🌸 Noire Henro-san: Route of Worship

The locations of the city temples in Imabari make it convenient to visit them all in one day… if you want. I visited the other temples in the last post. Let’s walk together on the pilgrimage path. We’ll visit the rest of the temples in and around Imabari city in Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage.

  • Temple 58 Senyu-ji
  • Temple 59 Kokubun-ji
Blue skies brighten the pilgrimage path.

Temple Of The Secluded Hermit

Sighting a temple gate on the pilgrimage path.
The gate to temple 58.

Are the temple main hall curtains burgundy or purple? Maybe it is the sun!

No editing today – I like them, so I’ll leave them as they are.

Rafters on a temple building on the pilgrimage path.

Buddha's feet on the pilgrimage path.

Buddha’s feet mark the pilgrimage path.

Ohenro friends together again on the pilgrimage path.

Here are two ohenros that I met earlier on the trail. Mr ohenro was from the U.S. We had not seen each other for many days. We were all glad to meet again!.

More ohenro friends on the pilgrimage path.

These elderly ohenros (look who’s talking) were walking a portion of the trail. ‘Til we all meet again on the pilgrimage path.

Nio guardians at a temple gate.

Protective Nio guardians in fiercely animated stances “welcome” all visitors who enter through the temple gate.

Nio guardian in a gate on the pilgrimage path.

Torii gate on the pilgrimage path.

Torii gates dot the pilgrimage path in the woods and in cities. Some are associated with larger temples and shrines. Many mark entrances to cemeteries.

Visiting city temples does not mean forests are not close. There are all kinds of trees including bamboo groves on the pilgrimage path. It is uplifting and refreshing to simply see the trees when the sun is beaming overhead.

Guard rail stickers point the way on the pilgrimage path.

Guard rail stickers point the way to temple 59.

State Temple Of Iyo Province

Stone steps lead to the temple grounds.

Main temple on Shikoku pilgrimage path.

Finally, the top. And the main hall.

The belfry.

Kobo Daishi on temple grounds on the pilgrimage path.

Kobo Daishi.

Kobo Daishi and a black medicine jar at a temple on the pilgrimage path.

Kobo Daishi stands next to a medicine jar that reflects healing powers of the temple diety, Yakushi Nyorai.

Incense burner (JĹŤkĹŤro) in at a temple on the pilgrimage path.

Incense burner (JĹŤkĹŤro) in front of the main hall,

Praying pilgrims at the main hall.

The fountain with a medicine jar spigot for ablutions.

Daishi Hall topped with a flaming ball at a temple on the pilgrimage path.

The Daishi Hall is topped with a flaming ball.

Ohenro looking out on the Shikoku pilgrimage path.

A placard posted at the temple shows a recommended route of travel for pilgrims. The graphics display an efficient way for reaching temples 60 through 63.

The poster addresses the issue of navigation. For instance, the path to temple 60 passes temples 61, 62, and 63 on the way. So after the visit to temple 60, the route would have to be backtracked. to get to the other temples.

To avoid extra walking, the advice is to walk in this order after temple 59: first to temple 61, followed by temples 62, temple 63, and finally 60. Almost a straight line!

Due to many ohenro walking paths all over the island, this issue is not uncommon. Ultimately, you will get to where you are going.

Posted route for walkers on the pilgrimage trail.
Route of worship posted at temple 59. It is advised to walk in this order -T61-62-63-60

But first…

I returned to Imabari City! It is a major shipbuilding city outlooking the Seto Sea. Port facilities are extremely busy here.

One of the sights of Imabari city is a big ship’s propeller sculpture facing the port.

Big ship’s propeller sculpture in Imabari city on the pilgrimage path.

The city has ferry ports for getting to Omishima, Hiroshima, other Seto Inland Sea islands off the northern coast of Shikoku island and beyond.


See you next time at the temples in the “60’s”.


Baadaye and Mata Ne

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.

I am excited, and I am here, still walking. And just know this, I will return to tell the tale!


T58-59

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