Gold Buddha statues

(Original Post from iHenro!)

Firstly, I want to say that even though I only did about a week on pilgrimage, I am so happy that I went and I’m really looking forward to going again. Secondly, I want to apologize, I have the feeling that my Journal entries are all a bit whiney. Before going on the pilgrimage my life had been about 17 weeks of non stop study and work. I literally only had a couple of free hours per week. And I’m not exaggerating. So, I had actually forgotten how to do nothing. Really.

One of the best things about the walk was re-learning how to do nothing. I was very unsure for the first couple of days about whether or not I would have the want and drive to actually continue until I had finished the Tokushima portion of the walk. As I wrote, If I wasn’t enjoying myself I was going to stop once I made it to Tokushima city (early day 4), because frankly, at that point in time I felt that my time wasn’t worth spending if I wasn’t doing something constructive or enjoyable. I was amazed at how bored I was those first few days. But eventually I found it quite meditative, just concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, watching where I was going, and enjoying the scenery.

Bussokuseki

So my initial impression of Tokushima was that it really wasn’t different to anywhere else in Japan. Although I lived in Tokyo, I had been to ‘the countryside’ plenty of times. I thought that Tokushima would be more remote than it was, but in reality it was just like suburbia in other areas, but maybe a little more spread out and laid back. Oh, and cows (in sheds, not open fields). And a little smelly. Sorry Tokushima.

I did find the people to be more friendly than Tokyoites. A lot more people were willing to engage in conversation with strangers, and no one assumed that I couldn’t speak a little Japanese, which was refreshing. However I’m unsure whether that was indicative of people from Shikoku, or the fact that you seem to have a bond with every other Henro on the trail. Sure you might be doing it alone, but we are all in the same boat, so we should all help each other out.

The little girl talking to me on her way to school really did surprise me, as I’ve found the majority of Japanese kids to be pretty shy. I’m sure it helped that she had a foreign teacher, so she wasn’t as wary of foreigners. But she was very sweet. Didn’t seem to realise that in Australia we also speak English

Main Hall

The other Henro I met at the first temple was a real help to me. I got to the first temple pretty early and there was no one around. I wasn’t even sure where to buy my gear (coat, stamp book, candles and incense), but eventually I was able to find the store. I had read in my guide-book the procedure to follow at the temple, but once you get there it all sort of disappears from your mind. So while I was standing there a bit lost Uemura-san approached me and pointed out which hall was the Main Hall, the Daishi Hall, and what prayers were appropriate. Uemura-san I think was a car-Henro, but this pilgrimage was his 8th time! He even had an official name badge and red name slips. I think if he hadn’t spoken to me there would have been a high chance of me turning around and going back. I hate to admit it, but new places are very much out of my comfort zone. So I was pushing myself in that respect all week.

Daishi Hall

The temples on Day One weren’t spectacular, but I really love the esthetic of Japanese Buddhism. So it was all the little things that caught my eyes, like carvings, statues, and rooftops. And that was really the same for the walk. I’ve seen heaps of countryside in Japan, so pretty houses and gardens are what I stopped to look at. As well as rice fields, flowers and fruit trees. It was late Autumn so unfortunately the Autumn colors weren’t so good, but it was also Hachiya persimmon season. I saw these everywhere, and I couldn’t figure out why people were hanging them up outside their houses. I later found out that they are too bitter to eat fresh, and must be peeled and left out to sweeten. And once they are sweetened they taste so good.

It was also mandarin orange season, so each night most of my accommodations would serve either that or persimmon for dessert. Dinners were very elaborate affairs, all kaiseki ryori, which means you had many little plates of different things. That first night the main dish was beef nabe (one pot stew), but for the life of me I can’t remember if there was anything else. Breakfast was very standard in most places as well, being rice, miso soup and fish. Most places actually gave you a raw egg which you would crack over your rice, but I can’t really stomach that first thing in the morning. The first minshuku was really great in that they asked if I would like my egg cooked.

Persimmon

That first minshuku was a bit of a shock. Not that I expected five-star quality, but it was a bit…. old. I would have to say that out of all the places I stayed, it was the worst value for money. But it was warm and comfortable, and provided snacks and tea, so I’m not complaining.

The first thing I would do once getting to my accommodations would be to sit down and have some tea and a rice cracker before writing my journal. And that didn’t change for much of the week, minus a few days when I had to take an early bath or something. It was a bit difficult for me to adjust to having a bath in the evening, and not a morning shower, but it was very refreshing after walking all day. After dinner I would ring and book my next day’s accommodation, read a little (I took my kindle with me) and then get an early night. Most days I was up by 6 and then back out on the road by 7. It was a simple routine, but enjoyable in its simplicity. In fact, in regards to the whole week, I would say it was very meditative. Which considering it was a pilgrimage… was to be expected.

Fudo Myoo

Hello folks! Just a few house-keeping notes before I get into the good stuff. I’m going to write two posts about everyday on the pilgrimage. First will be a Journal post, which will be a copy of the journal I kept along the way on the hike, and following each of those will be a Reflections post with my thoughts as I go along re-reading what I wrote, and any extra photos I want to share.

So, without further ado…

Tally ho!

November 21, 2011, Day One

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• travelling from 7 am to 3pm
• 5 temples (Ryosenji, Gokurakuji, Kosenji, Dainichiji and Jisoji)
• 17.8 km
• 6920 yen on Pilgrim attire
• staying at Kotobuki Minshuku (6825 yen including dinner and breakfast)

So, had to leave the hotel at 6:45 to catch the 7:00 train (Tokushima Station to Bando Station). No complementary breakfast for me.

Walking from the station to the first temple I was quizzed by a very cute 5th grade girl. Seems she as a foreign English teacher with blue eyes too.

Rosenji (No. 1)

At Ryosenji straight away I was approached by a fellow Henro who explained how to do everything. He was very helpful and even gave me his business card so I can phone him if I have any problems. His name is Uemura-san.

Gokurakuji (No. 2)

The first 2 temples were seen to pretty quickly. Between 3 and 4 I met an American woman who was just finishing her trek. Said it was more difficult than she thought it would be, but also more rewarding than she ever imagined. Stopped for lunch at a shrine just after Kosenji, onigiri from family mart (quite possibly a mistake as it didn’t agree with me later).

Dainichiji (No. 4)

At Dainichiji I was given some osettai – tissues and a hankie, which will come in use. Was starting to get tired so I walked quickly to the last temple and then to my minshuku by 3. A little early, but I’m tired~ Looking forward to a bath and dinner!

Room at Kotobuki Minshuku

Not sure if i really want to do this, it’s really lonely and a little boring. However I’ll stick it out until Tokushima city again and see how I feel about it from there.

Being all by yourself is actually really scary, in that you have to learn to live with yourself. And I don’t cope with boredom very well. It’s been a long time since I had free time and I really don’t know how to relax. Maybe that’s a good reason to do this all. To learn how to do all of the above.

Just taking it step by step.

Going to try planning tomorrow a little now….

iHenro is a new(old) blog about the 88 Temple pilgrimage in Shikoku.  If you’ve been a reader for a while you would know my plan last year to do the entire pilgrimage in April/May was canned, but I actually managed to get over to Japan in November to do part of the route.

Posts will be cross-posted to yamaonna, so you don’t need to subscribe over there to read my adventures.  And will most likely be image heavy (because I didn’t lug my huge camera around Tokushima for nothing).

I hope you enjoy!

Do you remember Fish Dinner?

That was when I first got him.  March of 2008.  Despite being a fish from a fishing game at a festival, and the 2 hour commute home in his little plastic bag, he survived.

He survived me!  The horrible person who would leave him home alone in the summer heat with just a holiday food cube for company.

He was such a good fish.  Loved people.  Liked watching tv too.

When I left Japan he was adopted by ‘new!michele’ (the girl who took over my job and apartment), and I was happy he still had a home.

But when I went back to visit Tokyo in December and enquired after Fish, new!michele had some very sad news.

She had renamed him F-diddy (wish I was creative enough to think of a name like that…).  And F-diddy obviously decided that gangsta was how he would live.  And die.

New!michele went to Kyoto with a friend for a week.  When she arrived back she took one look at the fish tank and thought ‘Where is that fish!’.

She searched high and low for 5 minutes (the apartment isn’t that big) before finding a fish tail and the orange outline of a fish on the floor.  Just like a police crime scene.  Apparently F-diddy lost his life in a drive-by robo-vaccuming.

RIP Fish Dinner.  You were a good fish.  You made me laugh, even at your end.

Firstly while just getting to Kansai there was Ekiben (station lunchbox) of fried rice and wontons -

And arriving at Osaka I had to eat the classic Takoyaki (octopus balls) with a bit of a different spin, served in a light broth -

The Takoyaki was from this festive shop along Dotombori -

Eating out in Osaka also included Kushiage (fried things on sticks) -

Mexican with a friend -

Mystery Chinese -

And a Yum Cha set -

And moving from Chinese to Chinatown in Kobe, I had some Cha Siu Men -

Before stopping for some fruit tart from a french cafe near Kobe’s old foreigner’s quarter -

And continuing with sweets, in Kyoto I found soft serve ice cream with Yatsubashi (a hard cinnamon cookie) -

Shu cream (cream puff) made with real vanilla and sprinkled Yatsubashi on top -

And Mizuame (water candy) which is very similar to corn syrup according to wikipedia -

And finally some Unagi-don (eel rice bowl) served with sesame tofu at Mt Koya to keep up my stamina -

Yes, I think I did gain 5kg on this trip….