Author: Linda

Gifting

  • Friday, March 15, 2019, Day 2
  • Awa City
  • Weather: 45-55 degrees and blue skies with white clouds
  • 22 Miles / 19 Total Miles

During a temple visit, two ladies approached offered streaming hot tea from a vending machine. The power of random acts of kindness is common along Shikoku’s pilgrimage. Gifts are given with the same joy as received.

FYI: Roadside Japanese vending machine are revolutionary serving bottled drinks from hot tea and coffee to chilled beer and wine. As prevalent as telephone booths were in the 50’s and 60’s, vending machine are the rage.

  1. Temple #6
  2. Temple Origami
  3. Kobo Daishi who established Shikoku’s 88 Buddhist Temples 1,200 years ago

Believe

  • Thursday, March 14, 2019, Day 1
  • Temple(s): #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
  • Tokushima / Nogaro
  • Weather: 40-55 degrees and blue skies with white clouds
  • 7.1 Miles

I’d like to believe the elderly man sitting along the lane offering unsolicited directions wasn’t just for me, an American, nor for the Dane, the Australian, four Chinese, and many Japanese who followed behind me. Albeit he spoke Japanese; the universal hand gestures seemed to indicate the way.

He peddled his bicycle to each juncture to make sure we turned correctly. The markings were so unnoticeable surely many would have missed the turns.

I’d like to believe he does this everyday.

  1. Paths through bamboo
  2. Flowering tree
  3. Accommodations offer guests customary kimonos to be worn after bathing.

To Begin, to End

  • Thursday, March 14, 2019, Day 1
  • Temples: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
  • Tokushima / Nogaro
  • Weather: 40-55 degrees and blue skies with white clouds
  • 7.1 Miles

Begin visiting a temple by entering the gate and finish the visit with a temple’s stamp. The red images are done by rubber stamps and the black images are done with brush and ink. The process is as graceful as the stamp is beautiful.

  1. Temple #3 Gate
  2. Blossoms
  3. Temple Stamp Book

Tradition

  • Thursday, March 14, 2019, Day 1
  • Temples: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
  • Tokushima / Nogaro
  • Weather: 40-55 degrees and blue skies with white clouds
  • 7.1 Miles

Beginning to move like a Shikoku pilgrim, I continue an ancient tradition. There is a solemn reverence that quiets the soul.

  1. 1st Bell 10:04am
  2. Washing Hand 10:43
  3. Temple #4 11:57

Lucky 13

  • Tuesday, March 12, 2019, Day 00
  • Charlottesville / Tokushima
  • Weather: 45-55 degrees and blue skies with white clouds

4:00am start in Charlottesville on the 12th of March got me a 12:00pm finish in Tokushima on the 13th of March. A leap of thirteen time zones!

Don’t ask me how long it took.

  1. Japan Airline
  2. Japan
  3. Shikoku and It’s 88 Buddhist Temples