Day 8. Exploring konbini's

16.08.2018

Today from the start looked like it would be a hot day. It was already quite warm and from the plans I would be doing nearby two temples and then just highway walking through the town or city until reaching lodging for the night.

Darn sun up and bright already...

Stopping in for the konbini I had stopped last night to got some supplies and headed toward the temple 63 which was just bit further from 62. Found this little quiet temple with some pilgrims already.

Arriving to temple #63 Kichijōji. I think name refers to being linked to this Japanese deity.

According to the legend Kukai saw cypress tree radiating light sometim ebetween 810-823 and carved 3 statues of Bishamonten (worshipped as the god of wealth), Kichijōten, and Zennishidōji from it enshrining them here.

This temple was originally about 2km different location at the top of 368m mountain but after being destroyed in a battle between Chōsokabe and Kobayakawa warriors, it was rebuilt at the present location.

And one more bell to bang on!

Main hall. This is the only temple on the pilgrimage that has a honzon of Bishamonten and it was chosen because he was supposed to have appeared to Shōtoku Taishi during a battle and to have saved his life.

Much more modest Daishi hall.

Hello Kobo Daishi.

This temple also has a beautiful statue of Mariya Kannon (the Virgin Mary disguised as a Kannon) which was entrusted to Chōsokabe by a Spanish sea captain but having searched for it asked from temple office and it is not open for seeing. Pity.

Also there is this largish boulder near the temple entrance with a hole in it. It is said that if you can place a stick in the hole while approaching the boulder with your eyes closed, your wish will be granted but I wasn't sure what was supposed to be starting point and too shy anyway so skipped that.

Talked with several pilgrims but the most memorable one was a Japanese twin of Magneto from x-men films! Seriously apart  from japanese parts of the face he could be same guy. Even wore the same hat :D and even spoke in rather dignified(and good!) English as he asked why I wanted to do the pilgrimage. Definitely a surprise meeting. Haven't met many japanese with this good english. And definitely put my english to shame! And twin of Magneto. Hehe.

Onward to temple #64!

Trafic safety guidance for children.

Cold apple tea...That was first. Tasty though.

Bit longer trip to the next temple and it was already getting hot. I was drinking and resupplying a lot as I walked past narrow housing streets. Arriving to the temple I found young boy less than 10 years old with huge bug catching net. Was pretty sure what he was doing but couldn't resist talking to him so asked what he was doing. As expected he was hunting semi. Wonder what he does if he catch one? He seemed bit spooked by me calling out for him :D Btw I don't like japanese summer heat but semi sound I do like and it's been constant background noise on this trip. Sure prefer that as summer sound over those blood sucking insects we are pestered in Finland and that are weirdly missing in japan.

Anyway temple #64 is called Maegamiji(Front god temple). Founded by En no Gyōja and located at the foothill of Mount Ishizuchi or so it's written in several places but seems far from mountain to me. Well I don't know what officially counts as foothill of a mountain so...Or it refers to original location.

Anyway En no Gyoja was doing ascetic practice on the Ishizuchi during which both Sakyamuni(historical buddha) and Amida appeared to him in the form of Zaō Gongen. Because it has long been associated with the worship of the god Zaō Gongen in the Shintō tradition, the temple's buildings and shrines are all built in the form of a Shintō shrine. The temple houses a statue of Shaka Nyorai that is attributed to En no Gyōja as well.

Kobo Daishi is said to have spent 21 days on the top of Ishizuchi as well for Goma ritual and the Gomonjihō. This temple was alongside Yokomineji were considered part of the shrine at the top of Mount Ishizuchi.

Emperor Kanmu ordered building of 7 buildings to the temple after praying(succesfully it seems) for cure for sickness. Later as well many Emperor's seems to have patronaged the temple.

Main hall.

On the temple itself found out main hall was bit off and was by far most impressive main halls I have had yet to see. After doing my rituals I was stopped, again, for a talk by bunch of other pilgrims.

Daishi hall.

On to daishi hall and on route guy with military uniform was heading toward the main hall. As I was still doing my rituals he came, did quick bow at the daishi hall and left. That was quick one. Getting my stamp I drank some cold tea and rested. While sitting on a chair I noticed a huge pile of coins next to the toilet. Old and rusty ones. Curiousy killed the cat so I asked from office and they were from waterfall toward honzon. Interesting. They really pick those up. Wonder if all will end up usable. Some were in quite poor shape.

Eventually packed up and left and almost ran over into bus group that were coming around the corner. Whoops. Lots of mutual greetings and was directed "keep up!" Shouts. Walkers get plenty of respect and i suspect this heat gives me some extra points so to speak

From here day would be almost all the time following road 11 that leads to my lodging. About 16km to be sure. And it was blazing hot. Good thing route was full of konbinis. 

Shortly after #64 I ran into a stone gallery that seemed to have also rest spot for pilgrims with note to enjoy the art while resting.

So for the next hours basically I walked, walked, walked, got drinks from every vending machine I could find though those started to be quite scarce. And almost literally no konbini passed that I didn't drop in for drinks, maybe some quick snack, toilet and rest. Here and there people stopped by talking to me.

Here I was looking at school and taking photo of interesting placcard I saw saying "here we were born, here we grew big" when I heard quiet "ohenrosan!" behind me. Once more friendly old lady gave me a bottle of tea as osettai and on this heat having been unable to find a vending machine that was grateful gift to receive.

Some sort of a artwork(?) alongside road. Alas all other photos seriously overexposed.

I had two routes to pick up. Northern route 11 and southern one through small roads. Small roads might be quieter but less konbinis and i wanted to find a pharmacy for skin cream so i stuck with 11- eventually i  found this huge store marunaka i figured might have so after asking from local went in and got what i was looking for plus bit of snacks to eat.

Some kind of bread with blueberries out of all things as filling!

On my way yet another elder lady in her 50's maybe stopped me for a settai of senbei snacks. We talked a lot which covered why i was on this rather than the more traditional route(though both are marked as henro route in the map but the other is specifically marked as walker path) and she nodded when I explained this was shorter route to lodging and my need to find a medicine store.

We talked about mountains and she noted she had been on scotland mountain hiking and noted how here its up and down, there its more like zigzag left and right going slowly up. We also talked about difference between nature of Finland and Japan and she was surprised to hear japan has more trees. Well I was too. Oh and turns out she had done the santiago pilgrimage in spain so she compared that too. And in the end she even gave me 1000 yen as a settai this was actually first time I was given cash as osettai.

We eventually separated and I continued my walk stopping periodically on konbinis. I'm so glad japan has tons of drinks of various types as the amount I drink would make me puke if it was all the same even if it was my favourite drinks.

Interesting style of house. Not everyday sight here.

I was by now totally steamed from this heat and was grateful of every rest spot. I was also ahead schedule so I had to kill time anyway. There was one rest spot with a huge library in it. Noticed 15 book series of japan legends which I browsed a bit. Would like to own but these were big books so would be tough to get to Finland. Oh and heavy so would be expensive to ship. Here one old guy stopped by trying to talk but here I understood almost nothing he said and he eventually left. That was weird. Never had this bad time understanding people before. Well maybe in first time in Japan.

Would so like to get a copy of these!

Rest was just walking konbini to konbini until I got to my lodging. Shortly before lodging there was another konbini and as I was starting to feel light heatstroke type issue and had time before check in took last rest there. It had been haaaard day!

Lodging was "business hotell misora" but frankly weirdest business hotel I have been into. Not in a bad sense though. Your room has separate entrance room, your room is big and it's in japanese style. All three first for me in business hotel. Apart from lack of meals this feels more like ryokan. And was what I expected from business hotel ryokans when I first went into one which are more like business hotels instead.

Standard evening routine of bath, laundry, resting, writing.

Walked 26,66, km, total 144,17km.