Category: 88 Buddhist Temples

Chairlift- April 6, 2019

  • Saturday, April 6, 2019, Day 24
  • Temples: #50 and #51 Matsuyama City, Japan
  • Weather: 40-55 Overcast
  • Miles 30 miles (walk, truck, chairlift, rope line) / Total Miles 478.1

The chairlift would not have been my first choice for riding to Matsuyama Castle. It’s too exposed for my comfort level. Can you believe there was no seat seat or lap bar? Obviously it would not have met OSHA standards. How had somebody no fallen from this chairlift? As the chairlift was Christine’s choice, off we went. It was truly an amazing ride having the wind and sun in your face. Unfortunately we missed the chairlift’s closing time for the return trip and had to ride in the rope line “gondola.” It probably met OSHA standards.

  1. Video of Christine on Chairlift
  2. Linda’s selfie on Chairlift Ropeline
  3. Gondola

Dōgo Onsen – April 6, 2019

  • Saturday, April 6, 2019, Day 24
  • Temples: #50 and #51
  • Matsuyama City, Japan
  • Weather: 40-55 Overcast
  • Miles 30 miles (walk, truck, chair lift, rope line) / Total Miles 478.1

As this our vacation day, the Dōgo Onsen is a priority. This hot spring is said to be Japan’s oldest with 3,000 year history and is the most well known bath houses in all of Japan. Unfortunately it is being renovated and only one small hot bath was available for women. None the less, we felt the magic of being there. How nice to share this bit of history with Christine.

How do you top this off? Sushi for lunch.

  1. Dōgo Onsen
  2. Dōgo Onsen
  3. Sushi for lunch

Pick-Up Truck – April 6, 2019

  • Saturday, April 6, 2019, Day 24
  • Temples: #50 and #51
  • Matsuyama City, Japan
  • Weather: 40-55 Overcast
  • Miles 30 miles (walk, truck, chair lift, rope line) / Total Miles 478.1

High on our list of things we should have done was to accept car rides. Christine and I declined rides from “driving o-henros” as we like to walk. Hours down the road with more miles to go, we chastise ourselves for not taking advantage of an opportunity.

This morning I led the way. We learned it was the right way but the long, hilly way. Keizo K. offered us a ride in his pick-up truck to Temple #50 and off we went!

  1. Christine and Linda in a pick-up truck
  2. Christine and Linda in a pick-up truck
  3. Keizo K. offers us o-setts I oranges
  4. Christine, Keizo K. and Linda

Etched in Our Heart – April 6, 2019

  • Saturday, April 6, 2019, Day 24
  • Temples: #50 and #51
  • Matsuyama City, Japan
  • Weather: 40-55 Overcast and turning blue skies
  • Miles 30 miles (walk, back of a pick-up truck, chair lift, rope line) / Total Miles 478.1

Could there be a better way to spend a day then in the company of a dear friend? This is our day to be together. We talk. We laugh. We take scores of pictures of each other and together to record this day on our smartphones. A bit needless as the day will be etched in our hearts.

  1. Christine and Linda, Takanokomachi-no Hotel
  2. Christine and Linda, Temple #51
  3. Christine and Linda, Matsuyama Castle
  4. Christine and Linda, Matsuyama Castle

Book – 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

Navigating and planning. All English speaking o-henros use the same marvelous book.

  1. Isabell and Robert, Montreal at Temple #48
  2. Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide
  3. Christine helps plan Linda’s coming day and hotel clerk makes reservations

Crème de la Crème – 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

Christine and I experience the crème de la crème onsen affiliate with Takanokomachi-no Hotel.

  • Indoor and out door hot baths
  • Indoor “warm” bath in a doughnut configuration with jet stream alcoves. Suitable for pool jogging.
  • Ice cold bath
  • Warm mist room
  • Sauna
  • Outdoor heated slate flooring topped with a thin film of warm water and stone pillows. Simply lie on your back and head on stone pillow. Feel the heated slate and warm water on your back while your front side catches the cool breeze. Two simultaneous sensations.
  1. Gate Ceiling Temple #47
  2. Temple #47’s cat
  3. Temple Monjuin

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