Category: Ehime Prefecture #40-#65

Great Mystery – 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 a & train) / Total Miles 383

At one temple a notice was posted for foreigners. Yes, it is strange for me to see myself as a foreigner. It redirected o-henros. Finally the mystery is revealed. Massive land slide. The question remands what caused this extensive damage all throughout this mountain.

P.S.

Thanks to Saburo T., the mystery is solved. The cause of the massive land slide is thought to be the damage done by heavy rains last summer, 2018. Ehime Prefecture (my current location), Hiroshima Prefecture, etc. were severely damaged.

  1. To Temple #43
  2. To Temple #43
  3. To Temple #43

Going Up – 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 a & train) / Total Miles 383

It seems as though climbing a mountain and steps are always involved in visiting a temple. It’s always worth the effort.

Many older people visit the temple on bus tours. The buses may take them to the temple but they still must independently climb very uneven rocky steps. Their tour usually comes with a monk to lead them in prayer. The guides are responsible for getting all the guest’s stamp books, scrolls, or shirts stamped. Guides are seen double checking to make sure each item is stamped. There is no margin for error.

  1. Temple #41
  2. Temple #41 Inside Temple #41
  3. Temple #41

Street Art – April 2, 2019

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Day 20
  • Temples: None
  • Uwajima City, Japan
  • Weather: 45-55 Overcast becoming blue skies with white clouds
  • Miles 14.6 / Total Miles 355.3

Street art…

    Sidewalk Mosaic – Fames Japanese Pearl
    Utility Plate – Dragon!
    Bull Statue – Since 1800’s bull fights (bull against bull) has occurred in Uwajima. There is a huge city bull fighting arena.

Uwajima Castle – April 2, 2019

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Day 20
  • Temples: None
  • Uwajima City, Japan
  • Weather: 45-55 Overcast becoming blue skies with white clouds
  • Miles 14.6 / Total Miles 355.3

Uwajima Castle was built 400-years ago and is one of the few castles in Japan which remains standings in its original form.

  1. Uwajima Castle
  2. Period soldier’s clothes
  3. Uwajima Castle with Linda

Tenshaen Garden – April 2, 2019

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Day 20
  • Temples: None
  • Uwajima City, Japan
  • Weather: 45-55 Overcast becoming blue skies with white clouds
  • Miles 14.6 / Total Miles 355.3

Good old Google Maps took me directly to Tenshaen Garden with 14 different species of bamboo. After the whizzing sounds of vehicles, the chirping birds drowned out all other city sounds.

  1. Video Birds Chirping
  2. Moss
  3. Bamboo

56 Reprieve – April 2, 2019

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Day 20
  • Temples: None
  • Uwajima City, Japan
  • Weather: 45-55 Overcast becoming blue skies with white clouds
  • Miles 14.6 / Total Miles 355.3

Occasionally there is a welcomed reprieve from busy Highway 56. In the first picture, can you find the red arrow pointing the way? I talked with a gardener shaping the trees. He’s familiar with USA as he vacations in Hawaii, lucky person.

  1. Highway 56 ( red arrow is on the closest right white pole)
  2. Gardener
  3. Gardener with Linda

Tunnel – April 2, 2019

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2019, Day 20
  • Temples: None
  • Uwajima City, Japan
  • Weather: 45-55 Overcast becoming blue skies with white clouds
  • Miles 14.6 / Total Miles 355.3

Matsuri Tunnel is over a mile long and pedestrians get to claim a 2-foot wide side walk shared with cyclists. Kinda freaky. Now I understand why one o-henro offered me a face mask for tunnels as an o-settai.

  1. Tunnel
  2. Tunnel and Linda
  3. Tunnel

Statistics – April 1, 2019

  • Monday, April 1, 2019, Day 19
  • Temples: None
  • Uwajima City, Japan
  • Weather: 40-45 STRONG WINDS overcast, drizzle, becoming partially sunny
  • Miles 18.7 / Total Miles 340

Based on my observations, most walking o-henros are male and retirement age. Couples of all ages tend to drive automobiles.

This morning I met a retired Japanese o-henro. As he walks he’s praying for the marriage of his two daughters. When I fell into step with him, he remarked I walked fast. What a wonderful reminder I needed to slow down as minor blisters and tender calluses are on my toes.

At dinner, I met an o-henro who is walking Shikoku 88 Temples nine times. I’m such a rookie.

    9th Timer
    Rookie Linda
    Cherry Blossoms