🌸 Noire Henro-san: On The Surface – pt 1

A paved concrete surface at the fountain helps keep the surrounding area safe and dry.

A complaint from ohenros on the pilgrimage path is that the walking surface is too hard. Meaning that there is an unexpectedly enormous amount of paved roads and concrete surfaces. Walkers come to Japan and the pilgrimage path looking to be surrounded by all things green. They want green forest and mountain trails, beautiful flowers, and unaltered natural surfaces.

They are here.

We don’t always get what we want, in this case, green grass to walk on. Often, it is over there and never over here.

We get these.

A nice road surface along a red bridge.

Is this a suitable trade-off?

Beautifully maintained garden lane surface at a temple.
A beautifully maintained garden lane at the temple.
Nice view of the surrounding pond and greenery in the countryside.
A large pond and greenery along a walking path.

This approach to temple 14 looks like something from prehistoric times.. The surface appears to be the remnant of volcanic flow in the mountains.

I saw this many times on the camino in Spain.

A “sea” of this surface is frightening, I have to admit. It is a feeling that I had many times. The moment I looked up and saw that sea of solid matter or monstrous wall of this stuff going further up a mountain until that is all I saw, my heart sank. Every time. Every time.

A volcanic surface at the temple.

No matter what country, this is a tricky surface to walk on especially after a rain. Carrying a backpack does not help but a walking stick comes in handy.

A well-maintained stone surface on the temple grounds.
Another granite surface at the temple

Stone steps are ubiquitous on the trail. Watch out! They are tripping magnets.

Transitioning surface from volcanic flow to stone steps.

Note the transition from the natural volcanic flow to the stone steps.

A mixture of volcanic rock flow, gravel. and concrete surfaces at the temple.

A mixture of surfaces – volcanic flow, concrete, and gravel.

This granite column points the way to temple 15 on a paved surface path.

A stone marker on a paved road surface pointing to the next temple.

A paved surface like this in many towns serves walkers, bikers, and drivers.

A paved road surface in a residential area.

Expect to share the road with agricultural vehicles and animals.

Expeditious ground surface maintenance in front of a temple gate.
Anything that works.

Expedient surface maintenance at the temple gate is necessary after holidays and celebrations.

The surface here in a mix of pounded gravel and dirt. It is comfortable to walk on.

The walkway is less susceptible to damage from rain and wind.

Another hard surface to navigate on the temple hall steps.

These look like recently renovated steps at the main temple. The risers are very steep so care must be taken when walking upon this surface.

Beautiful stone surfaces on the temple grounds.

On days when the weather is rainy or windy, paved surfaces keep the dust down.

The clean road surface in front of a temple gate.
The temple gate.

Niō guardians at the gate entrance.

The supporting structure appears to be cut granite blocks.

Varying kinds of surfaces suit the location and purpose of their placement on temple grounds

Asphalt on the highways is the same all over the world!

A highway road surface with marker pointing way to another temple.

A mixture of grounds surfaces in front of a temple hall.

Stone steps leading to temple buildings.

Wooden surface bench with resting backpack.
Wooden benches are often used to hold backpacks before ascending to temple buildings even higher on mountain locations.

Granite marker pointing to temple 18 on Shikoku 88.
Marker directing the way to temple 18.

Tatami mats surfaces are fiercely protected at temples, restaurants and in homes.

No shoes or dragging heavy objects are allowed. The surface is hard on my bare feet. I wear socks where I can.

Pilgrim with a host on Shikoku 88.
A farewell photo of me and the host at the ryokan where I stayed while visiting temples 14 through 17.
Here is sign directing residents to an evacuation site in case of a tsunami.

Osettai from a nice woman on the trail.

Granite blocks leading to the temple grounds.

Kōbō Daishi on the temple grounds.

I met an ohenro at a temple who told me a story. He said that he asked an old man, an ohenro, what he should do if the trail is painful on his body and feet. The old man replied that he should keep walking.

I thought to myself: on the surface, that seemed to be a dispassionate answer. Somehow, I understood it. Having experienced pain in my walking pilgrimage in the past and now, I knew that the lesson is to persevere. I believe we should seek an answer to another question. I ask, is this really suffering? Is this – walking on the path toward enlightenment – suffering?

I say that it is.

It is self-inflicted but hopefully not masochistic. The goal, however, is to confront and manage to get where you are going. Let the pain in your feet, knees, body, and mind teach you the lessons about yourself you came to this place, at this time, to learn.

My fellow ohenro must have thought it was so and continued on the path.

Despite the quality of the surface, pilgrims must go on. Walk long enough and you encounter your surface of choice. Acknowledge and observe your feelings until you hit the next piece of gravel, concrete, tile, dirt, mud, or water puddle. Remember too, the pilgrimage path features walking along beaches, the ocean and the wide open sea.

You will encounter and walk on them all, not just the one you want. Make friends with each of them. They may just save you at the very moment you need it. That is acceptance.

Isn’t that life, too?




During the spring of 2024, I began a pilgrimage in Japan where I am walking 1200 kilometers or 720 miles on the Shikoku trail from Temple 1 Ryōzenji to Temple 88 Ōkuboji and beyond. Read my original announcement here.

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


Baadaye and Mata Ne

Shirley J 🌸







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