Temples Hidden in The Amazing Nature [Shikoku Pilgrimage]
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January 30, 2017 - Temples Hidden in The Amazing Nature [Shikoku Pilgrimage]
Over the past three months, I have visited five temples in Ehime and Kagawa prefectures as a pilgrim gOhenro-san.h
To be honest, I have never thought I would ever go on the pilgrimage. I was born and raised in Ehime, and I always knew about the pilgrimage and the 88 temples, but it wasnft something that a lot of local people do, especially young people. Ifd always pictured the pilgrimage as if it was only for those who had retired from work and had enough money and time to spare because it takes about 40 days to complete on foot. However, I was wrong. Despite the fact that the traditional way is to wear only white clothes with the jacket, the hat, the cane and so on and to walk to every temple from No.1 to No.88, there are no such rules that you canft do otherwise. Therefore, here I introduce my way of Shikoku Pilgrimage with some tips about things you should see and eat along your journey.
From September to November, I have visited 4 temples over 3 prefectures. Ohenro didnft sound appealing to me first but once I started this project #loveshikoku and visited many temples, I started to understand why a lot of people are willing to go on the pilgrimage. I didnft complete the 88 temples and I didnft visit temples in order but still I would like to go around all the temples someday, get all the stamps for my Goshuincho (stamp book), and complete my journey.
Ehime (€Q)
I visited one of the most popular temples in Matsuyama.
ENo.51 Ishite-ji: There is an interesting legend about how ohenro started.
EThere is an interesting anime related caf by the temple, too. Their anime is called gOh! My Ringh . If you are an anime fan and want to learn about ohenro from anime characters, check this out: http://oh-my-ring.com/index.html
EMohenro Chaya
Imabari, Ehime
For my first pilgrimage, I drove to Imabari, Ehime visiting three temples.
ENo. 55 Nankobo: The only temple which doesnft have a word gji(temple)h in its name.
ENo. 57 Eifukuji: The temple that a movie gBoku wa bosan (Ifm a monk)h was modeled off of.
ENo. 58 Senyuji: Hidden in the fog where you can try out vegetarian food that monks eat.
Also here are some popular local food to include in your journey:
EYakibuta Tamago Meshi: A bowl of rice topped with sliced roast pork and eggs sunny-side up
EStrawberry Saved Ice from Tosendo
Kumakogen, Ehime [Ft. Sharla in Japan]
Sharla, one of the most popular YouTubers, came all the way from Tokyo to join my pilgrimage!
ENo.45 Iwayaji: The temple whose picture was posted on the New York Times for an article g52 places to go in 2015h.This temple is in the middle of nowhere but there is a great hotel to stay at with very kind staff and delicious food.
EFuruiwayaso: Close enough to the temple and offers the best food. Itfs not a fancy hotel but the staff is so nice.
Yashima, Kagawa
I took a highway bus from Ehime to get to Kagawa. Yashima is good for families and small kids. There is good food and interesting places to explore. Today I visited only one temple, but the place offers so much more.
ENo. 84 Yashimaji: Quite small but historical temple.
EShikokumura: A village to experience Japanese traditional lifestyle.
ENew Yashima Aquarium: An aquarium located on the top of the mountain where adorable dolphins and seals welcome you.
EWhat to eat: Sanuki Udon: Thick wheat flour noodles. Sanuki is an old province of Kagawa.
Kochi (m§)
Kochi was a lot bigger than I had imagined. But the weather was great and food was amazing! Needless to say, temples were breathtakingly beautiful. Kochi is also famous for bonito.
ENo.24 Hotsumisaki-ji: Right beside the Pacific ocean. Great view.
ENo.37 Iwamoto-ji: Paintings on the ceiling are very artistic.
EHirome Ichiba (Fish Market)
Tokushima (¿)
Last but not least, let me introduce you to the very first temple of this whole pilgrimage. It was quite a trip to get there but still it was more than worth it.
ENo.1 Ryozen-ji: The very first temple and the last temple of the pilgrimage.
Donft forget to eat some local food here!
ERich Burger Factory
This pilgrimage is not all about meditation and religion. I realized that it could be a simple fun activity to try out once in a while. In fact, I have learned so much about the area where I grew up and it has been an amazing journey. As long as we keep in mind that we must show respect to each temple that we visit and other Ohenro-san, how we enjoy the pilgrimage is up to us.
AuthorFSherryBerry
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2017/01/30 - Temples Hidden in The Amazing Nature [Shikoku Pilgrimage] |
