Day 3. The infamous Shosanji. Still alive!

Or so my head says. I can think, therefore I am alive right? Legs say "no we are not, we are soooooo dead!" though.

Today was day I had been both dreading and waiting for. The infamous Shosanji, temple #12. Said to be the hardest path in the pilgrimage and also on usually third day(though in lodging I met japanese guy who had come this far in 2 days. He had hit temples 10 and 11 on this morning, started climb like 2 hours later than I did, reached top ahead of me with good margin and had been on lodging long before I came! Oh dear. I feel soooooo slow now :D

Anyway I started out arounnd 7:10 and headed toward the Fujiidera again. I didn't spend much time there except quick bow for Kukai's statue and asked some strenght for the climb(can't hurt!). Then at exactly 7:50 I took my first steps toward the Shosanji. Ryokan owner also had given me settai of onigiris(rice balls) for lunch. Thank you!

 

Temple was busy in the morning already with locals who didn't look like they were going toward the Shosanji. After all temples while part of pilgrim are still mostly for locals for normal things.

  

This is it! From here it began!

Passing through mini-temples that formed mini-88 pilgrimage(though didn't realize it at the start and I think some require detour) I spotted japanese couple ahead and soon went past them. Bit later came along lone men in maybe 60's or 70's and slowed a bit to talk and when we came to beautiful scenic spot the couple caught up. We chatted and stopped for a talk in resting place where I showed photos I was carrying. Eventually couple headed forward while the men, who had been coming just this far, gave hints and talked about belgium for which he had interest having met belgian pilgrim before some years ago. Then I continued while he went back presumably to his home..

 

Couple mini pilgrimage spots.

 Warning signs for Mamushi(the poisonous snake) were here and there. Wonder if they are already active? Either way for sake of safety was knocking ground heavily with my staff. They say snakes sense vibration from that and know to go away. I take any protection I can get! ;)

 Catching up with the couple took up longer than I expected but eventually did pass them though. They were quick to play down their speed but either I'm slow too or they were walking at quite a decent pace as well!

 Cute bear statue.

 Uuuh how I screwed up photos like this :( I had been looking forward to these views and to have these come this white...bummer.

First climb toward Choudoan was pretty long and at times steep and narrow. Chodoan itself was smallish lone temple building with toilet for women and that's about it. I proceeded to take break there eating one rice ball along with couple I met before who arrived and another male henro that came soon after. Stopping for rest body cooled up quickly and it started to feel quite chilly. This might be small worry. I suppose all these trees blocking sunlight might be the culprit. Day was balance between move(keeps body warm) and rest(makes me feel cold).

 Quite a drop so walking eyes closed not recommended. But path is solid so not really dangerous.

Rather steep though. First resting place is at 440m height over 3.2km distance.

 Arrival to Chodoan. Kobo Daishi is said to have rested here when he was going to the Shosanji so sanctuary marks the spot here. Name(Chodo, just right) comes from idea that you should eat pickled plum when you take a break to get "just the right amount of salt". This is also place to renew one's conviction as a pilgrim.

 Current location is one marked with red text bottom left.

 After a while though I departed toward the next rest spot. 3.4km to walk.

 After Chodoan climb continued to tad over 600m height and returned to around 550m until serious climb to around 750m commenced.

 I was overtaken by youngish looking Japanese men somewhere around this. On retrospect maybe this was the guy I would share room though surprising if he didn't remember me(doubtful he was overtaking tons of foreigners today...). I also ran into older men who was going the pilgrimage in reverse.

 It was around 10AM so I had been going 2 hours or so and only 4.6km. Climbing is slow process.

 Good thing my shoes didn't care whether there was mud or rock under. Grip was good and socks would stay dry.

 Thank god for the path markers. Otherwise how to figure which way to go?

With building visible I suspected I was about to get to second rest spot Ryusuian(Willow water hut). Another place where Kobo Daishi is said to have rested on his way but since there was no water he conducted prayer ritual with a branch of willow tree and caused water to gush from the ground. He also built the sanctuary and carved and enshrined statue of himself there. This is sacred place of blessed water, precious substance essential for life(ie blessed as in valuable. Not blessed in spiritual sense per se).

 Second bangai spot Ryuusuian turned out to be largish temple by the looks of it. By the time I came there was few and more joined in so soon lots of people there were resting so like 7 other pilgrims in the end including 2 couples, including the one I had met. Everybody talked, laughed, rested and talked about future climb. We were about halfway but longest climb and the final climb were still ahead so it was still long day ahead. I ate the second rice ball here along with some other energy bar like things. Taking out shoes and letting fingers be free felt sooo good. 

However eventually people started to leave. I left shortly after the old couple had and expected to catch them soon.

 This looked like place where pilgrims could stay for a night though didn't check if it's allowed or not. Either way somebody seemed to be staying there now but probably just resting since it was only around 11AM.

However chace took longer than I expected. Eventually I pushed forward of the couple and the lone henro men I had met before.

After this climb got serious as I aimed for the highest climb of the route of the part(unless you go to the oku-no-in which lies at 938 meters) at 745 meters with about 2.2km horizontal.. This is called Jouren-an and had big statue of Kobo Daishi in it. The lone pilgrim joined me soon as I was taking pictures.

 Jouren-an! I made it. 

Another place Kobo Daishi used for rest. Actually it's said he took a nap here with root of a tree as his pillow(must have been tough). Amida Nyorai came to him in his dream so he made an oath(wonder what?), carved statue of Amida and constructed a sanctuary here. He also planted cedar that would grow to be large and old tree. Statue was built here in around 1926 by donation of wealthy person from Kyoto along with stone stairs seen in above picture to prevent misfortune.

 Time to press forward. From now it would be downhill for a while as I would descend down to about 460m...Sigh. Have I mentioned that while I love climbing mountains I hate coming down? It kills my knees!

 This town marked the bottom of a climb. Yey! Almost there. I was feeling sooooo exhausted when I finally reached down stopping for quick snack to give me energy for the next part.

 I was so glad I was doing this on this time of year and not in say summer where the temperatures would have been murderous for this climb....

 Cars have 6km to go but walkers go straight through so 2km or so. Of course car still goes through faster than walkers...It was 12:42 and next would be the final climb that has the rather ominous nickname "where pilgrims fall" lied next before I finally would reach it. It seems that the walking pilgrims who quit the pilgrimage early do it are most commonly from any section here..

 

 Okay this doesn't look too bad.

 But this does. Things got serious!

 You have GOT to be kidding me! Thankfully it was not raining like weather forecast had yesterday threatened as this was already quite slippery. On rain it would have been extra dangerous(plus possibility of it coming as rain I suppose...)

 I was sweating like I was in sauna! Though it was getting chilly as I was getting closer to the top and was wearing the cotton gloves.

 Ugh. Boy this section WAS tough. Not so much because it was steep, though it was that too, but because ground you step is uneven, slippery and lots of loose rock. I was so happy it didn't rain as promised. At least I knew if I slipped and injured help would be coming behind so there was that comfort.

Eventually I reached the top though. Final stint was surprisingly gentle slope and I ran into another pilgim here so we walked the last section together, me following slightly behind as I was stopping to take pictures of various statues of buddhist statues. About 1km before the goal I got to do some distance conversion as I saw sign "8 cho to the temple". 1 cho is about 110m. Didn't expect to have to do this kind of conversions to find out remaining distance ;)

I had interesting time comparing this, Mount Buko and Mount Fuji. Think this beats Mount Buko after all due to constant climb and descent. Also beats Mount Fuji in terms of having harder foot steps but Fuji had thin air to deal with. This or Mount Fuji. Wonder which one was tougher.

Immovable king.

 Looks like Kannon Boddhisattva.

Buddha on the moment of his death.

 No idea.

 Yakushi Nyorai aka the healing Buddha.

Kannon Boddhisattva.

Now at the top and slowing down it was getting chilly. Rain here seems to now come as snow(seems this year is unusually cold!) and indeed there were small piles of snow in the compounds...Brrr!

 With tad over 700m as final height views were rather excelent.

 This shows pretty well full outfit I was carrying on the pilgrimage.

Niomon gate. I had arrived to the temple #12, Shosanji(Burning mountain temple). 

Legend has it that En no Gyoja(wandering ascetic who lived about century before Kukai) subdued fiery dragon/serpent here founding the temple. Later when Kōbō Daishi came again here he found out dragon was once more loose terrorizing the people. He ascended the mountain and sealing the dragon into a cave carving two statues as a guardians. Name of the temple comes from this.

 The dragon subduer!

With temple located high in the mountain no problems with bothering neighbours so easy time to strike the bell!

 Me in front of the main hall hosting Kokuzo Bosatsu as the honzon. This deity hosts particular importance for Kukai as it was chanting his mantra that Kukai archieved enlightement. This honzon is work of Kobo Daishi.

And Daishi hall.

 Big trees. Interesting tidbit but did you know Japan actually has more forests than Finland? Finland is generally considered to have lots of forests but seems Japan, despite having about same landspace as Finland, beats Finland narrowly. Seems reason is that Japan has 80% or so of it's landmass covered with mountains. Which are covered in forests and generally not built. In Finland forests are cut often to make room for building or for raw material.

 Snow! In end of march! But 2 days later it REALLY snowed with entire ground being totally white. Good thing I came now! Didn't really have clothes for snow...

 Red Daishi!

Small play area even for kids!

Whether from exhaustion or coldness I don't know but I had also acquired a headache.

Doing prayers at the two halls(first time I have had day in pilgrimage with just 1 temple to go btw) I then took some photos and then sat for food, drink and lots and lots and lots of talking. Again seems somebody hears me talking japanese with another they feel like it's safe to come　to talk with  me as well so it was like self-feeding process. Not that I complain!

Before leaving the compound I bid farewell to the old couple I had met at the very start who had also just made it and went again to the stamp office to warm myself up! Waaaaaarmth! Give me heat!

Incidentally japan is quite safe so felt quite comfortable leaving my bags alone there in the temple area while I went to one hall or other, stamp office or toilet.

Heating up my body enough I felt like descending(I had decided to abandon plan of going to okunoin. Cold, tired, headache, was about 3pm and had to get to lodging and had long day ahead) I started the path down. Again knee torture as I had to descent through pathways that cut through mountain the car route looped around. Rougher descent but much shorter distance.

I kept pace down quite fast to keep my body warm until I reached level where it wasn't quite as chilly!

 And I had joined road for a while.

This gave me a jump! I spotted the statue I had been looking forward to seeing close by.

You can read more about this on my entry about history but this depicts meeting of Kobo Daishi and Emon Saburo before his death.

 Detail is quite impressive.

I was still on quite high place and indeed would not be completely today. Though the lodging was in only about 240m or so height.

 And back to mountain path!

 By now I was pretty toasted. This had been long and hard day. It's pretty telling that I'm out of steam when I take out the conical hat! I generally did that only when taking break or when I was totally steamed out!

I had booked place called Sudachikan that was closest to the temple and was glad I had. Well next closest wouldn't have been that far off either but after that waaay further. I had no idea what to expect. Not business hotel, minshuku or ryokan mentioned in the name so lets see.

 After green building was "Sudachikan" store(?) that served as my lodging today. Seems they host pilgrims in pair of rooms in their own house or something like that. I entered the store and introduced myself after which it went normally. I received fruit and tea chatting for a while before I was shown my room that I would be sharing with japanese men who was 26 years old. Other room had french and japanese women. French was walking, japanese in her 60's was doing this with motorbike visiting every single spot in the map book(so well over 200!). . I don't think I have ever shared room with complete stranger before but just something you have to be prepared for in here or need to be more picky with lodgings which could be problematic sometimes!

Turned out that the french women also spoke japanese very well so the 4 pilgrims and the 3 hosts(younger men, old woman and old men. I thought japanese female pilgrim was related but forgot japanese use term mother often for...well not mothers! as well especially toward older people) spent entire time speaking japanese. Even me and french women when we were talking just the two of us. Funny that that we didn't use english!

But after checkin in host provided excelent osettai in form of car drive first into onsen and then into convenience store! Heaven! I had heard of this onsen as very good but as it was way too far off course hadn't counted on it. Oh and free ticket to onsen as well. Words just don't cover it all.

Oh and did I mention they had friendly dog as well? I spent soo much time scratching the dog.

Onsen was indeed very good and spent lots of time soaking in hot(bloody hot. Strenght left my body completely with it) and even to sauna! First time in Japanese sauna. Not that different in terms of temperature to finnish one(90 degrees) but no water being thrown to oven or at least not by users and tv were different.

After this I went to the lobby though. Headache had resurfaced though rest there and drink eased it up. Almost fell asleep even. At the konbini bought some food items for next day and then...Dinner. Well except before that I booked up lodging for next day at Urokoro near temple 16.

Dinner was great, lots of talking, lots of hints being received. It was so fun. Rooms etc weren't fancy but clean and very friendly hosts so who needs fancies? Only "problem" was that with friendly hosts and interesting fellow pilgrims had barely any time to take notes! Hahaha! Not that I complain.

Eventually we set to sleep though. Breakfast would be 6am already and early departure. Suits fine. Long day ahead.