Henro Day 36

Today I did a round trip of the path normally taken down from #60 Yokomineji. I left my backpack at yesterday’s ryokan, so I had a light load.

I then stayed at a minshuku (Japanese style guesthouse) nearby yesterday’s ryokan.

The weather was a bit strange and rained on and off. I passed a quarry on the shortcut the butcher told me.

The climb

From near my destination Yokomineji

Saijou City, temple 60 – Yokomineji

Before reading any sutras, I came across TI-san and his wife who I have been meeting now and again recently. They gave me an apple, which was a nice way to replenish the energy I used while climbing.

I also met 2 lady’s walking the pilgrimage called KMK-san and SK-san. They said they were going to climb a little further and see the “kane no torii” (metal shinto shrine archway) so I went with them.

“kane no torii”. It looks grand with Mt. Ishizuchi in the backdrop, but it’s actually shorter than me.

When we got back to the rest hut at yokomineji, they shared their lunch with me. Huge thanks! ^^

I descended the mountain at about 3 the speed I climbed at. lol

There are still some clouds, but it doesn’t feel like it will rain any more.

Today’s guesthouse “Dougyou Minshuku Suzu”

The lady running this minshuku (from here Suzu-san) previously taught flower arrangement and how to properly wear kimono among other things, but she had to move back to Ehime prefecture in Shikoku so she had a house built to her design and moved in and made a living making pottery. It seems she has received awards for her pottery several times.

And recently (from 2 years ago if my memory is correct), she quit pottery and started her minshuku guesthouse business. It seems she designed the house so that she could do this fro the start.

Suzu-san also holds the sendachi qualification, so she has completed the pilgrimage several times.

I think I met quite an amazing person.

The minshuku itself left a good impression, with pottery decorated all over the place it has a unique atmosphere. I really recommend this place.

Henro Day 35

Today I decided to follow the advice of HWS-san who I met at Aokijizou and instead of taking the mountain henro path, I walked along route 196 and intended to stay in the tsuyadou part way up the path down from #60.

However! When I got to #61 and asked the monk in the stamp office about it, he told me there wasn’t a tsuyadou – just an azumaya with excellent ventillation (as in no walls…)

I really couldn’t stay there without even a sleeping bag, so I stayed in a nearby hotel called “Business Hotel Komatsu”. Since I was close by, I visited temples 61 and 62.

We participated in the 6am service, then the chief priest talked to us. I took the above picture of “thousand arm Kanon”, the idol of this temple, with the permission of the chief priest.

Imabari City, temple 59 – Kokubunji

The 7 gods of fortune make another appearance… It’s said that if you take their aprons home then your wish will be granted, but none of them have aprons on – does this mean that someone has taken them all home? lol

I ate some senbei biscuits at Imabari Yunoura rest stop and made a cup noodle. I was eating it outside when a kitten approached me.

It got on my lap then sneezed leaving some snot on my trousers. (sob sob…)
I tried sharing a little of my noodles, but it didn’t eat much.

Saijou City, temple 61 – Kouonji. The second story (floor 1 to us brits) of this large building is kind of like a concert hall and is functioning as both the main temple building and the daishi building (the former idolises the bodhisattva specific to the temple and the latter idolises Kuukai aka Kouboudaishi)

This is where I learned of the non-existence of the tsuyadou and phoned “Business Ryokan Komatsu” in a slight panic. I got to stay in the hotel’s annex.

For the record, according to a note on my map written by K-san, the food here is delicious. But since I thought I was staying the night in a tsuyadou, I’d already bought food at the supermarket and missed out on the hotel food. I was a bit disappointed.

Saijou City, temple 62 – Houjuji

The entrance and my room in Business Ryokan Komatsu’s annex.

The annex is actually the second story of a butcher 3 minutes walk from the main ryokan. Apparently the meals involve meat, so my guess is that they cooperate with the butcher.

The room was comfortable and the butcher was kind – telling me a shortcut route to the mountain path for tomorrow. But I thought it was a little expensive considering I didn’t eat and on top of that the washing machine, dryer and aircon each had a device on which needs 100 yen per hour of operation. I don’t see why they need to be quite this stingy, to be honest…

Henro Day 34

Today I visited 5 temples in Imabari City and stayed in the tsuyadou in the final one, Senyuuji.

The road to #54

The two main gates of #54?? (actually, I think probably the left picture is the main gate…)

Imabari City, temple 54 – Enmeiji

I’m still walking with KB-san. We had curry for lunch. delish!

Imabari City, temple 55 – Nankoubou

Imabari City, temple 56 – Taisanji

Imabari City, temple 57 - Eifukuji

Inuzuka lake

Imabari City, temple 58 – Sen’yuuji

The tsuyadou in Sen’yuuji. There were 2 rooms.

We were allowed to use the large stone bath in the temple hotel facility.