So today would be the day I would be tackling the Unpenji which is located on tallest spot on this pilgrimage at bit over 900 meters. Bekkaku 20 is close 2nd at about 10m shorter though I think in one day climb the Bekkaku #20 is higher. Here I start at about 200m so only 700m or so to go up. As such today's climb would be comparable to Yokomineji.
Okada favours this type of calendar. Curiously it shows old style of calendar. Seems today was in old style 6th month, 8th day. Also marked level of good/bad luck for day, some sort of saying for each day(like "let's defeat summer heat by summer vegetables" or "after swimming in pool don't forget to wash" or "let's reduce risk of cancer by eating vegetables" etc).
Woke up, prepared and ate the breakfast. Up out fairly early at bit over
6:30. The route was well marked and with Okadas guide it was very easy
to find the path to the mountain.
After about 20 minutes I reached final stairway that would take to the mountain path proper. I took here short rest before the main challenge began. It was then that an old guy in an unusual costume came
down. I asked if he was doing pilgrimage in reverse. No. Something about
2 way trip. Humm...weird guy.
Anyway I entered the mountain and soon was
joined by some big insect that seemed like it could sting or bite so I
entered into escape mode trying to get away from it but the darn thing
kept following me. So the climb to unpenji turned out to be quite hard one
due to being chased all the way up. With this I also managed to miss
famous statue near the top of mountain path. Darn critter didn't even
relent when I got to the car road and indeed followed all the way to the
temple.
Did the climb in under two hours. Faster than average which I think is not that bad in this heat.
Not sure should I be grateful or angry for the little bugger for chasing
me here.
Temple #66, Unpenji(Temple in clouds) claims that in 789 Kukai, then still known as Saekio no Mao when he was 15, came here to get some woods for a building in present Zentsuji temple(temple #75). He felt spiritual experience here and built a temple building here. This is said to be the origins of the temple. Later in 807 he perfomed esoteric ritual here and in 818 following order from Emperor Saga carved the Honzon of 1000 armed Kannon Boddhisatva and performed ritual for the seven Buddha's. Unpenji became place for ascetic practice and known as Mount Koya of Shikoku.
Temple was burned down in 1098 by fire. Later hunter that was chasing a deer is said to have seen Kannon Boddhisatva that appeared top of a tree making him decide to become a monk restoring the temple building.
In the late 16th century, Chōsokabe Motochika climbed to the
temple and was inspired enough by the grandeur that he decided to try
and conquer and control the three provinces of Awa, Iyo, and Sanuki. The
temple priest tried to talk him out of it and, even though Chōsokabe
refused to take his advice, his forthrightness and willingness to speak
may have been the reason that the temple complex wasn't burned down like
so many others on the island. At one time the temple had seven shrines,
twelve affiliated halls, and eight branch temples.
This temple became lot easier to visit in 1987 when ropeway was completed from the Kannon town's side(so toward temple #67)
Arriving to the temple first thing I took slight break rather than do
temple routines, usual for me as I was usually fairly exhausted after
arrival, when who comes up from one of the buildings?
The old guy from Minshuku Okada first night who had left for bekkaku as
well. I
asked how on earth he got here already(his lodging was lot further from
the foothill and indeed from there it would be long car route that would
be most straightforward route) but turns out he had got a car drive
until the start of footpath I followed as well so we were only slightly
off.
Maybe he was tad ahead me. And he had been chased as well and indeed
bitten so my suspicion those could bite/sting was correct. Guess I got
lucky.
Explains that the coloured rope is directly connected to the Honzon(main statue) and thus touching it has same effect(supposedly good) as touching the statue itself.
As
we had done our prayers and were resting the men from Okada that had
stayed last night arrived up. We relaxed for a while and the old guy and
me talked which way to go. Ropeway or footway. In the end I decided to
follow him to descend by foot rather than ropeway.
These are 500 Rakan statues. Buddha's closest disclipines that were close but not quite reached enlightement. It is said if you search you can find one that resembles person you know.
It was actually quite pleasant descent. Def one of my favourite
descend routes so far. We took 3 breaks in total on the way down until
we arrived to the ropeway end point where we went to a restaurant for a
lunch. I took curry udon.
Seems this was sign that wild boar had been here according to my fellow pilgrim...Instictively I glanced around if there's angry boar looking at us!
From here it took into paved road walk toward next bekkaku temple. And
here something weird happened. The unusual looking guy from morning came into
view. From OPPOSITE direction. And turned toward the bekkaku temple. We
caught up and talked but what the hell had happened? When I saw him he
descended from Unpenji. Had he turned around, climbed up, took ropeway
down, went god knows where and was coming back? What was going on
here... Later I checked out from map and the road he came from leads straight to the temple he turned toward...
Ah well. We continued the 3km or so to the bekakku #16 Hagiwaraji(Field of Bush Clover Temple) and here we parted
ways though as we would be staying on same lodging so we would meet
again this night.
Bekkaku 16 is, unsurprisingly enough, famous for the bush clovers. There's 24 types and 2000 bushes inside the temple compounds which blooms around mid-september(drat) with festival for them being held around here.
For Buddhist origins early Hean period(807) is said to have built the buildings. Around this time he carved statues of 1000 armed Kannon and Jizo Bosatsu. 1000 armed Kannon went to the Unpenji while Jizo statue was set up as honzon of this temple.
100 years later Emperor Daigo ordered this place as lecture hall.
I took longer resting so by the time I was done here he was well
ahead. So I left as well for todays hell's path. It was hooooot dayy
walking in asphalt. I have very little memories of this path. Nobody to
talk to, just watching cars go by, buying drinks, resting when I could
find shaded spot. I was about 2.2km from the temple I was heading at when I was resting in
first shaded spot I had found for 30 minutes thinking should I call taxi
when, and this was 3pm, sun went into clouds. It was suddenly very
cloudy indeed. Cloudiest on this trip so far. With temperatures dropping I
felt energized and left again figuring no need for the taxi after all.
Clouds lasted 30 minutes which almost took me to the temple but alas
getting there I found I first needed to go down and then stairways up.
So this was temple #67 Daikōji(The Temple of the Great Growth) though more commonly known by locals as Komatsuo-ji (The Tail of the Small Pine Tree Temple) which comes from the temple's mountain name(each temple having generally 2-3 names, one having kanji for mountain at the end).
This temple is said to have been built in 742 as branch temple of Todaiji(famous temple in Nara). Later due to influence of Saicho(famous Japanese priest from who brought Tendai buddhism to Japan. He and Kukai had bit of rivalry between them) became Tendai sect temple. Later it burned down in fire after which Emperor Saga in 822 ordered Kukai to rebuild the temple about 1km north-west from present location and perform goma ceremony.
Kukai also carved Yakushi nyorai for Honzon and statues of Fudo Myoo and Bishamonten. After this it served both Shingon buddhism(24 buildings for practising shingon teachings) and Tendai(12 buildings) becaming popular for ascetic practice according to the two teachings. However Chōsokabe Motochika's armies burned down the temple late 16th century losing all other buildings except main hall. Few decades later it was rebuilt only to be lost again. Main hall was rebuilt in 1741.
The great camphor tree in the compound was planted by Kōbō Daishi.
Stairs, stairs, stairs.
I
met the elder pilgrim who was already leaving. I was totally pooped up so just
asked where is the vending machine(sorry about bit blunt greeting!). Went there, bought bottle of cold
water and did not drink it. Instead I poured it over my head. Bought tea
and drank that. Rested, did my prayers, got my stamp, got cookie for
osettai and then went and bought and poured yet another bottle and got
more drinks to drink. Felt almost like a human again. And realized my trousers have broken up sometime. Gulp. Not good.
Alas I missed the second "daishi hall" for the Tendai section...Drat.
I left toward lodging meeting the old
lady(67 years old as I found out) from minshuku Okada from last night who was just arriving to the temple.
Last stint was
just 1.5km but boy it felt long. Getting to lodging bath, laundry, meal.
Elder pilgrim gave some very good suggestions toward the bekkaku 20. My
original plan from spring was super bad. Had missed the route i had
been planning to go is not passable june-october. Whoops.
Next
days lodging went bit weird as I would be aiming to go up to 71 and then use taxi to get to temple 75. Then next day 74-72 will be doing in reverse order and
then back to 75 but what the heck. Other lodging options didn't work out
at all and would have resulted in like well over 40km day...Yeah ain't happening.
Unusually tonight's host was actually a male. Usually these minshuku's are ran by old woman or couple. Lone guy much less common in my experience. As the elderly pilgrim was staying here we talked a lot and found out next day would be his last this time(time's up, need to return to work). He also did emergency sewing for my trousers after they were washed. Held for a while though later on holiday they were totally useless for walking in public. And from now on I switched to the long trousers for pilgrimage using these damaged ones only in minshuku until long ones are washed up.
Walked 25,87km, total 252,49km.
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