Day 9: Bekkaku Temple 4

The next time someone tells you that you need to walk on a beautiful coastal mountain trail, follow their advice, but not on a day when you have to hike an additional 5 hours afterward.

Since our current lodging is a hostel, meal plans are not included among the options. Breakfast this morning was a quick trip to Lawson’s and a hike up to sit under Hiwasa Castle at one of the trailheads for the Shikoku no Michi – a series of nature trails set up by the Japanese government around the island of Shikoku. On the recommendation of our host at Pandaya back near Temple 22, we decided to hike the hilly coastal route with views out to the Pacific Ocean. The views were great and the hills honestly weren’t too difficult and really only added about a half-hour to our trip. However, it was the extra energy expended taking this hike that came back on us later this day.

We eventually descended to the Minami-awa-sunline Road around 11:00. It was a beautiful coastal road which we often had to ourselves with singular cars and motorcycles passing once every five minutes. We had left our backpacks at last night’s lodging, Ichi the Hostel, as our plan was to hike south to the city of Kainan and then take the train back to Hiwasa. This way we could hike a whole day without our full packs and take the train back to Kainan the next morning with our backpacks and continue on our way.

The hike down the Sunline took about two and three-quarter hours. Connor did not have a day pack to carry a water bladder, so I ended up sharing some water from mine into a used plastic soda bottle left over from our lunch. We got to Mugi, the city about an hour short of our temple goal of Saba Daishi/Yasakaji (Bekkaku Temple 4 – “Mackerel Daishi” or “Eight Slope Temple’), at around 2:45. Our goal of reaching our final destination of the Awa-Kainan Station in Kainin in time to catch the 5:30 p.m. train back to Hiwasa had passed a while ago.

After a quick stop at Lawson’s to get something to drink and more bottles for later, we joined up with Prefecture Road 55, which is going to be our home for the next few days.

We pulled into Saba Daishi around 4:10. Saba Daishi – While walking the pilgrimage, Kukai asked a local fisherman if he might spare a fish from his catch for a traveling monk. The fisherman refused and went on his way. Soon afterward his horse collapsed in the road. Realizing what had happened, the fisherman rushed back to beg Kukai’s forgiveness and ask if he would help with his ailing horse. Kukai instructed the man to bring back some water from the sea. Upon getting the pot of seawater, Kukai performed a service over the pot and then instructed the man to give the water to the horse. The horse immediately recovered and the fisherman gave Kukai a fish in thanks. Kukai walked down to the sea, placed the fish in the water, said a prayer, and the fish came back to life and swam away. Upon seeing this miracle, the fisherman knelt before Kukai and pledged to devote his life to Buddhism.

It was nearly 5:00 and we had nearly an hour and a quarter walk to Kainan to catch the 6:30 train back to Hiwasa. My nephew had been having some foot pain on and off for the past few days and is considering whether he should get off the trail before he does any permanent damage as he’s had foot issues before. We discussed possibilities of him skipping ahead to our next several lodgings while I continue the walk and he spends a few days resting. I have soreness in my feet and legs, but they’re aches and pains which I was anticipating so I’m not concerned for myself at the moment.

We got on the train back to Hiwasa with about 10 minutes to spare. After the 40 minute train ride, we grabbed some microwaveable dinners from the Lawson’s and headed back to the hostel. Connor will see how he’s feeling tomorrow during the walk and we will see where we go from there.