On Day 13 of my Shikoku pilgrimage, I departed from Niida, crossed Urado Ohashi Bridge, and visited Katsurahama early in the morning. Afterward, I continued on to Temple 33, Sekkei-ji, and Temple 34, Tanema-ji, successfully completing my second section of the pilgrimage.
Along the way, I received a kind gift of tomatoes from a local resident. At the end of the day, I also had a heartwarming encounter at Tanema-ji, where I was given a handmade friendship bracelet and some sweets.
In this article, I look back on four days of walking the pilgrimage route, covering approximately 110 km from Muroto.
- Itinerary
- Day 13 of the Shikoku Pilgrimage | Visiting Katsurahama Early on the Final Day of My Sectional Pilgrimage
- Urado Ohashi Bridge | A Narrow Walkway Along the Early Morning Pilgrimage Route
- Katsurahama | Visiting the Sakamoto Ryoma Statue on a Quiet, Empty Beach at Dawn
- Temple 33 Sekkei-ji | A Historic Temple Connected to the Chosokabe Clan
- Temple 34 Tanema-ji | Receiving Tomatoes as an Osettai Gift from a Local Farmer
- Completing My Sectional Pilgrimage at Temple 34 Tanema-ji
- Looking Back on My Second Sectional Pilgrimage | Approximately 110 km from Cape Muroto to Kochi City
- Temple Information
Itinerary
- 5:00Departure
- Niida
- Urado Ohashi Bridge
- Katsurahama
- 8:00Temple No. 33, Sekkei-ji
- 9:45Temple No. 34, Tanema-ji
- End of This Pilgrimage Section
Day 13 of the Shikoku Pilgrimage | Visiting Katsurahama Early on the Final Day of My Sectional Pilgrimage
June 2, Sunny
Yesterday, after visiting Zenjibu-ji (Temple 32), I spent the night camping in a park in Niida, along the route to Sekkei-ji (Temple 33).
Today was the final day of my second section of the Shikoku pilgrimage. I had booked a flight home for around midday, so I needed to finish visiting the temples in the morning and then head to Kochi Airport. Without pushing myself too hard, I decided to continue as far as Tanema-ji (Temple 34), the final temple of this section.
There are two main routes from Zenjibu-ji to Sekkei-ji.
One option is to cross Urado Bay by prefectural ferry from Tanisaki. The ferry is free and operates frequently, making it a convenient choice for pilgrims walking the route. The other option is to cross Urado Ohashi Bridge. Although this route allows you to walk without worrying about ferry schedules, it requires a considerable detour around Urado Bay.
This time, I chose the longer route over Urado Ohashi Bridge because I wanted to visit Katsurahama, located beyond the bridge.
For that reason, I got up early at 4:30 a.m.
When I stepped outside, the morning sky was beautifully illuminated by the rising sun, and I couldn’t resist taking a few photos. After getting ready, I left the park at 5 a.m.
Urado Ohashi Bridge | A Narrow Walkway Along the Early Morning Pilgrimage Route
About 30 minutes after setting off, I reached Urado Ohashi Bridge.
This large bridge crosses Urado Bay, and it stands quite high above the water, presumably to allow ships to pass underneath. A long uphill climb led to the top of the bridge, making for quite a workout first thing in the morning.
What concerned me even more was how narrow the walkway was. It was very close to the roadway, and there were moments when I felt uneasy walking along it. I carefully held my walking staff in front of my body to make sure it didn’t stick out into the traffic lane.
Fortunately, there was little traffic so early in the morning. However, I felt that extra caution would be necessary when crossing during the daytime.
After safely crossing Urado Ohashi Bridge, I spotted Katsurahama on the left, in the opposite direction from the pilgrimage route. Since I had come this far, I decided to take a little detour and visit.
Katsurahama | Visiting the Sakamoto Ryoma Statue on a Quiet, Empty Beach at Dawn
Katsurahama is one of Kochi Prefecture’s most famous scenic spots, known for its beautiful coastline and popular with tourists. It has long been celebrated as a place to admire the moon and has been cherished by successive lords of the Tosa Domain as well as many writers. Nearby stands a statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, attracting visitors from both inside and outside the prefecture.
The magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean is quintessentially Kochi.
Since it was still early in the morning, there were hardly any people at Katsurahama that day. Dressed in my white pilgrim’s attire, I explored the beach all by myself.
A place that is usually bustling with tourists was completely mine to enjoy in the quiet morning air. It was a special moment of solitude that I could experience precisely because I was walking the Shikoku pilgrimage.
After spending some time enjoying the coastal scenery, I left Katsurahama and continued on my way. Although I had taken a slight detour, I arrived at Sekkei-ji (Temple 33) just before 8 a.m.
Temple 33 Sekkei-ji | A Historic Temple Connected to the Chosokabe Clan
Sekkei-ji has deep historical ties to the Chosokabe clan, known as one of the prominent Sengoku-period warlord families of Tosa. The temple is also known as the family temple of Chosokabe Motochika. At the adjacent Hata Shrine, the grave of Chosokabe Morichika still remains.
The history of the Chosokabe clan is preserved throughout the area surrounding the temple, making this a place where visitors can reflect on Tosa’s Sengoku period while walking the Shikoku pilgrimage.
I explored the temple grounds, taking in the historical atmosphere, and offered my prayers at the main hall and Daishi Hall.
Only one temple remained: Tanema-ji (Temple 34), the final stop of this section of my pilgrimage. Feeling grateful that I had made it this far without any major difficulties, I set off toward my final destination.
Temple 34 Tanema-ji | Receiving Tomatoes as an Osettai Gift from a Local Farmer
Tanema-ji is located about 6 km west of Sekkei-ji.
Since this was the final stretch of my second section of the pilgrimage, I felt a little more relaxed than usual. There was no need to rush, so I continued walking at a leisurely pace.
Although the route included several narrow roads and turns, I had no trouble finding my way by following the pilgrimage signposts.
The surrounding landscape was filled with greenhouses and rice fields, and I enjoyed walking through the peaceful countryside.
Along the way, a local farmer kindly offered me some tomatoes as an osettai (a traditional gift of hospitality to pilgrims). They had been freshly harvested that morning. When I took a bite, their natural sweetness seemed to bring some energy back to my tired body.
I believe these simple, heartwarming encounters with local people are one of the greatest pleasures of walking the Shikoku pilgrimage.
Finally, just before 10 a.m., I arrived at Tanema-ji (Temple 34).
Completing My Sectional Pilgrimage at Temple 34 Tanema-ji
At Tanema-ji, I offered my prayers at the main hall and Daishi Hall.
Standing in front of the Daishi Hall, I gave thanks for being able to complete this section of my pilgrimage safely. I also quietly promised myself that I would return here again on my next journey.
My latest sectional pilgrimage, which began on May 30 at Shinsho-ji (Temple 25), had finally come to an end. Although it had been a relatively short journey, I was grateful to have walked all the way to the final temple without any major difficulties.
An Unforgettable Osettai Gift | Receiving a Friendship Bracelet at Tanema-ji
After finishing my visit, I waited for a taxi to take me to Kochi Airport.
Just then, a minibus arrived, and a group of around 20 pilgrims began making their way into the temple. One of them, who appeared to be a senior pilgrimage guide, glanced at me and struck up a conversation.
“Looks like you’ve got a nice tan!”
It was true. After walking day after day, my skin had become quite sunburned.
The guide kindly gave me a friendship bracelet as an osettai gift. When the other pilgrims in the group noticed it, they began gathering around me one after another. Apparently, they all wanted to take a closer look at the bracelet.
Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the group. Feeling a little bewildered, I was then showered with a mountain of sweets from everyone.
I was quite taken aback by this unexpected turn of events. Perhaps a little of the guide’s ability to attract people had rubbed off on me!
I never imagined that such a warm encounter would be waiting for me at the very end of my journey.
It became another unforgettable memory, bringing this section of my Shikoku pilgrimage to a truly heartwarming close.
Looking Back on My Second Sectional Pilgrimage | Approximately 110 km from Cape Muroto to Kochi City
This second section of my Shikoku pilgrimage lasted four days, from May 30 to June 2. I walked approximately 110 km, visiting Temples 25 through 34, from Shinsho-ji to Tanema-ji.
During my previous section of the pilgrimage, I had injured my feet, so I took precautions this time to prevent the same problem from happening again. Being able to feel the benefits of those measures was one of the biggest takeaways from this journey.
On the other hand, unlike my previous spring pilgrimage, this trip brought the heat of early summer. The strong sunlight during the hottest part of the day took a considerable toll on my energy, reminding me once again of the importance of preparing for the heat in the coming months.
Even so, this journey was filled with many memorable experiences unique to walking the Shikoku pilgrimage: the coastal scenery and peaceful countryside between Cape Muroto and central Kochi, encounters at the temples, and the warm hospitality of local people through osettai.
My next sectional pilgrimage is planned for the Obon holiday in the middle of summer.
It looks like another battle against the heat awaits me, but I look forward to discovering new scenery and meeting new people as I continue my pilgrimage journey.
Temple Information
- No. 33
- No. 34
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