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- Tuesday 12 November, 2013
- Weather: Sunny but cold, 12⁰C
- Temples: 71-75 (Iyadaniji, Mandaraji, Shussakaji, Koyamaji, Zentsuji), 23km
- Accommodation: Zentsuji Temple (#75), Shukubo (paid accommodation), ¥5,800 including dinner and breakfast
I didn’t leave the business hotel until 9am!! I wasn’t in a hurry today; it was a short walk and I would be able to take my time at each temple and still arrive at my accommodation early.
It was however, a cold morning, so I walked fast to get warm and enjoyed the cool air. The first temple of the day was Temple 71, set on top of a hill, up 530 steps 🙂 I left my bag at the bottom of the steps at a small teahouse and climbed the stairs to the top. There was a terrific view looking back over the town and surrounding mountains. When I got back to the teahouse I sat with the owners and had tea and some mochi (one of my favourite Japanese sweets – pounded rice with red bean paste inside). They gave me some sunflower seeds to hold in my hand and a small colourful bird came in from outside, perched on my hand and ate the seeds 🙂
Farming communities
Farming communities
The steps up to Temple 71, Iyadaniji
The steps up to Temple 71, Iyadaniji
Tea and mochi was given to me as osettai
‘Yamagara’ (Japanese tit)
The owners of the teahouse at the bottom of Temple 71 who let me leave my bag with them and gave me tea and mochi as osettai
It was a lovely mix of road walking and mountain paths and I hoped it would be too cold today for the snakes to be out… Thankfully I didn’t see any!
I met a Japanese man called Katsumi at Temple 74 and he was sketching the temple in a notebook. He spoke terrific English so we had a long chat and it turned out he was also staying at the same temple I was.
Temple 72, Mandaraji
Temple 73, Shusshakaji
Temple 73, Shusshakaji
Harvested rice fields
Temple 74, Koyamaji
A pagoda at Temple 75, Zentsuji
Temple 75, Zentsuji
I arrived at Zentsuji (Temple 75) around 3:30pm and was excited to be staying in a temple with all the frills of aircon and electricity and meals included, unlike every other time when I had stayed in the ‘Tsuyado’ part for free. (This temple was also very famous as it’s the birthplace of Kobo Daishi – the monk whose footsteps I’m following in by doing this pilgrimage).
I was met at the entrance by a lady who showed me where to put my walking poles – there was a sign with my name on it for my poles! Then where to put my shoes (also a sign with my name on it for my shoe box) then showed me my room (also with a sign with my name on it!) I waited for the bath to open at 4pm and went and had a long soak. I then did my laundry – it was free for the washing machine, dryer and soap so I washed practically everything! Then I went to the dinner room at 5:30pm and sat at the chair that had a sign with my name on it!! Katsumi (the sketch artist I had met at the previous temple) was sat beside me and we had a terrific evening talking about the walk.
My poles have a space with my name on it! At Temple 75, Zentsuji
My shoes have a space with my name on it! At Temple 75, Zentsuji
Temple 75, ‘Zentsuji,’ ¥5,800 incl dinner and breakfast and morning service, communal bath
Temple 75, ‘Zentsuji,’ ¥5,800, communal bath
Temple 75, ‘Zentsuji,’ ¥5,800, communal bath
Dinner at Temple 75, Zentsuji
Dinner at Temple 75, Zentsuji
Day 38, Temples 71-75
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