Over the mountains to #45. 88 Shrines

Notes 27 October 2015

Kuma Kogan township. 1800 ft. 

This note finds me in a Ryokan run for Henro. I am in a dining room adjourned with photos of Henro in full gear, newspaper clippings, letters and books the room is traditional timber panelled with rice paper-dividers, the floor is bare-timber polished by a thousand slippers, lit by the softest of lights, the space is warm and comforting secure from the teeming rain outside. 

The smell of good food fills the room our host lights the individual hot pots containing chicken bits, cabbage, mushrooms, thin slices of onion in a broth. Noodles are in a little bowl ready to be put into the hotpot. The tray is laid out with a dozen small bowls, pickles, Shishimi fish, boiled potatoes, baked tomato, baked eggplant, curdled Soy, sardine in oil, sliced swede, mixed veggie with little chicken bits, rice, Soy sauce, chilli powder. Fig in honey glacé and what looks like a creme Brulle. There is green tea and water. 

I listen intently to the Japanese not being able to understand the direction of the conversation. I have walked with some of these Henros.

 I draw back into my own thoughts concentrating on the gastronomic tastes and marvelling at the skill of our host. 

I am suddenly back at the table. I am being asked in English why I came back from #44? 

The real answer. 

I was anxious to move on and walk 44-45 the latter is a 9.8 klm walk in the mountains in and back 19.6klms over 2 mountain passes it would be a challenge for me. 

Anyways gung-ho Malcolm San arrives in Kuma plenty of time to start the walk and promptly follows the arrows the wrong way. It is OK to get lost but not in the mountains they are hard work with an 11 kg pack. Anyways after an hour - back I go and find the right track but a local stops me and points at the sky. Yep I had been so wrapped up in finding the way I forgot to check the elements. She was wagging her finger and crossing her arms like a street vendor selling those peely-choppy thingies. But I got the message there was a storm coming. I decided to do the 3 klm to #44 anyway just to satisfy my male ego. it was then I turned back and found this ryokan. 

Could I tell him this story? No.

My answer "there was a storm coming". Said cool Malcolm San. It was true listen to the rain.

The morning dawned clear and cold. After a wonderful Japanese Brekkie I hit the road. My intention was to catch a bus. (Yeh I know a real wimp) but this #45 had shaken my confidence.  I was fussing about looking for bus times when a policeman stopped me. I explained my intentions to catch a bus. This happy policeman started to laugh in broken English he said it is only 3 hours walk and catch the bus back. Spoken like a man.

So that is what I did over both mountain passes with 11 kg pack. (Yes Citt I drained the water from my camel). #45 was so beautiful nestled below a 300 metre cliff with age old spruce and pine standing sentinel. The sun dappling the age old buildings, the sound of soft bells from pilgrims sticks ringing out in the clear mountain air. The Eagles glide in the updraft calling in a high pitched whistle. I give the underground shrine a by-pass. I am claustrophobic. 

I caught the 13.05 bus and the Matsuyama bus back to the Terminal Hotel and a welcome Onsen.  

Notes 29 October 2015

This note finds me @ the Terminal Hotel reflecting on the past 3 weeks. I am feeling a little sad. Journeys are like life in microcosm. I think of what I could have done, I think of what I should have done and I think of what I have done. It is past. Lessons learnt passing souls enjoyed. I have walked 450 klms, caught buses, ferries, trains hitched rides even rode in a police car. I have made it to Shrine #51 I have had so much fun and found inner peace. 

As i journeyed the kindness and respect from these people was sometimes overwhelming. I only hope the lessons I have learnt will help me to live a better life. Thank you for following my blogs for me this journey is over. If I am able I would love to journey the 37 Shrines I have not visited. But that is not in my hands. 

I leave Shinkoku tomorrow

A beautiful morning for a Mini-cruise. 88 Shrines Of Shinkoku.

Notes 21 October 2015

You will find me early this morning sitting outside a fish factory on the inlet at Tosa City. 

Why you ask? 

 There is a little ferry tied to the concrete Tsunamai wall that is to take me to 7 ports inside Meitoku Peninsula. That's about right for a mini-cruise. 

it is a glorious morning the water is mirroring the tall mountains, gentle sounds of bird song and the clunk of choppers dissecting the nights catch of Bonito and Mackerel. harvested by fishermen in high bowed long flatboats. The people around here are traditional Japanese with polite and correct attitudes. It is such a joy to travel free with no fear of harm, they respect and expect the same. 

I bummed a ride yesterday from temple 35 to Temple 36. I finally succumbed to the heat and just could not face a 16 klm walk back through the concrete jungle. The couple I rode with had a beautiful car. I was a bit ashamed as it was so clean I could smell myself. They did not seem to mind the smell or maybe they were to polite  I did notice they got my bag out of the boot real quick. 

Temple 36 Shorjuyi is high on a bluff watching out for sailors and all who go on the sea. I was lucky the local monk arrived with his huge conical shell (the biggest I have ever seen). It was near sunset. 

He blew the blessings. It sent shock waves through my body creating tingling. The temple and the mountain are as one and the sound had strange vibrations. It lasted for a few minutes but for me I will hear it forever. It was one of those moments 

"Buddha, Thank you for this wonderful  journey"

the lesson Respect. 

Now for this cruise sitting outside the fish factory please do not ask how I found it? It is embarrassing. 

The guy with solar panels,stove, boots and all arrives. 

The couple I have been tagging for a week arrive. (Ah so they must have jumped a bus or scammed a ride to have gotten here. Thinks me).

Enough the captain blows his horn and it is all aboard this gallant little ferry boat. The four of us have a great time sailing the sound on our mini cruise. Then-  

Yep walkies Henros. 

Me I am heading for the train. It is 57 klms to #37 and only 9 klms to the train that will get me to within 2 klms of the Shrine #37. 

The train wins. 

The train wins.  

Cats and other sounds in the night. 88 shrines

Here I am 12 days into this pilgrimage of 88 Shrines and I must admit this morning I am questioning wether I am loosing my marbles. Picture me sitting on a provincial rail station called Tonohama Shinkoku. 

Yesterday I left Cape Muroto in 28 degree heat. I got a little confused. An angel took me to the Police Station.  They sorted me out. Due to the tangled streets and the Tsunami work going on it was not inexcusable to get lost. As a bonus I arrived at #25 Shrine in a police car no siren thank you. Henri the Frenchman we had been tagging each other could not stop laughing at "u stupid Australian boy". Sounds rather cute with his heavy accent. 

Thanks Buddha.

Not to be defeated I then climbed to Shrine 26 on a path fit only for goats. I was hot hungry and thirsty. I could solve the thirsty but not the hungry. There was no eatery and it was Saturday the food marts were shut. My magic Host at Cape Muroto had given me smoked mackerel with pickles and rice for Breakfast at 05.30. It was getting on 1400 hours.

Alarm Bells were ringing the sun was starting to go down  I had to walk down the mountain and get a bus train to here Tonohama a distance of near 60 klms for an overnight and the long difficult walk to Shrine 27. 

Leaving Shrine 26 I met Henri again. He confided it would be easy to hitch from the car park. I did. The car went the wrong way with me in it. Merci Henri. Thanks to the GPS in the car. Then I decided to take a short cut down the mountain.........

Yep some people do have em. I popped out on the main highway 55 exhausted hot hungry and thirsty. I thought give me a break Buddha I only came to learn a few lessons not the whole gambit. 

Anyways finally navigated my way to here And the village consists of a petrol station on the 55 and 200 acres or so  of hot houses growing eggplants cucumber and flowers. I found a run down Minshuku run by a grumpy old man. And a bloody great high Tsunamai wall. (I kept my pack ready to go by the door). 

Any ways the rooms are divided by rice paper and bamboo framed screens. I settled down hungry but bathed. After walking 55 in search of a feed I gave up to bed supper less. Settled down the guy next screen had gas and snored. Between his farts and snores and the bloody cats having a war I was glad when my windy friend's iPhone hit 4.30 and his siren alarm went off. Fair dinkum some people. 

So here I am sitting on a Provincial rail station- Japan at 07.30 on a bright sunny morning waiting for the train to Noichi 70 klms away and #28, 29,30 Shrines for me to discover. I know there is a cfe on the rail station my guide book tells me. I'm afraid Shrine 27 has got the better of me. I am not going there the feeling ain't right. I need food now. 

The lesson I got has to be Tolerance. 

Saw the Turkish couple slogging it out on highway 55. 

Wonder where Henri is.

The spider and the fly. 88 Shrines of Kinkoku.

The saga of changing money and WIFI.  

Saga 

Nothing seems easy in Japan. The bows The Origatos hide a complicated system. With lots of face. 

 WIFI there is a free Japan Tourist app giving 2 weeks free. What is wrong with that? Well fill in all details email home address etc and then tick off your life interests. Then. The the app asks for passcode to your IOS system. Yep go jump. I will rely on the free stuff at lodgings. Cannot buy a sim. Nope no Joey. U tourist not stay 60 day. Oookkkk. 

Money I spent 2 hours trying to change my humble Au$ to ¥.  A bank clerk in the end took me and showed me the grandest of grandest Bank AWA

 (what a lovely person to leave her desk and walk a kilometre with a dumb Henro).  

Yep for 10% fee at the roughest of rates the grandest of grandest Bank AWA took my Au$ in exchange for ¥. 

All around this grandest of grandest Bank AWA were beautiful Japanese smiles. 

Made me feel like a fly in a spiders web.   

I had just been stung.

Anyways I missed my early bus. Next bus 12.50. Not to worry time to write you, have a coffee and contemplate my good fortune to have seen the grandest of grandest Bank AWA and to know I have contributed to their cause. 

I am trying to figure out what the lesson was this morning?  

Bright spark award. 

 "he who has the gold makes the rules" A Fellow Swapper. 

88 shrines Blog. Please tap on this heading to access Blog.

Just a friendly note to better enjoy the blog. The email is a bonus. 

True North Day 6. 88 Shrines of shikoku

Notes. After 17 shrines. 

Hello I started in Tokushima  here I am again. 

Visiting shrines is not straight forward indeed it is like a Cook's tour of the small idyllic hamlets and byways of rural Japan here in Tokushima Prefecture there is a diverse range of scenery Mountains covered in Pines, Spruce and Maple. The river flats grow rice, pigs, chickens with small towns.  There is some manufacturing of farm machinery but not on a large scale. The whole prefecture seems to be Criss crossed with roads and by roads winding and bending around hills mountains and rivers. It is very confusing to keep True north in the mind. Hence my journey has sometimes gone the wrong way. 

The path of the Henro is clearly marked. But to avoid two mountain walks I decided to catch a train from #11 Shrine and hop off at Kuo station and visit in reverse order # 17,16,15,14,13 and Sunday walk the mountain trail to #12. Perfectly simple you may ask. I walked 32 klms most of it the wrong way a 9 hour day coming into a small Traditional Hotel after dark with headlight flashing is not my idea of a holiday. BUT. it was not raining. 

I was correct in my assumption that the walk from #11 to #12 with my full pack would have been too difficult for me.

After a fantastic Japanese breakfast caught the bus to the end of the bus route. It is 9 klm from bus stop to Shrine straight up.  (left my pack at a family grocery store). I bought some lunch and a sweat to take with me in my day pack. I left the store at 8.30 thinking I would have ample time to walk up and back. The bus left to go back at 2.30pm . 

The track was a killer took 4 hours. 

Shosanji  Shrine is  beautiful 200 year old trees protect it and stand sentinel to the test of time. The maple are just starting to change colour ialong with recent rain the forest is glorious. 

I share a meagre lunch with a Japanese Henro at the Shrine escarpment before we headed  back down together, it was good to be with a kindred soul, our language differed but our purpose was the same.

 Back to the time factor I did not dilly dally on the way. I just made the 2.30 bus to Tokushima. My book is done to # 17 Shrine. I am happy. 

Had a need to top up yen in Tokushima. 

Woke up sore and a little slow, when I stood up it got worse. Packed checked out and noticed that the streets were quiet had a coffee and an egg-bacon sandwich. 

Great it is a holiday. 

Banks all shut. 

No worries ATM, right, do you read Japanese? no. What to do? My body was telling me this is for a reason take a day off. 

Back to my 5 Tatami room where the train comes through every 15 minutes. Have been asleep since 11.00   Slept for 3 hours. 

Every thing has a reason! 

Buddha "thanks".

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money".  Unknown. 

Day 1-2 going into 3. 88 shrines of Shikoku Japan

Hello it is a long time since I posted you. 

I write from seat 1D on a Jetstar flight bound for Cairns and onto Kansai International Japan. I have a plan to walk part of a 1300 klm pilgrimage - 88 Shrines of Shikoku. And to traverse the volcano Aso San  in Kyushu Japan. 

You ask why another pilgrimage?

 Cancer the grim sinister stalker has been part of my life for 9 years  post, present and  future. (My hope is to be rid of the curse this year). I have a  deep sadness! I have lost three old dear friends to varying types of this insidious disease. With each passing a little of my soul has gone with them. Never a day goes by I am not reminded of my good fortune to have escaped with my life and health. To enjoy my beautiful wife, children, the wonder of our little grandchildren and you my friend.  

For me to be on this journey is an honour, Following  the steps and spirit of those that have gone before on the path of enlightenment. I long to feel the sun and wind in my hair the rain on my face and see the vast panoramas. to meditate in sacred places.  I love to see how people live their every day lives constantly reminding myself I am only a traveller/guest in this land. To be as one with this wonderful earth. To truly live as a being, for me this is the purpose of this journey!

My start point is Kansai International Airport Japan. The plan is to overnite in Wakayama the ferry port for Takashima Shikoku. Takashima is the start point of the walk.. #1 Shrine. There is not time in my agenda to complete the 88 Shrines  but I will go as far as my legs will carry me. I must catch another ferry to Kyushu by the 1 Nov to traverse Aso San The Volcano is still active and dangerous. I understand strict procedures are in place. 

Gunna love this adventure!

"I hate it when people see me at the supermarket and they're like 'Hey, what are you doing here?' I tell them 'You know.. hunting elephants" http://coolfunnyquotes.com  

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Wakyama city inn

Yep I was the main attraction at the breakfast hall - but hey I am not that bad looking that the young ladies giggle at me. Maybe it's adoration. "Yeh I hear in your dreams".

I must get from the hotel to the ferry.

 Pull into the JR Station too hard. 

 I know there is a rail line covering the 6 klms but it seems one has to change trains problem. 

So I walk. 

Fabulous way to get into the swing of things. Clean and neat with the usual traffic Not hot not wet. Make the ferry terminal but miss the ferry by 5 minutes next ferry 4 hours. Time to write and do some homework. There is no English signs or writing  in restaurants or transport   To date have had a lot of help.  Japanese are pretty cool about this stuff. Staying in a traditional tatami room in a good guest house. What the guide book did not say was it was near a rail line. 

“Travel works best when you’re forced to come to terms with the place you’re in.” – Paul Theroux