Distance according to book: 8.5 km (5.28 miles)
Distance walked: 9.2 miles, about four miles without pack
Temple 17, idoji
9:06 pm
It is raining cats and dogs outside our tiny tsuyado--free temple lodging. It is a tiny house just to the right of the Kobo Daichi Temple. It has lights, two outlets, a roof, and windows. We have sleeping bags and a futon to keep us cozy. To get to the bathroom, you must walk 100 yards across the temple grounds, past altars and monuments. Camping has never been so wondrous. Every day, many times a day, pilgrims stand right next to our hut and recite the heart sutra. The energy of this prayer permeates the space.
Outside our hut
Pilgrim paraphernalia hanging to make room for beds
We have a neighbor, Miko, who is also a pilgrim and sleeps in a tent underneath the steps leading to the kobo daichi temple. She speaks very good English and helped us plan our day tomorrow. We either "hitch"' a ride with a pilgrim to temples 18 and 19 or take the train. Then we walk 10 kilometers towards temple 20 and stay in a hostel she reserved for us.
We visited all five temples listed above. They are all in Tokushima, very close together, so we were done by 1:30 pm when we reserved our little Tsuyado.
We visited all five temples listed above. They are all in Tokushima, very close together, so we were done by 1:30 pm when we reserved our little Tsuyado.
You are learning so much! I will have to hear more translation of what all these terms mean. Body holding up okay? Wow, 14 miles in one day--sounds impossible to me. Well, maybe once but then never again.
ReplyDeleteHard enough, most days not too hard. Eating a lot of homemade Japanese meals.
DeleteNo Uber between temples?
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DeleteHitchhiking! With other "car pilgrims."
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