Day 33: Temple 45

Breakfast wasn’t served until 7:00 a.m., so we got 15 extra minutes of shuteye this morning. Our goal was Temple 45 which was an out-and-back temple and it would take about 2 hours and 30 minutes to get there. It common with destinations like that for the hotel/ryokan/minshuku to let you leave you backpack there until you complete the roundtrip. After grabbing our pilgrim bags, we packed out daypacks with water and stopped by the nearby Family Mart to have some lunch on the road.

There is a mountain path behind Temple 44 which we saw during our visit yesterday, but with an elevation gain of over 200 meters and an alternate tunnel nearby I chose the tunnel. We were going to have our climbing for the day done around Temple 45.

It took about 20 minutes to reach the tunnel. It was again the type without a raised pedestrian sidewalk, so we were offered and accepted (and returned) reflective sashes at kiosks at both ends of the tunnel.

Side trails apart from the paved road were also offered and accepted. We descended back to another valley which was still part of Kumakogen. It seems that cities and towns cover areas much like counties do in the States.

One thing about Japan. You tend to think of it as a very clean country, especially if you visit the cities. However, it’s my understanding that it can be expensive to get garbage removed. So you will see a stack of ten or so broken televisions on the side of some lesser used road or items dumped over the side of some mountain curve into the valley below. The most unusual thing I’ve had to step over so far was a vacuum cleaning half-laying across the path dumped from the road 50 feet above. Most of the time the paths are very pleasant, if a bit rocky, but then you’ll come upon and area and think, “Oh, this must be the dump.”

We reached Iwayaji (Temple 45 – “Rock Cave Temple”) at a quarter after eleven. We both really liked this temple. It’s built into the side of the mountain and very much part of it. The climb felt like you were going to a mountain temple with the stone stairs, flags, and majesty.

We spent quite a bit of time at the temple, but, if we were going to get back to pick up our backpacks and hike for another hour and a quarter to get to our next lodging, it was time for us to leave. It was 12:30 and I hoped to get back to our backpacks by 3:30 p.m.

Since we had approached the temple from the front, we decided to return via the back path through the mountain. Beside the trail were 36 small Buddha statues leading up the path at regular interval. We noted that each of the statues had a mini trash can that had been converted into holders for offerings. It made sense. We’ve passed a number of these type of statues with rusting cans in front of them and wondered at what point does an offering become trash and who’s responsible for the clean up? The ones that have fruit in front seemed to be visited more regularly.

The ridge crossing was uneventful except for the moment when Connor and looked to our left and noticed a 100 foot drop only two feet away and the small line of trees keeping us from that drop.

Since our lodging tonight did not offering dinner or breakfast and there appeared to be no food available nearby, we stopped first at Family Mart before picking up our bags. I had hoped to get back by 3:30, but I consider walking through the door of Family Mart at 3:43 to be close enough.

We got back to the hotel with our Family Mart loot, rearranged our bags, and set out for Torian, an hour and twenty minutes away. It’s honestly a little discouraging to get back to where you had stayed the night before only to know that you still weren’t done for the day. Connor and I trudged on in relative silence over the next hour. Looking back at my camera, it appears I had lost interest in taking pictures during the latter half of the day.

Tomorrow will get us into Matsuyama where we intend to spend two nights and have one scheduled rest day. I hope to catch a parade that is scheduled for Sunday, visit Matsuyama Castle, and Dogo Onsen – one of the oldest operating onsen in Japan and the inspiration for the design of the bath house in “Spirited Away.”

Laundry’s done.