🌸 Noire Henro-San: Golden Week Pt 2

Buddha’s footprint represents the path to enlightenment, the teachings of the Dharma, and the universality of Buddhism.

A Little Homework

G

olden week holidays are rapidly approaching. Well, the days are not passing any quicker, just those leading up to it! I am running out of time and options. Still, my visits to temples on Shikoku 88 continue. My search for accommodations along the pilgrimage path also continues. Here is an email I sent to a host in the town of Nagahama in Kochi prefecture.

Correspondence:

Hello. I am a 67 year old solo woman henro-san from America on the Shikoku pilgrimage. I completed the 1400km camino Mozarabe in Spain last year.

I would love to reserve a space in the house to visit several temples and to use it as a resting retreat during the upcoming holidays. Do you have space for me beginning tomorrow for 3 days? Even better, is it possible for me to reserve for the entire Golden week?

Am I understanding that the charge is ¥3300 per night for an individual? I will be visiting Temples 31, 32, and 33 tomorrow before arriving. Please let me know.. Arigato Gozaimasu. -Shirley J

While I wait for a reply… walk with me.

Sacred Mountain

Stone markers are practical works of art on Shikoku. Don’t you think so? This one points the way to temple 31.

The climb to the temple is on Mount Godaisan, considered a sacred mountain. It overlooks the city of Kochi.

Before I left my last host, she told me two things. One was that her husband was buried on the grounds at temple 31. It has been 20 years since he died. and she still visits his burial spot.

Second she insisted that I visit Makino Botanical Garden on the way to the temple. The garden honors Dr. Tomitaro Makino, considered the father of Japanese botany, Spread out over 20 acres along Mount Godaisan, it features more than 3,000 plant species, a conservatory, museum and plant research center.

Like an obedient ohenro, I heeded her advice. It did not take long to get there. On the way, I ran into a Japanese ohenro I met on the trail a few days ago. We walked through the garden path together, observing and talking about the flowers and trees. It is wonderfully cultivated and maintained.

We were not able to enter any of the buildings due to the early hour, but there is a lot to observe and enjoy. A statue of Dr. Makino stands close to the museum. Also, a sitting area is located on an observation deck with a view of Kochi City.

Signs were posted directing pilgrims around the garden grounds. No time was lost; temple 31 is not very far. The path leading to it could easily be taken as another part of the garden.

31 Chikurin-ji

Bamboo Forest Temple

The temple pagoda leans slightly due to uneven drying of the wood used to construct it.

My walk continues, this time to temple 32.

Somebody’s Watching

Messages of encouragement from children are posted on trees in the forests. They tell ohenros to keep going, not to give up, and that the walk is worth it. They are aware that we come from every corner of the planet to do this.

On the path to the temple, I noticed that it led right next to a school building. This was a big one. Not a soul was outside or on the schoolyard. The sound of children’s voices through the open windows livened up my walk.

The walking path was parallel to the school building. A bulletin board was posted on the other side – on the path. It had letters from the students to ohenros. I stopped walking so I could read a few of the letters, almost all written in English.

Suddenly, I detected a change in the sounds coming from the classrooms. I felt like they were watching me. It was quite surreal. I did not look up. Soon, I moved on after placing a sticker on one of the letters as a thank you.

Normally, I don’t take photos of children or schools just to respect their privacy and for security.

See you next time.

Baadaye and Mata Ne (またね)

Shirley J ♥️

This and several posts this summer will chronicle my pilgrimage in Japan where I am walking the 1200 kilometer-long Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. Read my announcement here.

T31