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Honshu at our heels
This is the Naruto bridge that connects Awaji Island and Shikoku. My travel buddy:
I met Barrie in December through a mutual friend.
I saw him again at work a couple of months later.
The combined amount of time that I was in his presence probably amounted to three hours.
So of course he was my obvious choice to spend a week with traveling around Japan.
Thanks to an online community (go Facebook!), the two of us began exchanging pleasantries regarding new work schedules and classes, as well as our plans for Golden Week (national holiday at the end of April/beginning of May). It turned out that we were interested in going to the same place- Shikoku!
Our destination:
Shikoku is Japan's fourth largest island but seems to be generally overlooked by tourists, which is what made it such an attractive destination (especially during a period where almost the whole of Japan is traveling). Shikoku is famous for udon and crab, but more importantly for a ring of eighty-eight temples that mark the journey of a Buddhist Saint as he wandered in search of enlightenment. Kobo Daishi is one of the most famous figures in Japanese history. Born on Shikoku in 774, he was expected to
Wild water
The view from the observation deck on the bridge. become a court official but ended up leaving college (to the dismay of his parents) to become an ascetic. He wandered around Shikoku for seven years, studying Buddhist scripture and begging for food. He eventually founded the Shingon Buddhist monastery on Mt. Koya (on the main island of Honshu), which is now known as Koyasan. The seven-hundred mile trek that begins in Koyasan and visits each of the eighty-eight temples is Japan's most famous pilgrimage. Many Japanese go on this pilgrimage once they've retired, as it can take up to a couple months to do. I should probably mention that the elderly population in Japan has to be one of the fittest in the world! It's more than a bit embarrassing when you're getting smoked on hikes by a bunch of little old ladies!
Part 1 - Kobe to Takamatsu:
We caught a bus to Shikoku on Monday morning, making a brief stop in Naruto to see the whirlpools. There is a narrow straight that runs between Awaji Island and Shikoku that connects the Inland Sea with the Pacific Ocean. About four times a day large amounts of water rush in and out, creating massive tidal whirlpools.
Welcome to the real Japan
Train tracks and rice patties It was pretty interesting, but I enjoyed the people-watching opportunity much more than the rushing water.
Next on the agenda was Takamatsu. On our first night there we just grabbed some dinner and proceeded to pass out early, as we had both stayed up late on Sunday night. On Tuesday though, we managed to see one of the top gardens in Japan, Ritsurinkoen, as well as two of the most famous of the eighty-eight temples, Zentsuji and Kompirasan. Zentsuji is where Kobo Daishi was born. It's pretty standard as temples go here, except for one thing -- there is an underground maze beneath the main temple! You have to keep your left hand on the wall as you walk through the maze in complete darkness. This serves two purposes: to help you find your way and to "read" the story of Kobo Daishi's life that has been carved into the wall.
Kompirasan was a shrine to seafarers before Kobo Daishi chose it as a site for one of his temples. It's a magnificent place, but to get to the innermost shrine you have to climb up 1300+ steps! The view at the top was completely worth it though.
First class all the way
Traveling on trains with only one car Poor Barrie actually has a weak lung, but he made it to the top and never complained once.
After our day of sightseeing, we met up with Barrie's childhood friend Adam for a tour of the city. Adam's been living and teaching English in Takamatsu for two years now. We stayed out with him and his friends until late, but somehow managed to catch an early morning ferry out to a tiny island called Naoshima.... (to be continued)
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Troy
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Alyssa darlin'. Quit runnin' around in the Far East and come back to Austin, Texas baby!!! -Troy