I woke up at 6am so guess either host didn't try to wake me after all or I simply was too crashed to notice few knocks here or there! I prepared for the walk and left on fairly early resulting in arriving to temple before it opened. Well I did my prayers and then enjoyed the pretty garden in the temple grounds. Bit after 8am I went to the noukyouchou(place where you get your stamp) but nobody seemed to be around yet. Not wanting to cause undue trouble I waited some more but eventually decided to risk it and ringed the bell. CAN'T be rude to ring a bell well after opening time right? Japanese are very strict with clock anyway so surely they can't be offended when I'm ringing bell well after opening time.
Day started with the temple 15(Shourinji, 11 faced Kannon). This temple used to be part of the Chichibu shrine but again Meiji restoration separated. The builders decided in 1880 to take some influence from western building style to help against fires in future when old one got burned in Chichibu fires.(which Japanese buildings traditionally hate. Wood+paper=flammable combination. Indeed in Shikoku pilgrimage only one of the 88 temples has not been burned at one time or another).
There's supposedly pictures explaning the 33 Kannon shapes but I didn't see. Don't know if it's generally viewable. Did see lots of flowers though in return which was fair trade I suppose!
Day got relaxed start so with pleasant feeling headed toward temple 17(Saikuuji, 1000 armed Kannon. Guess 1000 arms is also helpful in helping many people!). I crossed railroad again. Quick little stint(temples are real close here).
This temple had pickled my curiosity from the start. This is the sole temple that's part of Shingon fact of Buddhism that Kuukai had brought from the China. Since I have been studying for Shikoku pilgrimage this was quite an interesting temple for me.
The temple also hosts replicas of all 88 Honzons of the Shikoku pilgrimage. Giving prayers in front of each is supposed to give you same benefit as if you would do it in Shikoku but 88 times is bit too much for my schedule and don't even know the mantras so passed. Pretty looking statues though.
Statues got enshrined as a memorial service to all the people that died in 1783 great volcano eruption.
Route to temple 17 wasn't that difficult either. Middle of city is fairly easy to navigate in the end after all.
Seems this temple(Jourin-ji, 11 faced Kannon) was originally numbered as #1 of the pilgrimage. Most notable feature in this temple has to be the big bell which has Honzon of each 100 Kannon temples of the 3 pilgrimages carved in itself. Though looks bit eroded by now(quite an old bell I presume).
Bit of a sad legend concerns this temple. There's swamp west of this(or at least was?). One day mother abandoned her child but when she was going home suddenly child had appeared in front of her with Honzon of this temple next to the child. Feeling remorse for what she had done she donated the bell,
Temple 18 and yet again I crossed the railroad. Zig-zag east and west and east again. I got lost slightly but didn't really lose time as I simply joined the right path from next corner.
Seems that this temple used to be a shrine but after it got destroyed(cause unknown for me) Miko(that's shrine maiden) had spiritial experience which told her it should be temple that should be built(interesting for a shrine maiden).
Quite a nice rest hut in the temple compound.
Path to temple 19 and I had bit trouble realizing path I was supposed to take was the path. Looked more like a dead end. I then came across junior high school(that's grades 7 to 9 in Finnish terms). There was sport lessons going on and oh dear god if I had in childhood do some of that jumping over fences they did...Nope. Couldn't do. Still can't probably.
Passing through school buildings tends to make me nostalgic and think maybe I didn't appreciate school days as I should have. Should have studied more and enjoyed the time more. Time enough to be adult later. Ah well. Can't change my past.
Temple 19(Ryuuji sekiji, 1000 armed) felt bit unusual by location. Almost like built on a parking lot. Sometimes at the past rain and so on had done damage to the ceiling so Honzon and other temple treasures had been transfered later Later local tourism organizations youth department went for ”takuhachi”(that's japanese term for alm seeking. They(at least not in Tibet etc where this form of Buddhism is still alive) can't ASK but take what are given by kocals) in Tokyo 1973. Thanks to this temple was fixed. And during this they found writings which tells that this temple is actually oldest temple in the pilgrimage.
Temple 20 and I had to cross this big big bridge with excelent view(too bad photos don't do quite a justice. Not quite as green as it was). Getting to end I was looking for sign should I turn left or right when elderly man came and explained I had to take stairway DOWN and with it cross the street(can't cross it over there. Too unsafe) and then turn right. Thanks! I don't get often help in directions but guess somebody is helping me as I seem to get when I most need it!
I came across sign showing walker-only path that went up. Yey! Probably cuts time and gave first climb of this day. Flat paths feels so...weird in Japan! :D
Temple 20(Iwanouedou, Shou kannon) turned out to have quite a spectacular garden in it. Quite beautiful. Lots and lots of colours. This temple building is from Edo period so couple centuries old. Honzon is from Heian period so about a thousand years old. There's old ferry place nearby though turns out path there is now blocked for safety reasons. Unsurprisingly the ferry has legend attached to itself! Legend tells that one day man was going to see his mother at the other side of the when the Honzon of the temple masked him/herself as ferry guide taking him across the river.
Ferry itself was in use until the bridge I just crossed was completed in 1885. Nearby remnants is cave with belief that if mother that does produce milk drinks water dripping from there she becomes able to produce milk again.
21(Kannonji, literally Kannon temple. Fairly common temple name! And you guessed it Shoukannon as Honzon) was fairly trivial to find again, Gyouki is said to have visited this place. Seeing I think he was influencing mostly near Nara(capital) that's quite a traveller for the age. Having walked this much and getting so little distance behind me I'm getting SOME idea just how tough it was travelling 1000+ years ago. And I'm having common age benefits like Google map and water pack that allows me to drink while walking! They had it rough...
Anyway the Honzon is again work of him and when temple burned down in 1923(familar pattern that...Temple burning down. These buildings are pretty but very flammable!) by some stroke of luck the Honzon alone survived.
Temple 22 itself was simplicity in itself to find. Just follow same road to south until you see signpost to turn left. However I took my time getting there as I spotted on route Gyoza shop! I love them so excelent excuse to sit down and rest my feet. I had already walked quite a bit after all and I was getting hungry.
Ah Gyoza. I love these. Got to make more of them in Finland.
Took the set menu and then with the friendly old lady had the usual discussions where I am, then parts of Finland(Finnish people are likely going to be CRUSHED when they hear this but she had no idea where the little country called Finland is :D Luckily there was a world map so I could point it out ;), how long have I lived in Japan(seems that's assumption by everybody that I LIVE here. Guess they think only foreigners who live in Japan would bother with the pilgrimage. And the fact I'm doing it is pretty damn obvious since I'm using bunch of pilgrim outfit related items. Not all but a LOT more than most of other pilgrims. I have seen one pilgrim with Hakui(the white sleeve) and that's it. Others don't bother with it, staff, sugegasa or wagesa. I'm more traditional Japanese pilgrim than the Japanese. That tradition seems to be unfortunately dying out but then again Buddhism teaches that everything that comes to existance(not born per se. According to Buddhism nothing is born(as in come from nothing) and nothing dies(as in go to nothing). Just change in shape and form) carries within itself seed to it's own end. No matter how eternal something might look it is going to end one day. You, me, company you work, traditions you love, country you live. Eventually it changes into something else. Part of suffering(the thing Buddhists try to be free off) is inability to truly understand this. Something we like ends, we suffer. Something we hate goes away, we are happy. Our emotions are dictated by external factors giving birth to suffering.
Anyway where was I. Oh yes with the old lady. I explained bit about Finland's nature(people here are surprised when I tell just how flat country Finland really is. That comes up invariably when people ask why I love Japan. I fell in love to mountains of Japan! That's how I became Japan nuts :D), food(I have come to think there's not HUGE difference in INGREDIENTS between Finnish and Japanese food. Just with HOW you cook. I think Finns could find Japanese food good generally if they just had more chance to eat it) and so on.
After excelent lunch I headed to 22(Doujidou, Shoukannon. Temple name means pretty Child's temple) which was just around the corner. This used to have another name but seems there's been lots of children related stories revolving around the temple so the name changed. For example one day rich men refused to gave food to monk that was hungry. This resulted in his son turning into a dog! This brought out regret from the man so he did the Shikoku pilgrimage(yey!), Saigoku(the original Kannon pilgrimage) and Bando(second Kannon pilgrimage) returning boy back to his human form.
While Buddhism is fairly logic-based religion/philosophy there is still some supernatural elements in it too. Won't deny it,
Temple 23(Ongaku-ji(music temple), Shoukannon). Oh boy oh boy. Hard climb for sure. Route took over zig-zagging road but there was path for walkers that cut through as short cut. I climbed one. Get over, see one more. Climb it too and think maybe this is it. Nope! One more! And then you see the stairways UP to the temple. I was quite ”fried” after getting to the temple. It was also quite hot day!
Name of the temple comes from the sound wind makes in pine trees but alas no wind today. Unsurprisingly legend tells music related wishesh gets granted here quite often. And the bell of this temple was used to signal start of the Chichibu rebellion so lots of sound related things going on with this temple.
I actually mistook some other building for Kannon hall so got the stamp before getting to to the Kannon hall but no biggie. Having visited Kannon hall I then saw sign of 13 stone buddhas. Being somewhat completinionist I proceeded to climb up there. Wasn't long detour though regretted leaving my staff at the front of Nokyocho. Would have been handy during the climb.
Oh and one more thing about legends of this temple. They say when they were planning to build the temple deer showed the location to the monks. Smart deer.
Temple 24(Housenji, Shoukannon) was so far longest distance from previous temple. Still just 3.5km. That's how packed these temples are!
At the start of walking I got soooo lost. Didn't see markers and my SIM card had hit the 100mb limit so google map was slooow. I saw two old ladies leaving the 23 so figuring maybe they are for same temple so raced after them. Nope. They were somewhere else but did help me on the way anyway.
Then later on big cross I thought I was supposed to go forward. Waiting for lights to turn green I took spin around and...Saw sign that had been behind me telling I should turn RIGHT. Why it's pointed so that it's visible for those going TO 23 and not FROM 23? Well lucky spin saved me some time.
Temple has 116 step stairways but I actually turned to right bit too early(for my defence there was pilgrim road sign). That was car path so I basically skipped that stairways. I actually pondered if I should do it just because but decided against it.
Honzon is somehow credited for different person that did it. Why that's not fixed for good then?
There was funny little encounter when I was about to leave when this elderly men came in over the stairs(at which point I realized where the stairway was). He actually asked if I'm a foreigner? I can't look THAT Japanese :D Well okay I have the hat so maybe he didn't see me fully and I know from experience that after such hard effort one's mind can wander and you make questions you would never do fresh up.
Still funny. I generally stick out like a sore thumb here. I can't exactly hide here!
Temple 25(Kyuushouji, Shoukannon) was quite big building complex with even a smallish lake/big pond in it. I managed to get bit lost again passing next to elementary school. On next crossroad there was sign ”26 ahead, 25 behind”. Umm...I was going toward 25 right? Right. I should have turned RIGHT just before the school. Well back where I came from!
One legend regarding this place tells of a girl that had been driven away from her home for her evil things. She ended up dying when she was 15 years old but before that she seemed to repent for her actions and had prayed for good afterlife for her mother, helped locals and prayed for completion of Kannon hall. The Honzon(Gyouki design) is from that event.
This completed my original goal for first 2 days but I had time and next day would be very long with original plan so I decided to hit one or two more temples before it. There was also bonus goal I had been thinking but wasn't sure would I have had time next day. So back to school, turn right, cross the street and do the 3.8km walk to next temple(new record!). Quite lonely walk and I crossed the railroad(same railroad! There's basically just one around here) for 5th time today.
Temple 26(Enyuuji, Shoukannon) is supposed to be based on Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto though have to say I can't see it. Have to compare my photos later. It was built around mid-Edo period.
I read about 300 step stairways but arriving there no sign of those. Hum? Well I reread and realized that referred to the bonus goal I had in mind. Oku-no-in of this temple(all temples tend to have one. It's basically hall in remote hard to reach place. I think in olden days monks lived in the normal temple and did training in Oku-no-in). Well completist me decided I can't leave the one Oku-no-in described in guide book. Onward!
...And I was lost. I followed signpost that said Oku-no-in but came to what looked like parking lot with no signs that I could see. Ohming and ahming over guidebook and google map I realized I need to turn left around midway to 27. Onward!
And the climb...Boy was that tough! It's very hard to walk stone ladders. Especially when they are part eroded. But I came to bless the water supply system I had bought before the trip. Adds extra 0.3kg but gives me ability to drink while walking. Came in handy!
Video of climbing. That was rough climbing. At the end I was half drinking, half breathing :D
At the Oku-no-in I met trio of Japanese(well first 2 and then third who was part of same group that I had overtaken earlier joined us). Again the usual barrage of questions and this time they wanted to take photos of themselves with me. Well sure no problem!
Heading back I could go down where I came and go through to 27...Or I could use mountain pathway there. Mountain path it is! Though was at times bit tough with narrow pathways. I also realized 5pm(when temple closes the nokyocho) and not feeling like coming for the temple again tomorrow morning I tried to make it in time. Well I did with 8 minutes to spare but that was rough going(especially once I ran out of water). And who I meet at the temple 27? Same 3 Japanese! They had clearly gone back same way and cut through roads.
Only thing of note that I could understand about 27(Daienji, Shoukannon) was that Kuukai carved the Honzon.
And with this I was done for the day. I was tired but happy. Had seen some excelent views and had quite nice walk(sore legs or not). I had now completed 27 temples out of the 34 and most of the closely packed temples. Just 2 more with short trips and then it becomes longer. Next 2 days would be about 66km and only 7 temples. Longest 3 distances would be 18, 15 and 10km. This is much more typical for the Shikoku and is going to be interesting change of style for the pilgrimage.
Ramen for dinner.
While writing two guys came around and one introduced himself as son of the host and invited me for a party with them plus few others of their friends. Wow. I'll take yesterdays words all back! So at the designated time I went down and we had quite a wonderful night eating, drinking and talking about this and that(no surprise I suppose if I say Finland was major subject). One particularly amusing topic that came up was ”Salmiakki” which is probably most famous candy in Finland. It's after all called ”worst tasting candy in the world” ;D Haven't met many Japanese who have tried and liked it. Well can't say I like it either!
Then toward the end the son and his friend asked if I would like to join Flower Festival next morning at 7am. This put me to interesting dilemma. If I go I probably don't have time for planned part of pilgrimage. If I stop short it means I WILL need friday for pilgrimage(say I go to temple 30 rather than 31. That's almost 50km walk for last part then...Nope. Can't do it). That would mean no mountain climbing. But it sounded sooooo fun.
After bit pondering and doing mental math for times I said yes and figured I should have time to go to climb Mount Buko after the festival. I was ahead schedule for pilgrimage so barring legs giving out I can finish this in 2 days. Then I can see the festival AND climb the mountain. Only issue is then getting to friends place in time in Friday. For that will be very helpful to get the 31 on thursday so I could start the walk from there toward 32 BEFORE 8am.
Well. Bit of change of plans but this could work out even better than I had expected. Handy to make contacts with locals!
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