Shikoku Henro Michi // day 47 // Kōyasan

Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage, day 47.
Distance: 0.0km (1297.4km).
Weather: Great, but chilly in the morning.

Early morning at Kōyasan. I eat a simple, but good, breakfast in my room at Tentokuin. Next to me lies my henro outfit, the white vest and the sedgehat that I worn on my pilgrimage around Shikoku. They have done their job. Today, I will leave for Nara to meet Tomohiro-san, but I have lots of time to explore Kōyasan before I have to go.

Kongobuji temple at Kōyasan, the headquarters of the Shingon school of Buddhism, with a group of henros outside.

The dry landscape garden in Kongobunji.

Stepping out to a chilly morning, I wear my 'normal' clothing. It is still quite quiet in the streets and outside the temples when I am out around half past eight, but the town appear to be waking up and coming to life. Yesterday I just had a brief look at the Kongobuji temple, but now I go to take a better look at the main headquarters for the Shingon sect. I smile when I see a bus group of henros appearing in front of the large building, guessing that they recently also have finished their pilgrimage on Shikoku.

At Danjo Garan with Konpon Daito standing tall over the Toto pagoda, Sanmaido hall and Daiedo hall.

Inside the temple, I walk around looking at the small rooms containing old shoji screen paintings. Within its walls they have a nice dry landscape garden, where you can see trees and rocks in the sand surrounded by concentric circles. Simply put is the dry landscape garden a symbolic representation of mountains and water using rocks, sand, gravel, and moss. You are not supposed to walk in them, instead they are designed to draw your eye into them, and therefore your mind.

The huge Konpon Daito pagoda, the side of the Kondo visible to the left.

When I leave Kongobunji, Kōyasan is all awake and the place is now bustling with tourists. Then I realize one thing. The moment I stepped out of my henro outfit, I felt like a tourist. And with that, I do not feel at ease being here, it feels wrong in a way. I did not journey here for the sake of tourism. So I walk back to Tentokuin and change back into my henro outfit. I know that my pilgrimage is fulfilled, but I still feel more true to my cause now. Another idea has also formed in my mind, I have some free spaces available in my nōkyōchō, so I get a stamp and calligraphy at Kongobunji.

The rotating pagoda at Danjo Garan.

The templegate to Danjo Garan.

Back as a henro (sort of), I go straight to the largest temple compound in the area, Danjo Garan. This is an important place and sacred spot at Kōyasan, remember that it is to this compound that the old stonemarkers on the Chōisimichi path guides you to. At the centre of Danjo Garan stands the huge Konpon Daito pagoda. The vermilion pagoda stands 45 meter tall containing a large Dainichi Nyorai Buddha inside. A smaller pagoda next to the gate to Danjo Garan has some levers you can use to rotate the pagoda around, some force has to be applied to make it go around. You can choose between two stamps and calligraphy for Danjo Garan, I added both to my nōkyōchō and so my book is now full.

A torii stands across the Women Pilgrimage Route that goes around Kōyasan, here on my way up to Mount Bentendake.

Views from Mount Bentendake.

From Danjo Garan, I make my way back to the Daimon gate again. It is still as impressive as yesterday. Then adventure spirit overtakes me, and this yearning to keep on walking. It was not my plan, but I start walking on the path leading away from the two fierce statues within the gate, stepping underneath a red torii while ignoring the warning signs about bears. This is the path up to Mt. Bentendake and is actually a part of what is the Women Pilgrimage Route of Kōyasan. Before 1872 women were banned from entering the temple town, and so instead they walked around on this path and others to get glimpses of the holy places within.

View of Kōyasan from Mount Bentendake with the roof of the Konpon Daito pagoda clearly visible.

A line of toriis stands over the path as it climbs upwards towards Mt. Bentendake. Although I find it a little bit unlikely to actually meet a bear here (given all the people here and the sounds they make) and despite the rumours of bear sightings and all, I walk with my ears open listening to any unusual sounds. There are views where I can look out from the mountain to the hills and ridges below. However, standing up here and looking down at the temple town as women did in old times is the most interesting. Down there, the roof of the Konpon Daito pagoda really stands out. At the top of Mt. Bentendake there is a small shrine. From the top and shrine, the path goes quite steep down to Nyonindo, the women's temple. It was a great tiny hike, which cured my abstinences for a while.

Shrine at the top of Mount Bentendake.

I have no time to continue on the women's pilgrimage, so from Nyonindo I walk back to the temple town. Autumn colours. Temples. Pagodas. Lots of people. I had forgotten a little about the time when I decided to hike over Mt. Bentendake, so I speed up a little on the way to the Okunoin. There is no way I will leave Kōyasan without seeing it again.

Trees and leaves reflected in a pond.

Kouyou.

Wandering through the ancient cemetery for the second time is no less wonderful than the first. It is so atmospheric, so ethereal, and a little haunting too. It is a forest of trees and stones. Some of the tombstones are almost green from all the moss. I find a path going through the woods next to the Okunoin, next to the path there are shrines, toriis and old tombstones. All of them covered by moss and vegetation, with nature about to retake them into its embrace. Looks like a forgotten place. Truly amazing.

Okunoin.

Forgotten tombstones at Okunoin.

After another visit to the mausoleum to say a sort of final thanks to Kōbō Daishi, where it was even more people than yesterday, I have to be quick getting back to my temple. At first, I disregard the bus going from the busstop, but after walking a little bit I quickly find out that I should take the bus. I do not want to miss my train.

A small shrine in a small pond.

The Lotus Pond next to Danjo Garan.

Back at Tentokuin, I collect my backpack and in full henro outfit goes to the busstation where I can get a ride to Kōyasan train station. The cable car is not working, I have to take a bus instead. Now, I had hoped to experience the cable car ride and the following train ride, but the bus ride is quite nice. Passing by the Daimon gate, and at a later point seeing the same gate from below. I reach my train for Nara, saying a final goodbye to my wonderful pilgrimage in Japan (but I still wear my henro outfit when on the train).

<- Kudoyama - KōyasanEpilogue: Nara ->

Shikoku Henro Michi // day 46 // Kudoyama - Kōyasan

Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage, day 46. Chōisimichi.
Distance: 25.4km (1297.4km), time spent: 7:27.
Weather: Nice.

I am doing exactly what I said I was not going to do. To make the journey to Kōyasan, the sacred mountain of the Shingon-school of Buddhism, I wake up at two o'clock in the middle of the night. Then I take a taxi to the Nankai Ferry Terminal in Tokushima, in order to take the three o'clock ferry over to Wakayama prefecture on Honshū. Honshū is the largest of the four main island of Japan. I am leaving Shikoku, which is the smallest of the four islands. From Wakayama Port, I will have to take no less than three trains to get to Kudoyama. From Kudoyama I would walk up to Kōyasan. This is exactly what Kat Davis did, who has a great blog on the pilgrimage that I had read prior to my own. Reading about her journey up to the sacred mountain, I told myself that I was not going to do it that way. Too early. Now I did it exactly that way. Still too early.

Kudoyama.

There is a reason for this, though. During my pilgrimage I was so fortunate to meet Tomohiro-san, in the morning when I left for Irino Matsubara he invited me to his home after I finished my pilgrimage. In order to do that, make the walk up to Kōyasan and have time to get back to Tokyo for my flight home, I have to start the climb on the Chōisimichi path not too late in the morning. The good thing about the ferry is that is has tatami mats, so that I could put out my sleeping mattress and get some hours on the eye while taking the ferry. It was strange and also kind of sad, standing in the cold dark at Wakayama Port waiting for the train and see the ferry leave for Shikoku again. I had left Shikoku with all its memories, it did feel a little bit too early. Then later an accident occured at a train station and my original schedule was thwarted as some of my train departures become cancelled, but with the help of some friendly people I make it to Kudoyama. A little later than planned, but still in good time for what I had in mind.

Jison-in temple.

Kudoyama is the starting point of one of the several paths that goes up to Kōyasan, but this path is special. It is called Chōisimichi and is on the Unesco World Heritage list, because of the very old stonemarkers standing at regular intervals along the path. The stonemarkers are called Chōisi and some of them are more than 1200 years old, each is a stupa that is shaped in the form of a gorintô consisting of five tiers (which represents the five principle elements of the esoteric Buddhist universe). They stand at about one Chō from each other, with one Chō being about 109m. They were originally wooden, but became replaced by the stone signposts you will find now, of which 179 of the now 220 existing stonemarkers are the original monuments. You can find a nice overview map of the Chōisimichi path here.

At the beginning of the Chōisimichi, the path goes through a bamboo forest.

The Chōisimichi starts from the Jison-in temple from stone signpost number 180. Almost shy and nearly unnoticeable, but once you set your foot on the path you are drawn into the ancient lure of this historic trail. The stonemarkers fascinates me from the very beginning. Each stonemarker should tell me the distance in Chō to the Danjo Garan compound at Kōyasan, but of course I do not know how to read the numbers. If you cannot read the numbers, you can at least do a countdown for each signpost you pass by. The first part of the climb takes me above the valley through orchards and farms. I feel thoroughly happy to be out walking again. Before the path enters the woods after Amabikiyama crossroads it provides great views of the valley below, with an observatory along the way having full view over Koyaguchi, Kudoyama and surroundings.

A view of Koyaguchi and Kudoyama from an orchard near the path.

Views from the beginning of the Chōisimichi path.

In the forest the path turns beautiful. I walk upwards on the undulating path with a wonderful light from the sun through the trees. The surface changes between being smooth to walk on, to clear candidates for henro-korogashi, but thankfully it is dry underfoot today. Mostly standing next to the path, the stonemarkers follows me all the way, but sometimes I find them located deeper into the woods, almost hidden. Silent observers of your walk. It is said that pilgrims in old times stopped at each stupa to offer prayers on their way.

Walking on an ancient marked path, some of these stonemarkers are over 1200 years old.

Local legends and myths flourishes around the path. From the top of the rock named Kayamaki-ishi, Kōbō Daishi should have scattered seeds of Japanese nutmeg (kaya) to help the poor village people of Yamasaki. At another rock, Zentsubo-ishi, a warlord would put money in a pot (tsubo) to pay the wages for the workers of the path. The workers would get the same amount of money, regardless of the size of their hands, as the mouth of the pot was small. Seeing a white snake at the Hakuja-no-iwa rock (with a torii in front of it) will make you happy. The strangest sight I see on the way is however not all these rocks, shrines and toriis (I pass by a cool twin torii called Futatsu-torii), but a golf course suddenly appearing next to the Chōisimichi. Glad I have my sedgehat on to deflect any stray golfballs.

The sun shines through the trees and a stupa.

I am over halfway when I come to Yadate, where the road up to Kōyasan crosses the path. So far it has been a serene and peaceful walk with few other people, but I know that is about to change from now on. There are several groups of people here that are preparing to walk up to the Daimon gate, seemingly released at given intervals. It does not take long time after I have crossed the road to I am back on the wonderful trail again. Not long after, I get the first warning of something that had not troubled me on Shikoku. The frightful and scary Japanese giant hornets known as ōsuzumebachi. I make a silent sutra that I do not encounter one of these.

Futatsu-torii.

The Hakuja-no-iwa rock, a white snakes rock, with a torii. It is said that a monk surprised a white snake here trying to get into a gap in the rock. On the way back from the Nyutsuhime Shrine he found the white snake lurking in the trees above the rock, so he went back to the shrine to make another prayer. Returning to the rock, the snake was no longer there. It is said that the white snake lives in this rock and you will be happy if you see it.

Knowing that the Chōisimichi is a part of the Kumano Kodo, another great pilgrimage here in Japan, I know that I will return someday to walk that (returning to do the Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage is of course something I would like to do again too). The last part of the walk up to Kōyasan seems to be slightly steeper than the first part after the initial climb. Sudden viewpoints on the trail let me look up at the foliage draped over the mountain above, with autumn colours starting to spread out. It is such a beautiful walk. Going ever upwards, I have lost count over how many of the stonemarkers that I have passed by.

The Ogo Pond, next to a golf course.

Looking up at the mountain top, with signs of the autumn colours approaching.

The huge Daimon gate stands at the entrance to Kōyasan, when I am getting close to arrive at the gate, I feel a certain tension and I know that I am almost there. It is quite the majestic moment, to come out of the woods to stand looking up at the huge and impressive structure, I feel a certain awe of seeing it. One of the very few worries I had about Kōyasan, would be the amount of people I would encounter here. I had expected that there would be a lot of people milling around the gate, but there are surprisingly few, they must lie in wait somewhere else. I feel kind of small when I walk underneath the gate leading to the town that lies at the top of Kōyasan.

The huge and impressive Daimon Gate that stands guarding the entrance to Kōyasan.

Walking through the streets, I get the feel of how many people there will be here, there is a sort of traffic jam. At the town centre with all its temples, there are more than 100 of them, it is bustling with people. Many of the temples provides shukubō, which is the usual form of accommodation you find here. I am staying at a temple called Tentokuin, but I do not go directly there. I will first go straight to the mausoleum where Kōbō Daishi sleeps in eternal meditation, Okunoin. On the way, I loose some time at the amazing Danjo Garan with its huge pagoda. There are temples everywhere, and people, lots of tourists.

One of the old stonemarkers leading the way to Danjo Garan with kouyou as a background.

To get to the Okunoin, you have to walk through the largest stone cemetery in Japan and it is awe-inspiring. That is a majestic ending to the walk and pilgrimage. From the Ichinohashi bridge (first bridge), the two kilometres long pathway takes you past over 200 000 tombstones to the Gobyo (the mausoleum) with stone lanterns lined up next to the path. All the tombstones comes in various shapes and sizes, depending on the importance of the person buried at the place, many are covered by moss. It is said that there are no dead in Okunoin, but only waiting spirits. I definitely feel like a spirit walking in an ancient and wonderful place, as it feels so unreal to be here. Maybe the other visitors here thinks I am a spirit too, as I receive a lot of looks from them, especially the tourists, when I walk past them in my henro outfit.

Old tombstones in the cemetery before Okunoin.

Standing before the Gobyonohashi bridge is another special and emotional moment. When I cross the bridge, I will be at the Torodo Hall (Hall of Lamps) with Kōbō Daishi's mausoleum (Gobyo) behind it. Resiting the sutras for the final time is both wonderful and emotional, but unfulfilling at the same time. Unfulfilling because of all the hustle and bustle around me, it is far from the quiet and serene temples on Shikoku. I struggle to feel the calmness I think the moment deserves, but even so, it does feel good to say the final thanks to Kōbō Daishi. Photographing is prohibited here, but I still see a lot of people taking pictures, using both their smartphones and cameras. Then I get the final stamp of my pilgrimage, my nōkyōchō-book is now almost full. I walk back through the cemetery with my mind at peace, having completed the pilgrimage.

Walking through the largest stone cemetery in Japan.

I check in at my temple, Tentokuin, which is a nice and modest temple to stay at. As is the tradition, they keep a private onsen, which is wonderful. Dinner is served at my room and consists of a usual vegetarian meal. I usually prefer to have some meat (or fish) to my meals, but the dinner is actually quite tasty. In the evening, I go out for a walk around Kōyasan, visiting the Danjo Garan compound and the Daimon gate again. Here the kouyou are wonderful lit up by lights in the dark. As well as the temples. It is quieter too in the dark.

The pagoda of Danjo Garan in the evening.

A temple at Kōyasan in the evening.

There are a lot of emotions going through me now, and I am tired, so in the end I retire to my room to relax, with some snacks and beers. I know I probably should haven taken a night tour of Okunoin, which should be a wonderful experience, but I am just too tired. It has been a long and amazing day.

Kōyasan at night.

<- TokushimaKōyasan ->

Shikoku Henro Michi // day 45 // Tokushima

Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage, day 45.
Distance: 0km (1272.0km).
Weather: Nice, but with some ominous clouds.

After 44 days of walking, with literally no zero days, I think it is about time to have one. I think I need it now. Now, there will be walking today too, but it will be without my backpack on, that is going to be good. It was also good to sleep long for once, having no rush at all. There is only one thing I have to do today though, and that is to plan for my visit to Kōyasan. Otherwise, see what Tokushima has to offer, I had not much time for that when I arrived here. And I did not walk through the city either when on the pilgrimage.

The Pagoda Peace Memorial Tower at Mount Bizan.

Alright, so it might not be entirely true that planning for Kōyasan was the only necessary thing today. I also need to wash my clothes, and for that I have to walk a little to the closest laundry. While I wait for my clothes, I eat breakfast at a Lawson Station, not escaping those combinis yet.

View from Mount Bizan in the direction of Onzanji and Tatsueji temples.

I cannot help but think that I should put on my backpack and continue walking.

View of Tokushima from Mount Bizan.

Laundry done, I follow the river esplanade towards the city centre of Tokushima. It is a nice walk. Tokushima is so much bigger than I thought it was when I first arrived, back then I only saw a small part of the city. Saturday, so there seems to be a lot of things going on in the city. At a stand I get some free meat they hand out as a tasting. The meat tastes good, but the music they play is rather annoying.

Tenjin Jinja seen from the ropeway.

After looking a little around, I take the ropeway up to Mt. Bizan. Although not a high mountain, it has good views of the city. The greatest views for me though, is where I can look in the direction of where I walked on the pilgrimage. I can see north towards the area around Ryōzenji and the mountains I passed over yesterday. I try to discern which of the mountains are Shōsanjisan. Best of all is the view south towards Onzanji and Tatsueji, and the spider-passes I went across before those two temples. I am unable to pinpoint Mt. Benten. All these views are setting forth a cascade of memories. It was quite sunny when I came up to Mt. Bizan, but during my visit the sky has taken on a more dramatic hue with some ominous clouds in the horizon. It might be rain. Before taking the ropeway down again, I take a coffee at the manga and anime inspired café at the top.

Peek a boo.

Senshūkaku-teien.

I pay a visit to the Tokushima Castle Museum, not to visit the museum or the castle, but to see Senshūkaku-teien as I have grown fond of these Japanese gardens. This one is smaller than the others I have visited, but the area less in size than those is packed with beauty. It features a bridge that is built by one single large stone, which is one of the longest of its kind. The rain I saw coming from Mt. Bisan arrives when I am at the garden, but it is not much to speak of.

The stone bridge at Senshūkaku-teien.

I cannot help but think that I should put on my backpack and continue walking.

A ringwraith henro outside Tokushima Castle Museum and Senshūkaku-teien? No, just an art statue of a kind.

When I am in Tokushima the Awa no Tanuki festival is held. In replacement of my sugegasa, I can put on a sort of mask of a tanuki. There is a fair and a concert next to the river near the train station. The Japanese goes wild. I try out some local food from the various stands at the festival.

At a concert at the Awa no Tanuki festival. I have replaced my sedgehat with a tanukihat.

Now, having done some tourist activities, I go to the train station to get all the info I need for when the Nankai Ferry leaves for Wakayama and which trains that I have to take to get to Kudoyama tomorrow. My first attempt earlier was not fruitful, but now I get better help at the tourist information. I think they found it a little bit amusing that I arrived wearing my tanukihat.

Walking next to the Shinmachi river back to my hotel.

Walking back towards my hotel, the light on the sky is determined by the sinking sun and ominous clouds floating above me. Due to my plans for tomorrow, I go to bed early in the evening. Although, before my final night on Shikoku, I relax at my hotel room with my backpack packed and ready for the final adventure of my pilgrimage.

View of Tokushima from my hotel room.

It was a nice day in Tokushima, but it was still difficult to adjust to the fact that I was finished with the actual pilgrimage and had no more days to walk on Shikoku. Tomorrow, Kōyasan awaits.

My hotel room, I made use of every space I found.

<- RyōzenjiKudoyama - Kōyasan ->

Shikoku Henro Michi // day 44 // Sanbonmatsu - Ryōzenji

Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage, day 44.
Temples: #1 (Ryōzenji).
Distance: 30.2km (1272.0km), time spent: 8:27.
Weather: Nice.

With so many thoughts that goes through ones mind at the end of such a journey, I sometimes find it hard to sleep on the last night, but I slept well. I also feared that I would wake up with a hangover this morning after yesterday evening, but I felt strangely fine when I woke up. It is a fine day as I set forth on the final walk of the pilgrimage, retracing my steps back to where I left the trail yesterday.

Walking next to fields of cosmos flowers are always nice.

The first part of the day is quite uneventful, with the small exception of when I go up into a hill trying to find the Tanokuchi Yakushi shrine, only to find a cemetery. It is overgrown and lost, with fallen trees lying over the tombstones and statues. Then I believe I did not find Tanokuchi Yakushi at all, following waymarks that disappears and leaves me behind in a bewildered state as to where I am. I do not find any path further, or shrine, returning back to the last junction. Uneventful, but not bad. Walking through this calm rural part of the island.

Morning sunrays through the trees.

It does feel somewhat different now, now that I know I am not walking towards any more temples. Of course, I am walking towards Ryōzenji, but since I have already visited that temple, it does not feel the same. Maybe a sort of walking with your purpose resolved. Upon arriving in Hiketa, I decide to check out the antique streets of this seaside town. Here, the walls of the old and traditional soy sauce warehouses are painted red. It would have been a good place to stay, if I had not taken the route through Mizushi Sanzan and Sanbonmatsu (another route bypasses it and goes more directly towards Hiketa).

May or may not be the Tanokuchi Yakushi shrine.

For the final time I walk next to the sea, happy to see the blue color of the water until I will pass over the mountains to Tokushima. One thing I have not written about on my walk around Shikoku so far, is the slightly amusing lotteries the various combinis has had during my time here. With the exception of a few times, I seem to have 'won' something every time (I do guess that the possibility of winning is quite high). The list is quite long, I have won two green teas, a Wonda black coffee, banana and prune biscuits, two vitamin drinks, a large box of instant spaghetti, and more. And here at a 7/11 for my usual latte, I win a spray bottle of pleasure bouquet. I am not sure what I am gonna use that for though, and it weighs a little too, so I give it to the lady behind the counter.

A red painted soy sauce warehouse in Hiketa.

Those who has chosen this way back to Ryōzenji may have believed that it may be a relatively easy walk, but that is not entirely true. From the sea, the route takes to the mountains again up towards the Ōsakatōge-pass. That should be an indication in itself, as ōsaka apparently translates to a large hill. Steep or not, I find it to be another exciting walk. After a lot of meandering through enclosed trees, with views of the forested valleys below and the sea, I arrive at the top of the path. On the way to the top, I had woken up not just one, but three large black snakes from their drowsing in the middle of the path.

The lucky winner of a spray bottle of pleasure bouquet at a 7/11 outside Hiketa.

At the Ōsakatōge-pass, a short detour brings me up to the highest point, where there is a hut and great views of the sea, mountains around and area below with its villages. A good place for the first lunch of the day. Just before I leave, a granddaddy with his granddaughter arrives at the hut. Looking at the map, I can see that the Takamatsu Expressway is going in a tunnel directly underneath the point I am standing at, I wonder how many cars are driving by below my feet while I am standing here.

A view of the sea at the mouth of the Umayado river.

The final decision as to which route to take to Ryōzenji, comes when I am down on a road after the pass. One option goes from here down to Konsenji (#3), but I have not changed my mind and will take the other option, which goes to the first temple without the need to walk on the pilgrimage trail once more. This route follows a lesser road going next to the Betano stream. Now, this is a lost road, with lots of cracks in it. Old leaves lies scattered on the asphalt, with no sign that any cars has passen by in a long time.

The climb up to the Ōsakatōge-pass.

View from the hut at the top of the Ōsakatōge-pass.

I arrive at the road that I will follow almost all the way down to the beginning of my pilgrimage. This will be my second ascent on the walk today, going up to the Utatsugoe-pass. I have a serious internal conflict whether I should climb up to Okunomiya or not, taking the longer and possible much more scenic option. However, I really want to arrive at Ryōzenji in good time for performing the final temple rituals and have time to contemplate my finishing of the pilgrimage at the temple. I am unsure if I have the necessary time available for that route, but it is so tempting.

The route going next to the Betano stream (on the return route going directly to Ryōzenji).

In the end, I decide upon leaving Okunomiya to next time (another mental note), but go a short distance on that route to a hut marked on the map. Thankfully the hut provides some great views, where I can see Tokushima in the distance, and the cluster of trees housing Ryōzenji. A good place for the second lunch of the day. At this time, the sky is no longer in a clear blue colour, but has got a pale veil across it.

A small dam next to the road 41.

Now, the realization arrives for real, but it does feel a little bit unreal. There is less than five kilometres left of my pilgrimage. At the Ōasahiko Jinja Shrine there is a gathering of people. A wonderful shrine with a long alley of stone lanterns leading down towards my destination. As the Takamatsu Expressway went underneath me earlier, I now walk underneath it. Then I arrive at a wooden fence, seeing a familiar building on the other side. I take a short moment just standing there, looking at the pagoda of Ryōzenji.

View towards Tokushima from a hut on the path going up to Okunomiya.

Going around the corner, I once again stand outside the templegate of my first temple. 44 days ago I walked out of the very same gate, uncertain and expectant to the adventure lying ahead of me. Now, I return as a way more confident henro, all the temples, experiences, scenery and most of all, the people that I have met, has changed me in a way. A backpack on a bench just inside the templegate looks strangely familiar, and to my joy it belongs to Violaine who I met in Kuma Kōgen many days ago now. I had really not expected to meet her again, since I had not overtaken her until now. It is great to have someone to share the moment of finishing the pilgrimage with. We sit down for a while telling about some of the experiences we had since parted ways in Kuma Kōgen. Good thing I did not climb up to Okunomiya.

Ōasahiko Jinja Shrine.

An alley of stone lanterns.

Ryōzenji is still the modest and charming temple that is was when I left, but now it undergoes some maintenance work. I go through the temple rituals and resites the sutras for a last time on Shikoku. Then I receive my finishing stamp at the nōkyōchō-office. From the store I buy another nōkyōchō-book, one that has some beautiful drawings of the various temples in it. I also buy a book to put the slips of the honzons of each temple in, the japanese guidebook and a stack of osamefudas. Violaine will stay at a nearby minshuku, so here our ways parts again.

Back at Ryōzenji.

Stepping out of the templegate with the pilgrimage behind me is a strange moment. A part of me is of course satisfied that it is finished, but another wants to go on. Being a circular walk, you can do exactly that, there are waymarks going from the temple that you can follow for yet another round of the pilgrimage. I go the other way though, but there is hope, I am not completely finished with my pilgrimage yet. There is a mountain to climb.

Resiting the sutras for the last time on Shikoku. However confident I felt that I had become as a henro, I still needed the book for the sutra reading.

Back again at Bandō, I sit and wait for the train to arrive as dusk settles on the sky. Another henro is also here, having finished today he too. We take the small and atmospheric trainride back to Tokushima, remembering the time I took it the other way. There is some way to walk from the train station to get to my hotel, Grand Vrio. The hotel room all make up for it, it is great, with a nice view of the city from the window and a good sofa to rest in for my weary body.

I have done it, finishing the Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage.

Usually, I like to go out and have a modest celebration when I finish a walk, but today I feel tired. I settle for a dinner at the chinese restaurant run by the hotel, so it became an even more modest celebration, not venturing into the city centre for a meal. And since I have such fine views and seating at my hotel room, I feel fine just sitting there with a beer, relaxing and thinking back at my adventure. Still wondering where all the other people and henro I have met are now. I am having my first full rest day tomorrow, it is going to be fine.

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