Day 36: Temples 52 and 53

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Connor and I decided to part ways today. At least for the day. Yesterday, back at Temple 48, we ran into a Frenchman named Terry we had met way back in Hiwasa on Day 8 or Day 9. He was very friendly and we both had a opportunity to talk with him while taking care of temple business. Unfortunately, Connor forgot to take his stamp book to the temple office and missed getting it stamped. He didn’t realize until we were almost to Temple 49 and Temple 48 was a few kilometers behind us. Rather that turn around and miss temples 49-51 that day. He decided he would take public transportation back to Temple 48 after our rest day, then take the train back to his starting point and see if he couldn’t catch up to me. I was confident in his ability to get around on his own, so I let him know I would see him later this afternoon or at our next inn.

This Japanese youngster is 73-years-old. He is walking the pilgrimage for the third time. This time, however, he is walking the island counter-clockwise and in reverse order (gyaku-uchi) this time around. It’s considered more difficult as any signage tends to be on the clockwise side of the henro michi.
Sanmon – Taisanji
Taisanji (Temple 52 – “Big Mountain Temple”) The is said to have been founded by a wealthy merchant from Kyushu in the 6th Century after he’d been saved from a shipwreck by Juichimen Kannon. The main temple is constructed without the use of cleats or pillar-connectors and is important to students of architecture.
Taisanji
Taisanji
Taisanji
Daishido – Taisanji
Enmyoji – (Temple 53 – “Temple of Circular Illumination”) The Hondo contains a statue of the Virgin Mary disguised as Kannon (called Mariya Kannon) which was worshiped by crypto-Christians during the Tokugawa period when Japanese Christians faced persecution.
Daishido – Enmyoji
Inside the Daishido – Enmyoji
Enmyoji
Inside the Hondo – Enmyoji (It usually dark inside this temples when they are no actively being used for services, so I couldn’t make out which statue may have been the secret Madonna.
Lunch! Cafe Kiraku
It’s political season in Japan. You would see people riding around in cars dressed entirely the same (colorful jumpsuits with white gloves). Someone would be reading off of a script through the speakers on the roof of the car and the occupants would all be waving out the windows as they passed by.
Walking up the coast to my next inn. Still no sign of Connor.
It’s fun to find something like this out in the wild.
Dinner at Hojosuigun Youth Hostel

3 thoughts on “Day 36: Temples 52 and 53”

  2. I did see him later that evening at the inn, although I did have to ask for directions to get to the right building.

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