Category: Ehime Prefecture #40-#65

Watercolor Drawing – April 5, 2019

  • Friday, April 5, 2019, Day 23
  • Temples: #46, #47, #48, #49
  • Matsuyama City, Japan
  • Weather: 40-55 Overcast
  • Miles 48 Mikes (2 buses) / Total Miles 448.1

Takeo T., one of last night’s dinner acquaintances, greeted me with cherry blossom watercolor and ink pen drawing he had made since last night’s dinner. He felt he may have intruded on my dinner. I tried to explain the dinner companionship was what had made the dinner special. What an amazing o-settai. As hard as it was for me to fold the watercolor in half and tuck it in my stamp book, creasing it was the only safe way to carry it it in my backpack.

  1. Takeo and Miyoko T.
  2. Main Temple #46
  3. Temple #46

Rock Face- April 4, 2019

  • Thursday, April 4, 2019, Day 22
  • Temples: #44 and #45
  • Kuma-kōgen, Japan
  • Weather: 35-55 COLD MORNING Blue skies
  • Miles 17.1 (walk, train and bus) / Total Miles 400.1

Temple #45 sits tucked high in the rock face of a mountain. It reminded me of the Anasi Clift dwellings at Mesa Verde, Colorado.

Single people always attract the interest of others. I love when others join me for dinner and conversation. Our stories weave together to make a tapestry. Don’t you love our matching Japanese yukata, house robe, and tanzen, short jacket.

  1. Temple #45
  2. Temple #45
  3. Dinner

So Special – April 4, 2019

  • Thursday, April 4, 2019, Day 22
  • Temples: #44 and #45
  • Kuma-kōgen, Japan
  • Weather: 35-55 COLD MORNING Blue skies
  • Miles 17.1 (walk, train and bus) / Total Miles 400.1

Parisian Christine C. and I met our first day walking the Camino Santiago in France. We became dear friends. Today our 88 Buddhist Temples pilgrimage crossed paths. It was an out-and-back route. I was walking towards Temple #45 and Christine was walking from Temple #45. There we stood in a Japanese forest face-to-face. She traveled east half-way around the world while I traveled west-halfway around the world. Amazing how it all came together at this one moment. We had been emailing each other so we knew our itineraries were getting awfully close. Our reunion was as though no time had passed since we last met. A day to cherish.

  1. Linda to and Christine from Temple #45
  2. 2014 Photo of Mimi V., Joanna L., Linda, and Christine on the Camino.
  3. Christine from Temple #45. A look of complete joy

Driving – April 4, 2019

  • Thursday, April 4, 2019, Day 22
  • Temples: #44 and #45
  • Kuma-kōgen, Japan
  • Weather: 35-55 Blue skies COLD MORNING
  • Miles 17.1 (walk, train and bus)/ Total Miles 400.1

Leave the driving to us. Today I road through one of the countless Shikoku tunnels on a municipal bus. Much better than walking through the tunnels. Like many service positions, bus drivers wear immaculate white gloves.

  1. Approaching tunnel. Notice all the mountains in the background. Hence the need for tunnels.
  2. In Tunnel. Imagine me walking to the left of the solid white line.
  3. Bus Driver

First – April 3, 2019

  • April 3, 2019, Day 21
  • Temples: #41, #42, and #43
  • Uchiko, Japan
  • Weather: 45-55 Blue skies with white clouds
  • Miles 27.7 (walk & train) / Total Miles 383

I met my first Japanese woman walking Shikoku 88 Temples. Plus, she walks alone. Other Japanese women seen have come by car or tour bus. I had one burning question. How did her parents feel about her walking Shikoku’s 88 temples? They were extremely apprehensive. Every night she emails her parents to let them she’s doing well.

  1. Cherry Blossom Temple #43
  2. Gate Temple #43
  3. Solo Japanese Walking Woman