed,

There were several other guests here who were doing parts of the route. We were the only ones hoping to do all of it.

Today we visited temple 1-5

Walked 8.5 miles

Lodging Morimotoya

Day two of the pilgrimage

August 08, 2024

Feb.24

Shikoku means “Four Countries” and refers to the four prefectures of the island. As we walk the pilgrimage we will be walking thru all four of them The numbering of the temples begins in Tokushima. This section of temples 1-23 is known as the”spiritual awakening”. The next prefecture that we will walk thru is Kochi. This section of temples 24-39 is known as ascetic training. The third prefecture is Ehime. Here we will walk from temple 45-65. The last section is walking from temple 66-88 thru the prefecture known as Kagawa. Kagawa represent Nirvana. We plan to walk clockwise starting with Temple 1 and after going to Temple 88 return to temple 1 completing the circle.

Yesterday we did 5 temples. We have a ways to go before reaching 88. We are taking this pilgrimage one day at a time and being open to so many new experiences. Last night our hosts asked us what time we wanted breakfast. It seemed that most of the guests want to eat at 6 so we added our names to that time. It was a delicious Japanese breakfast consisting of rice, eggs, pickled vegetables, green tea and Nato. Nato comes in a small container. One removes the top and stirs the contents. It is fermented soybeans. It has an unusual taste, but everyone at the table including us finished it.

We were off and knowing that we had about 18 miles to walk and 6 temples to visit our pace was steady. Most pilgrims try to spend the first night of the pilgrimage at temple 6. Unfortunately they were having a conference and couldn’t take any guests. It probably worked for the best as we enjoyed our last nights accommodation. We would have been late getting to temple 6.

When we arrived to temple 6, it had just opened and the grounds were quiet and peaceful. This temple has been known for hosting guests for the last 400 years. The temple even has its own hot spring.

After having gone thru the rituals 5 times yesterday, we were more at ease going thru the routine. First bowing at the gate, cleansing your hands, ringing the bell, lightning the candles and putting incense into the sandy container. Then heading to the main hall followed by the dashido hall. Next step is getting your book signed. Last step is remembering to face the gate as you leave and bow.

All the photos below are from Anrakuji Temple 6

A two story pagoda modeled after the pagoda in Koyasan

Heading to temple 7 we noticed this sign on the road. This sign is for people driving in cars. We are taking the walking route.

Temple 7 or Jurakuji is a small roadside temple located right on the path.

Often many of the statues will have red bibs. We have a lot to learn.

Shortly after we leave temple 7 we are approached by a man on a bicycle.He knows some English and is curious why we are here and where we are from. When we say Alaska, he gives us a big smile.

We have learned several greetings in Japanese. Our favorite one is konnichiwa, which is said as a hello in the afternoon. We get a lot of smiles with that word.

So far today the walk has been mostly flat. We are impressed with all of the agriculture that is going on. The gardens are very neat and weed free.

The Japanese people are serious gardners.

Along the route there are Henro rest shelters. Most are not for sleeping, but are used to get out of the elements and take a rest.

It is about an hour walk to the next Temple called Kumandanji. The gate that one enters is one of the largest gates of the pilgrimage. It is over 30 feet wide and over 40 feet high.

Another pagoda that is patterned after the one in Koysan is built here

The Tahoto treasure tower was built in 1774

Often one sees tied paper strips on a wire. Pilgrims write prayers on them and then tie them on the wire.

Don discovers that he can buy hot coffee in a can from vending machines that are frequent along the path.

Don has a big smile with this discovery.

It was an easy walk to the next temple as we headed downhill walking between rice and vegetable fields . The next temple was called Horinji (9). Here one can pray for the healing of your feet. The earliest pilgrims wore straw sandals that frequently had to be replaced.

Saying Sutras or praying at the main hall.

This temple also had wooden beads that you could turn and pray.

Wooden Beads somewhat reminiscent of the small hand beads that some of the pilgrims carry and use when praying.

The next temple that we visit is Kirihataji (10) On the way is a gift shop to purchase any items that you forgot to get at the beginning. The owner spoke excellent English and told us about an Undon restaurant that we will pass on the way to the next temple. It was an easy walk to get to the bottom of the stairs going to the temple.

Lots of steps going up to the temple so we left our backpacks at the bottom.

This pagoda has a cornered upper floor rather than round ones.

In the office was another example of how you can record your visit to each temple. Some people carry a white scroll to have the Monk mark it with calligraphy.

Examples of scrolls that have each temple designated.

On the way to temple 11, we pass another rest area.

We were excited and very hungry when we saw the sign for the udon restaurant. There wasn’t any English spoken, but the menu had pictures of each item so it was easy to point to the food we wanted.

You can tell there is a lot of pride in preparing the food. It was great.

When we were leaving fresh fish was brought into the fish tank.

It was about 6 miles to the next temple and our lodging for the night was close to it.This temple is called Fujiidera and is one of three Zen temples. We passed more blossoming trees on the way.

In a couple more weeks the island should be alive in cherry blossoms. It is a time of many festivals.

We arrive to the temple before it closes and have a little time to explore. From temple 11 to temple 12 is one of the harder hikes of the pilgrimage.

We have noticed several pillars in the temples with the following message.

We have added praying for peace to our prayers at the temple.

We almost ran to the the guest house for the night, not wanting to be late. Fortunately it was down hill from the temple. We were greeted at the door and quickly asked if we had food to eat. When we said no, he offered to take us to the nearby town to buy food for the night and the hike tomorrow. We were expecting a convenience store, but it turned out to be a large grocery store. I probably could have stayed there for several hours looking at all of the choices. That was not going to happen so we grabbed some food and headed back to the guest house. The name of the guest house is Oyado eleven. I think that it had just recently opened. The owner was very helpful and when he realized we did not have lodging for the next couple of nights, he quickly made some phone calls and within 10 minutes we had rooms for the next 5 nights. We won’t be doing as many miles that we are used to, but on the other hand it won’t be bad to slow down our pace. There are a lot of things to see besides the temple. The next nights lodging has a service of picking up our backpacks and taking to their guest house. Sounded good to us. We are carrying relatively heavy packs. We each have sleeping bags and pads.

Then we have a tent and cooking gear. My pack is close to 30 and Don’s in the mid 30’s.We made the decision to carry camping gear and even though it adds weight it gives us flexibility. We also are each carrying an extra pair of shoes knowing that after 500 miles we will need to replace them. Don wears a 14 so it is highly unlikely that he would find a pair here to fit him. What a day! Falling asleep in a bed is delitful. Plus the rain is starting to fall and we do not have to worry about getting wet.

Miles hiked 18

Accommodation Oyado 11