88 Temple Shikoku Pilgrimage - Day 2
Day 2 - Sunday, April 3, 2016
Tokushima
Today we are walking from Temple 11 to Temple 12, the distance is about 12 Km, and the trail is all through the woods and and is one of the toughest of our itinerary, with two major hills and a few minor ones. Temple 12 is classified as a “Nansho” temple,a mountain temple in a hard to reach place. Today’s trail is called “nenro-korogashi,” literally meaning “where the henro falls down” - a trail so steep that pilgrims often stumble. The first major ascent is a climb of 1,500m (4,500 feet) followed by a descent of 700m, which will take us to the midway point where we will stop for lunch. At this point people have the chance to bail out and take a taxi to the end of the route, temple 12, for the following segment is much tougher with steeper inclines culminating with a very steep 1,000m (3,000 feet) ascent.
We woke up to an overcast day with a light drizzle. The group departed by bus at 8 AM to Temple 11, Fujiidera, about 45 minutes away, stopping to buy lunch in the freshly prepared food section of the Lawson convenience store.
After visiting Temple 11 we started our hike under a light drizzle. It drizzled on and off all day long. I was wearing my rain jacket, but as soon as the inclines began I (and everyone else) began to sweat. Some took their jackets off, until they became cold and then put the jacket back on. I kept mine but left it unzippered to ventilate a bit. It was cold on the mountain tops, in the low 40s. We would stop for breaks and soon would start shivering, but after getting moving again it was back to sweating. In spite of the discomfort, drizzle and fog, the steep ascents and descents, I found it peaceful and kind of beautiful.
We reached the midway point, 6 Km in about 3 hours and stopped for lunch. There are 3 guides, one walks in the front, another walks with the main group and the third one is the sweeper, bringing in the stragglers. I confess that I was not at the head of the pack. At this mid-way point you could decide to get a taxi to the Temple 12, our destination for the day, or continue walking, but if you continue, you have to finish, and the second half is much tougher than the first half and there is no place to be rescued by car. A couple of the pilgrims decided that they had enough of the steep hiking and caught the taxi to the destination temple to wait for our arrival. Delio and I decided to continue hiking.
The second part was really much tougher than the first, very steep, rocky, and slippery because of the rain. My legs felt like cooked noodles. For the final 3,000 feet ascent I took my jacket and hat off, to avoid overheating. It took us more than 3 hours to walk the final 6 Km. It was very strenuous and challenging, but at the same time it was an amazing hike, with a cumulative gain of 3,500 feet and loss of 1,500 feet. We were all relieved when we saw the gate to Temple 12 Shosan-ji, Burning Mountain Temple.
After accomplishing the rituals at Temple 12, we got back on the bus and rode for an hour and 15 minutes to get back to the hotel, arriving at 6 PM. We are on our own for dinner tonight, Delio and I decided to go to an Italian restaurant near the hotel, we shared a pizza, lasagna and a bottle of wine, I was very hungry after the strenuous hiking and found the Italian dinner surprisingly good and a welcome break from Japanese food.
Fujidera Main Hall:
Pilgrims chanting the Heart Sutra at Fujidera’s Main Hall:
The climbing starts...
On this stretch steps had been built to help the pilgrims:
Hiking along the ridge of a hill, steep slopes on either side:
We crossed paths with a walking henro doing the circuit in reverse order:
These wooden tablets contain encouraging messages to pilgrims (so I am told, I don’t read Japanese.)
Legend says that Kobo Daishi used to rested in the shade of this ancient tree while doing the circuit from temple to temple, his statue marks the spot:
Deep valleys and mountains shrouded by mist:
Another sleeping Buddha statue on the side of the trail:
At long last, the gate to Temple 12 - Shosan-ji:
A Jizo statue (deity protector of stillborns) on temple grounds:
Pilgrims praying at Temple 12:
Main hall at Temple 12:
Pilgrim ringing the bell at Temple 12:
