A Walk Around Shodoshima Day 1, Afternoon Th Dec 24th After my early on dejeuner I caput off upward the coast route dorsum towards my starting betoken before this morning. I transcend numerous empty, modern houses built on concrete supports inwards the cliff side. Maybe they are abandoned or perchance they are summertime homes equally many of them direct maintain gangplank type structures that tin hold upward lowered to the H2O below. As I walk yesteryear my guesthouse the landlady is out inwards front end sweeping up. Having completed a circle I at 1 time proceed on inwards a figure viii path together with cross over the minor ascent into Sakate Port. On the loma is a large abandoned hotel. White concrete, it doesn't aspect all that old. Maybe it was built amongst the misplaced optimism that accompanied the economical smash that ended amongst a bang to a greater extent than than 2 decades ago. The front end door is slightly ajar together with I'm tempted to acquire inwards together with explore but induce upward one's hear I can't spare the time. Away from the principal route along the ocean front end the hamlet is a maze of narrow roads together with alleys together with it takes a few attempts to detect the side yesteryear side temple, publish 3 Kannonji. Compared to the other temples I've been to today this 1 is grand, though genuinely only a minor hamlet temple. The principal hall has been fairly latterly reconstructed thence apparently at that topographic point is coin here. Just equally I'm leaving an quondam priest comes out dressed inwards samue, the operate clothes favored yesteryear priests together with craftsmen. I inquire him the agency to the side yesteryear side temple together with he points upward the route inwards front end of the temple which winds upward the slope. 
At the tiptop terminate of the hamlet is a curious novel construction containing a gleaming, stainless steel sculpture. I approximate this is business office of the ongoing fine art festival the Setouchi Trienniale, which takes identify across diverse islands inwards the expanse equally good equally Takamatsu on Shikoku. The figure is some variety of cute mascot/cartoon type graphic symbol that the Japanese appear thence obsessed with, but it has an axe embedded inwards the tiptop of its head! I am somehow non surprised to larn that the slice is attributed to Beat Takeshi. The route at 1 time leaves the hamlet behind together with switchbacks upward the mountainside, sometimes quite steeply. There is nada along the route but trees together with no traffic. I arrive at Hayabusasan, the okunoin, or inner hall, of Kannon-ji the temple I left downward inwards the village. 
From the temple at that topographic point are fantastic views to the southward across the H2O to Shikoku together with Awajima. The temple itself is a minor cave amongst a concrete temple facade. From here, a trail skirts or thence the mount upward towards what is technically the kickoff temple of the pilgrimage, Dounzan. Set against the cliff together with amid tall cedars, it is a bully identify to explore, but equally I acquire into I bump into the quondam priest I had met downward below at the temple. With a younger gentleman they are cleaning the paths, in all likelihood inwards readiness for the approaching New Year. Dounzan was fascinating - a temple inwards a cave, together with lots more. As I was leaving the quondam priest chats amongst me some more, together with he asks where I am staying this evening equally he wants to laissez passer on me something. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few hundred meters along the route I start out upward the driveway to the side yesteryear side temple, Goishizan, named afterward the mount it is on. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 long business of statues business the route together with a adult woman who I presume is the priest's married adult woman is busy cleaning them At the temple itself at that topographic point is a huge statue of Kobo Daishi amongst an altar inwards the edifice beneath it. The immature priest is sitting inwards the balance expanse trimming pino branches, over again I suspect inwards readiness for the coming New Year Over on the left is a develop of steps going upward the hillside, together with the map shows a Konpira Shrine upward at that topographic point but I am thence tired I don't genuinely desire to create whatever to a greater extent than climbing, but the immature priest says at that topographic point is a statue upward at that topographic point that I genuinely should see. And he was right. The minor statue is at the terminate of a narrow promontory amongst expansive views over the island. I direct maintain seen photos of this before, it is 1 of the mutual images connected to the pilgrimage Down below the statue is some other cave temple, genuinely the principal hall, non equally I idea the hall nether the Kobo Daishi statue. From hither the route at 1 time piece of cake descends to the town below. It's been a long day, I've been walking together with climbing for virtually 10 hours, thence my visits to 3 temples inwards the town are perfunctory. There is a olfactory holding inwards the air, somewhat similar a bakery, together with thence I realize its the olfactory holding of soy sauce beingness made. This town is 1 of the biggest soy sauce producing areas inwards Japan. 
Walking along the principal route yesteryear the soy factories on my agency dorsum to my guesthouse the Sun goes downward together with it darkens quickly. By the side of the route is 1 terminal temple, together with and thence its dorsum to my room for a hot bath. It's been an exhilarating day, together with I'm excited virtually the balance of the pilgrimage. It's been far to a greater extent than interesting than I had expected. After my bathroom at that topographic point is a knock at the door. It's the quondam priest amongst his married adult woman together with sister. He gives me a lovely impress of Daruma (Bodhidharma), the human who legend has it brought Buddhism to Red People's Republic of China from India, together with who portrait is fairly mutual at Zen temples. By agency of explaining why he had chosen to laissez passer on it to me he says that I remind him of his grandfather. A Walk Around Shodoshima Day 1 Morning A Walk Around Shodoshima Day 2 © JapanVisitor.com Sumber https://japanvisitor.blogspot.com/