Day 13. Partings and place jumpings

21.07.2018

Up early once more and got my breakfast 6am. 30 minutes sooner than host had originally told us but that suited me fine. 30 minutes sooner on the road!

First objective would be temples 68 and 69 about 7km ahead. Morning so it was relatively cool though still summer heat in Finland...but I was doing good pace utilizing shades to best of effect to cool me down.

Interesting place for a flower pot!

This kind of clear and blue sky indicates it will be a hot hot day!

"Let's keep and widen heart that helps each other!"

Eventually I came across first lawson in 4 days so went in to buy drinks that was running short once more(common theme for this trip). Coming out I noticed familiar shape ahead me. Was the old pilgrim still there? Thought he was done for now. Maybe he does this temple still before heading home?. Anyway I tried to catch up but darn he was just too fast. I upped my pace, shape still got smaller. And then I got hit by red lights twice which put an end to my feeble attempts to catch up!

Blessed shaded road!

The temple would be there. Luckily on FOOTHILL rather than at the top of that small mountain.

Temples 68(Jinnein, The Temple of God's Grace) and 69(Kannonji, Temple of Kannon Boddhisatva),  are odd one in that they share location due to side effects of Meiji Restoration and the shinto/buddhism separation. 

Arriving there sure enough the old pilgrim(lets just call him Mr. FG) was doing his rounds. I started doing my part as well. Eventually getting all done on all 4 halls(that's a lot to do!) and got my stamps(unsurprisingly for price of 2).

Gate to the temple compound.

This odd one leads to the main hall of main hall of the temple 68. According to temple legend on March 21, 703, Nisshō, a monk in the Yogacara School, had a vision here. Seven colorful clouds arose on the western horizon and hovered over the mountain of this temple (Mt. Kotohiki). Suddenly a ship floated on the sea and the god Hachiman appeared to Nisshō playing a Koto and said, "I am the god Hachiman himself, and I will stay here to protect the Buddha's Dharma and the ruler's law."

Nisshō dedicated the ship and its Koto to the temple. Later, Kōbō Daishi painted the Kotobiki (harp playing) Hachiman in the form of Amida Butsu and dedicated that to the temple as well. The picture of Amida is now a National Treasure. Kōbō Daishi is also attributed with having carved the honzon.  

So with that honzon is the Amida Boddhisatva.

And this one is Daishi hall of temple 68.

Main hall of temple 69. Kobo Daishi is said to have lived here and been seventh priest of it. Also claimed to have founded the temple carving the honzon of Sho-Kannon said to be incarnation of Empress Jingu. Interesting that he's said to have been seventh if he founded it. When Kōbō Daishi was here, he enshrined seven halls and forty-seven stupas around Kotobiki hall.

That leads to Yakushi hall. Stairs didn't tempt me enough to climb there.

And finally Daishi hall of temple 69.

Mr FG came over and invited me for shaved ice on his expense. Been 3 years since I ate this one. It was huge serving and indeed wasn't able to finish it up. Ordered strawberry flavoured one. Good but at the end I was actually shivering from cold too much to continue! HUGE! Biggest shaved ice serving I have ever eaten.

I was tempted to go to see shape of old japanese coin from sand nearby but about 10 minutes and climb one way...nope priority is getting to lodging in this heat. Maybe one day will return to see it.

From here it was about 4.5km to next temple. Mr FG was ahead me somewhere walking with his high pace. At first it was hot and sunny but soon it became cloudy which made it more bearable especially with a bit of wind.

Here I saw this kite flying that was eerily real looking. Guess it's supposed to scare annoying seed eating birds by making it look like there's big predator bird flying around.

I was making good pace and made it to temple 70 sooner than i had anticipiated. Luckily mr FG was still there. This would be his last temple as I found out in our conversations at the previous temple. I did our prayers and then we talked. As this would be farewell we thanked each other repeatedly. I had really enjoyed his companion on past several days and 3 nights on same lodgings though on first we hadn't talked yet much. We exchanged emails promising to tell wehn we complete full circle. Should be november for him when he returns, 2019 spring or autumn, or maybe 2020 spring or autumn if remaining part gets split in two, for me.

Temple 70 is called Motoyamaji, the headquarters temple, and houses Horseheaded Kannon Boddhisatva which is bit rare version of Kannon Boddhisatva. Founding of the temple was requested by Emperor Shomu and is said to have been carried out in single night by the super constructor Kobo Daishi(:D).  The huge main shrine was later built in the 9th century but had to undergo substantial repairs in the Kamakura Period. Unlike most other temples on the pilgrimage, this temple has not been burned down and is now classified as a national treasure.

Main hall.

The honzon and his supporting deities Amida Nyorai and Yakushi Nyorai were all carved by Kōbō Daishi and are National Treasures.

As the name implies, this temple used to be the biggest on Shikoku Island. Legend states that it was spared the ravages of Chōsokabe's armies when they were driven away by a huge swarm of bees that live at the temple. Yikes? Didn't see any sign of bees though. Though others claim temple WAS burned down by Chōsokabe's armies.

Daishi hall.

Some horse statues as well.

I was running short on drinks and no vending machines here. Think this was first for me in main 88 temples with no vending machine. FG gave me bottle of water and temple staff gave me another bottle of tea. Way too kind. We talked and she went first "oh your japanese is good" and after talking for a while she went "your japanese is REALLY good" with a surprised sound. Maybe second one was actually true and not just the polite compliment you can get by saying "thank you" in japanese :D

Well. Still have plenty to improve on japanese. But I have been on nearly 100% japanese(only exceptions being obviously family and the Italian pilgrim I met previously) on these past few weeks which is nice. I have definitely exceeded my original goals regarding the language.

From temple 70 it would be 11km to temple 71 on a small mountain and this was the section I had been dreading but was hoping konbini breaks would take me through. Also was earlier than expected so I had plenty of time.

Approaching there slow and steady.

So onward. I walked and I walked. I went to all the konbinis that I could find but alas on this part konbinis were mostly without rest spots so no sitting on chair. I even used concrete blocks on parking lots as "chairs" out of lack of better ones. Though at one point there was nice henro rest spot which was nice.

By now it was boiling hot again.

Eventually, around 3km short of temple 71 I collapsed on chair and started thinking. It was bloody hot. Earlier clouds had dissapeared so sun was shining strong. I might be able to do it but it was hot and it would be going up a mountain. Not a good prospect. I looked at the map and noticed there was train station nearby. Change of plans. I would go there, use the train to go to Zentuji station and from there to Zentuji temple where my lodging is and next day return by train to do 71-74. Original plan was to do 71 today and then take taxi to 75. This way I would save on taxi fee and walking amount would be about same due to no backwalking, all in all not too bad of a deal.

So at the Zentsuji station time to head toward the temple. I was bit surprised by how...normal this looked. Zentsuji being super famous due to being birthplace of Kukai(or at least so it's claimed. I read once a theory that Kukai's parent's would have initially done marriage in then common style where newly wed still lived in original homes and husband would travel to meet wife time to time before they moved to own home. Under this theory Kukai would have been born on his mother's home area near Nara) I expected bit more grander place(on the account of being likely popular tourist spot).

Ah the arrival to Zentsuji temple(Right Path Temple) with Honzon of Yakushi nyorai.

Bloody big temple. I really needed this map!

The main hall with HUGE statue inside. Strictly no photographing inside though.

5 storied pagoda. This big ones are bit rare.

More rakan statues?

There's no Daishi hall as such here but instead Miedo hall though basically same thing. Statue of Kobo Daishi is inside. Temple morning ceremony would be held here.

Rare statue of Kobo Daishi as a child.

Seems you can book a ceremony for helping to get a child, easy childbirth etc.

Tasty dinner for the night!

Next day lodging had small bumps including one that cut off early and one that had room, quoted price(10000 yen or so) but still hummed and hammed and asked odd questions like how I found them etc so eventually got tired and said "sorry but no thanks" and went to onsen next to them. If they don't want 10k I give that to the onsen instead.

Tomorrow early wakeup as morning prayers are 5:30 and then breakfast. After that to train station to catch train toward where I will head 71 and then do 72, 73 and 74 and then head toward Konpira for onsen. Use train if need be, walk if I feel like I can do it.

Oh and serious fireworks going on. Too bad legs aren't feeling like going out and not sure could I. Temple lodgings are often strict on nightly departures ias I have found before.

Walked 27,79km, total 280,28km.