Walking the Shikoku Pilgrimage – Day 22

On December 26, my fourth section of the Shikoku pilgrimage began.

I set out from Uwajima and walked about 24 km, visiting Temple 41, Ryuko-ji; Temple 42, Butsumoku-ji; and Temple 43, Meiseki-ji.

It was my first winter pilgrimage, and I began the day feeling uneasy about the cold and the prospect of sleeping outdoors. But by the end of the day, I was fortunate enough to receive some unexpected osettai.

It was a day that made me feel both the bitter cold of midwinter and the warmth of human kindness.

Itinerary

The Start of My Fourth Walking Pilgrimage

December 26, clear skies.

Today was the first day of my fourth section of the Shikoku pilgrimage.

It had been about four months since my last section of the pilgrimage in summer. This was also my 22nd day of walking the pilgrimage overall.

This time, I planned to walk until January 4.

I decided to spend the New Year holidays walking across Shikoku as a pilgrim.

During my spring and summer pilgrimages, I met many other pilgrims along the way.

I wondered what kind of encounters awaited me on the pilgrimage in the middle of winter.

Traveling to the Starting Point

I took an overnight bus to Yawatahama, Ehime Prefecture, and from there, took a train to Uwajima, where I had ended my previous section of the pilgrimage.

I arrived at Uwajima Station at 10:00 a.m.

First, I headed to Ryuko-in, the 8th temple of the Shikoku 20 Sacred Sites, located not far from the station.

At the Daishi-do Hall, I reported that I was resuming my pilgrimage and prayed for a safe journey.

With that, my fourth section of the walking pilgrimage had begun.

My First Winter Pilgrimage

Since this was my first winter pilgrimage, I had prepared carefully for the cold.

Under my white pilgrimage robes, I wore a lightweight down jacket.

I also wore highly insulating base layers on both my upper and lower body, and brought work gloves and a neck warmer that could be pulled over my head.

My pack was a little heavier than usual, but unlike in spring or summer, I didn’t need to carry a large amount of water.

That helped offset the extra weight to some extent.

However, there was one thing I was worried about.

My sleeping bag.

I planned to sleep outdoors as much as possible this time as well, but the sleeping bag I had brought was the same one I used during my spring pilgrimage.

According to its specifications, its comfort temperature was around 5°C.

I wondered if it would really be warm enough in the middle of winter.

With some concerns on my mind, I left Uwajima and began walking.

First, Heading for Ryuko-ji

Today’s destination was Unomachi, home to Temple 43, Meiseki-ji.

It was about 24 km from Uwajima to Meiseki-ji, passing through Ryuko-ji and Butsumoku-ji along the way.

Unomachi is served by both railways and highways, and there are plenty of accommodations and restaurants in the area.

I thought it would be a good distance for the first day of this section of my pilgrimage.

First, I headed for Temple 41, Ryuko-ji.

From Uwajima, I followed Prefectural Route 57 north.

The road through the valley along the Mitsuma River gradually climbed for about 5 km.

The winter pilgrimage route felt completely different from spring or summer.

The cold, crisp air naturally made me straighten my back as I walked.

Mitsuma Rest Area

Mima Area

After walking about 1 km from Mitsuma Rest Area, I entered the Mima area, where Ryuko-ji is located.

Mima is a peaceful basin surrounded by mountains, with rural landscapes stretching across the area.

There are convenience stores and restaurants nearby, and Roadside Station Mima also has a restaurant.

For walking pilgrims, it is a convenient place to restock food and other supplies.

Following the signs, I continued on and arrived at Ryuko-ji at 12:30 p.m.

Visiting Temple 41, Ryuko-ji

Ryuko-ji is a scenic temple located on a small hill overlooking the Mima area.

The stone steps leading up to the temple grounds are wide, with relatively low steps.

Even with tired legs, they were fairly easy to climb, which was a welcome feature for a walking pilgrim.

Features of Ryuko-ji

Chomei-sui, a Long-Established Restaurant on the Approach

Along the approach to the temple is Chomei-sui, a long-established restaurant that is popular with pilgrims.

I also stopped here and had a bowl of udon.

It is a convenient place for walking pilgrims to take a break or have lunch, so if you have time, I recommend stopping by.

Heading to Temple 42, Butsumoku-ji

The next temple was Temple 42, Butsumoku-ji.

It is less than 3 km north of Ryuko-ji, so it is quite close.

The route follows Prefectural Route 31 almost the entire way, so there was little chance of getting lost.

Rice fields stretched out on both sides of the road, creating a peaceful winter countryside landscape.

The rice had already been harvested, which gave the scenery a distinctly wintry atmosphere.

Mountains stretched across the horizon in the distance.

“I wonder if Meiseki-ji is somewhere beyond those mountains.”

I walked along while thinking about that.

If I had been traveling by car, I probably wouldn’t have thought about things like that.

Being able to notice these ordinary landscapes and get a sense of the distance between places is one of the things I enjoy about walking the pilgrimage.

Visiting Butsumoku-ji

Crossing Hanaga Pass and Heading to Meiseki-ji

After leaving Butsumoku-ji, it was time to head for Temple 43, Meiseki-ji.

The distance was about 10 km.

As I continued north, I came across a sign for the trailhead of Hanaga Pass.

On the route from Butsumoku-ji to Meiseki-ji, pilgrims can take the Hanaga Pass pilgrimage trail.

It provides a shortcut through the winding mountain road, making it a convenient option for those who want to reduce the walking distance.

Hanaga Pass is about 500 meters above sea level.

At first glance, it looks like a fairly steep climb. However, the trailhead itself is already at an elevation of around 200 meters, so the actual difference in elevation is not as great as the numbers might suggest.

Still, it is a mountain trail.

I slowly made my way up the winter trail, taking one step at a time.

After crossing the pass, I continued north along the prefectural road beside the Hijikawa River.

It was already past 3:00 p.m.

The sun sets early in winter.

In this mountainous area, the sun had already disappeared behind the mountains, and it was beginning to get dark.

I needed to pick up the pace a little.

Heading to Temple 43, Meiseki-ji

Around 4:00 p.m., I entered Unomachi, where Meiseki-ji is located.

Unomachi is a town spread across a plateau formed by the confluence of the Iwasegawa and Hijikawa Rivers.

Since Meiseki-ji is located halfway up a mountain, there is a gradual uphill climb from the town center to the temple grounds.

Visiting Meiseki-ji

After walking for about 30 minutes, I finally reached the temple grounds of Meiseki-ji.

Surrounded by trees in the middle of winter, the temple grounds were quiet and filled with a peaceful, almost sacred atmosphere.

Finding a Place to Stay

After finishing my visit to the temple, I started thinking about where to stay for the night.

I had brought a tent and sleeping bag with me.

I had planned to sleep outdoors somewhere that night.

At 5:00 p.m., I left Meiseki-ji and headed back down to the town at the foot of the mountain.

However, it had already become completely dark.

An Unexpected Act of Osettai

Walking along the dark road, I decided to stop at the first restaurant I came across and have dinner.

While I was eating, the woman who ran the restaurant spoke to me.

“Pilgrim, where are you planning to stay tonight?”

“I’m planning to sleep outdoors at a rest area further ahead.”

When I answered, she looked a little concerned.

“This area is in a basin, so it gets very cold at night. It’s not safe, so I’ll arrange a place for you to stay.”

She then called a nearby business hotel and made a reservation for me.

It was an unexpected act of kindness.

I suppose this was another form of osettai, the spirit of hospitality shown to pilgrims.

I had been a little worried about sleeping outdoors in the middle of winter, so I gratefully accepted her offer.

That night, I stayed at the business hotel she had recommended.

My First Winter Pilgrimage

Looking back on the day.

This was my fourth section of the pilgrimage, and my first winter pilgrimage.

I walked about 24 km from Uwajima to Meiseki-ji, passing through Ryuko-ji and Butsumoku-ji along the way.

During the day, the cold wasn’t much of a problem as long as I kept my winter clothing on while walking.

In fact, the uphill sections made me sweat a little.

“A winter pilgrimage is actually more manageable than I expected.”

By the end of my first day, I had gained a little confidence.

From tomorrow onward, I’ll continue walking at my own pace, listening to my body and taking care not to push myself too hard.

Temple Information