Day 4 : 10 April 2009

Posted in Shikoku Pilgrimage (click on pictures to enlarge)

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The day began with an hour of climbing followed by an hour of descending only to climb again to reach Temple 12 Shosanji (Burning Mountain Temple).

 

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At regular intervals along the forest path are small stone statues, each with a colourful apron and a bowl at their feet for offerings.

In the afternoon we were in for a big surprise, another steep descent, climb and finally a descent into another valley.

 

 

 

For osettai today we were given a free cup of tea at a teahouse, 10 mandarins and Jeff was given another cup of tea and 100 yen.

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We camped on the banks of a river for the night halfway to the next Temple, going to bed at 6pm exhausted.  We should have done a bit more training before leaving home.

(34.0091 N 134.3759 E)

 

 

Day 5 : 11 April 2009

Posted in Shikoku Pilgrimage (click on pictures to enlarge)

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Following the picturesque Akuigawa River, we arrived at Temple 13 Dainichiji (Temple of the Great Sun).P1000121

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A shrine on the way.

 

 

 

 

The next 4 Temples were all close together on the outskirts of Tokushima.

 

Temple 14 Jorakuji (Temple of Everlasting Peace)

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Temple 15 Kokubunji (The Official State Temple)

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Temple 16 Kanonji (Avalokitesvera Temple) 

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Temple 17 Idoji (Well Temple)

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We decided on a hotel in Tokushima city for a hot bath, a cold beer and to wash our clothes.

Sakuraso is a minshuku near the railway station with lovely Japanese tatami rooms and a kind lady who washed our dirty clothes for us.

After a feed of Awa Adori Chicken, we moved on to the restaurant next door and had a big bowl of Tokushima Ramen (one of our favourites).  We encountered 2 female henro we had met earlier at the first restaurant and another young henro at the second.  It was like greeting old friends.

(34.073 N 134.5535 E)