July 9; Day Six: Climbing Mountains, Temples 84 – 88
Weather: Rainy, cloudy, a little cooler, some sun. Sunburned legs.
Today I climbed three mountains. I made it to temple 88, but riding down out of the mountains towards temple 1, in a narrow valley, I passed Shiratori Onsen, a large mineral spa, and decided to stay there as it looked interesting. But first things first.
Temple 84, Yashimaji, is up on the 293 metre high Yashima Plateau in Takamatsu. The plateau is the site of an ancient battle and a popular hiking and viewing spot. There is a road going up there which goes to Yashimaji, but it is restricted to cars only for some reason. So I rode up a road marked route 14 to a cemetery, where I found a sign indicating that I might walk up to the temple from there. At least I think that’s what it said…maybe. In any case my map indicated a walking path of only about 1.6 kilometers up the mountain, so I left my bike and decided to walk up. The sign turned out to be (maybe) for route to a jinja, Kuwazunonashi, but my small, dirt footpath continued along the side of the mountain after that one turned off…and ended up to be the correct path to get there after all. It met a wide, stone, pilgrim walkway, which I followed up the mountain for some way to the temple. The walkway is steep in places.
A spring, called Kajisui, reputed to have been founded by Kukai - and never dry since. I took a drink.
The temple, when I found it, was grand, old, stately – with a big, new, stone museum-like structure added into the mix. I think it housed some treasures, but did not appear to be open, so I didn’t try to go in. Next time.
A shrine dedicated to Tanuki, the badger, who features large in Shikoku history!
A very interesting (white!) gate.
Back down the mountain to where I’d left my bike, and it was fine. Jumped on and away, around the plateau to temple 85, Yakuriji. I had a bit of trouble finding route 145, clear enough on the map, but not obvious on the ground, to turn up the mountain towards the temple. Eventually I found it, and followed the road almost to the temple itself, right up alongside the ropeway!
I had to take a short detour on a small, very steep, pretty much unused little concrete road up to the parking lot. Passable but not ridable; very steep, tree shaded and covered in slightly slippery green moss! I walked it with my bike.
I found a small shrine consisting of a shaped rock. Probably Shinto, I think.
Across the road was a small family gravesite with this samurai gravestone. Definitely Shinto. These are not uncommon on Shikoku.
Further up this dark little road, in a dark little corner, I found this odd, old shrine.As I mentioned, there is a cable car running up to the temple. However, I chose not to use any I might find, preferring to cycle where I could, or walk where I couldn’t ride.
Temple 85, Yakuraji's gate.
Yakuraji
There is a beautiful big, sacred old Gingko Biloba at this temple. Usually the sacred trees, with ropes around them, are Kusunoki, or Camphor trees.
There is also a gorgeous red pagoda.
I rode down the other side of the mountain on route 145 and continued to temple 86, Shidoji. This temple is very nice, old, with lots of trees and flowers, and cats, looking very photogenic.
Unfortunately it has been taken over by a construction oni and is in shambles.
Scaffolding, stones of all sizes, piles of materials, piles of earth, all apparently for multiple projects, from an excavation for a large pond to various walkways and perhaps a building or two, lay scattered around impeding the view. It looked to me like it was completely out of control. There is a shokubo, or temple lodging, there, but I think it was closed for the summer.
Nice painting.
A lovely old jinja out in the back, in the parking lot.
Number 87, Nagaoji, is not a mountain-top temple. It is a small temple with some very old, very interesting torii beside the temple mon.
It was an easy 12.3 kilometre ride, during which I passed a beautiful old building, a place where sake used to be made.
After that however comes a 19 kilometre climb up to Okuboji, Temple 88, and the next to final temple if one started at temple one.
I took route 3, and then cut off onto a smaller, unnamed municipal road that wound, hairpin corners, all over the mountain, to get up there. This road was full of large (industrial sized, not road sized) dump trucks; sometimes I had to stand off the bike, and off the road to let them go by! They came by every two or three minutes. It was dangerous, unpleasant, and had me muttering nasty things for a while.
Eventually I got away from them onto an even smaller, but mercifully quieter road – which, although nice, seemed never-ending. I finally made it to the temple however, to find it very beautiful, very simple.
I saw another bike henro, but didn’t stop to talk. I also saw a motorcycle henro.
I then enjoyed a nice ride on route 377 down towards Tokushima, turning off onto the municipal road (smaller, more fun), down a different valley, where I eventually encountered Shiratori Onsen.
The walking trails come down along this valley and it’s much quieter and more picturesque than route 377. I met a dog with three and a half legs; further along, two young, large dogs were lying on the sidewalk/bikepath, acting like they weren’t going to let me pass – but I talked them into it :) Shiratori Onsen was great! A bit expensive, at ¥6100 ($61) but, of course, including a soak in the piping hot baths. Unfortunately I forgot about my sunburned legs, although they reminded me quickly enough when I tried to submerge myself in the water! I spent 20 minutes acting the fool, climbing in, and, 30 seconds later, out, from the pain.
A nice Japanese dinner was thrown in for the price as well, and I was even able to do my laundry. A quiet, fragrant six tatami room with a nice view of the grounds and the henro trail running along the valley wall, which arises twenty meters from the building made it a very relaxing place to stay. I love the smell of tatami, and I slept well.
