8/6/2024
Good morning guys!
so today finally finally Im gonna start Ohenro!
I don’t have anything of ohenro. Well, I read on the internet that you can find them at the first temple,
Well,,, so I’m okay. Then let’s GOOOOO!!!!!!
Around 11am
I arrived at the nearest station to the first temple. its called Bandou station（坂東駅）
there’s nothing around here^^
I felt like the journey is about to start!
10mins away from station
I got to the first temple called Ryouzen-ji（霊山寺）
It’s built in the 8th century its soo old
I bought ohenro items at the temple’s general information centre.
It was very cool. thank you AC!
I bought a temple stamp book, amulet(ohuda お札) and a white happi coat.
I wanted to buy a hat and a walking stick, but I gave them up this time because I was cycling and could be in danger
I would like to buy them next time I come here.
The lady at the information centre gave me tips on how to get around the temples and the etiquette of the ohenro.
Thank you!
As it was nearly 12am when I arrived at this temple, there were no ppl at all. Apparently, ohenro people start as soon as the temple opens.
I’m a totally latecomer ^^
then, Im gonna write how to use amulet easily
・Put the amulet in when you visit the temple’s main hall and the Daishi Hall. (Don’t forget to write the date!)
・Give it to the person when you are served. (In Shikoku there is a culture of treating people on pilgrimage.)
roughly these 2 reasons for amulet
Also, the colour of the amulet has something to do with how many times you have done ohenro.
its gonna change to blue, red, silver, gold, nishiki
It’s interesting how the colour changes depending on the number of times youve done ohenro.
at the info centre she gave me a towel !
so I gave a amulet to her!
what Ive learnt is perfect~~^^
Then, let’s do it the way she taught me.
It was very hot outside, but when it came time to enter the temple, it was otherworldly cool.
did I reincarnate to other world????
I managed to get worship done!
This is the stamp I got
SOOO COOOOOOL !!!!!!
lets go next temple!
next temple is 2th temple called Gokuraku-ji（極楽寺）
10mins away from previous temple.
very long steps
thats so tough in this temperature
It’s called Choumeisugi（長命杉）
it was planted by Kouhoudaishi
it was HUGE! so energetic!
Now heres 3rd temple called Konsen-ji（金泉寺）
Let’s review a little about Ohenro here.
The Ohenro, or pilgrimage of Kukai (Koho-Daishi), founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, is a journey of pilgrimage to 88 sacred sites (temples) on Shikoku.
The pilgrimage spans the four Shikoku prefectures of Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime and Kagawa, and covers a total distance of approximately 1,400 km.
In modern times, many people, regardless of their religious beliefs, walk the pilgrimage as a journey of self-examination at a turning point in their lives.
~LUNCH TIME~
I ordered Kake Udon plus chikuwa tempura
I visited udon noodle shop ‘Konsen‘
~4th temple “Dainichi-ji（大日寺）“~
Large car park and found cycle parks here yey^^
little bit got lost tho I got here!
~This is simple way to worship~
1. bow in front of gate
2. at chozuba（手水場）wash hands and mouth
3. worship at Hondou hall（本堂） and Daishidou hall（大師堂）
4. get the bokusho and stamp on the book at Noukyou-zyo（納経所）
I met Brazilian couple doing ohenro on foot!
they had been staying 3month in Japan and theyd been to Tokyo, Osaka.
and they did walk through Kumanokodou
WOW
they gonna go Hiroshima after ohenro!
I got candy from them. These sour ones that are nice to get when you play sports. So we exchanged amulet (ohuda).
The name was written in katakana with a stamp, so it was cute!
Cheers Pedro and Natalie~~
GOOD LUCK!
We talked for over an hour, I said bye bye to them and went back to my bike
Surprisingly, there was jelly!
There was no one around and I wondered who had left it for me.
I wanted to thank them properly.
Thank you somebody !!
~5th temple “Zizou-ji（地蔵寺）“~
It was just down the hill from 4th temple and I got there quickly.
Surprisingly, it was lively with many ohenro ppl including me. However, the main hall was under construction, so I was sad not to see directly
Talking to a Ohenro people, a witness reported seeing a foreigner doing ohenro by skateboard. It is thought that people do ohenro by various means, but no one has ever done it on a skateboard before 🙂
Return to Itano Station and move to Takamastu Station. Tomorrow, the journey will start in Kagawa.
Have a dinner at this udon restaurant “Shinpei udon” on the Kompira shopping street.
The long queue is a sign of a good restaurant!
I have high expectations for udon in Kagawa.
Noodles softer than I expected tho, Delicious soup and very tasty tempura. Many foreigners was in the restaurant. Have foreigners finally discovered the deliciousness of udon?
From tomorrow, I hoped to visit many temples from my base here in Takamatsu.
byebye~~
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