Day 18. Screetch, scraatch, bang, bum. It's over(for now)

13th April.

Started to have bad feelings last night going to sleep as I realized I couldn't sleep on my back nor right side. My right legs ankle has large area where skin is broken. Left leg ankle as well but to lesser degree. But if this touched something, like bed sheet, I could feel it enough to keep me awake. So I had had to sleep on my left side.

Waking up I generally felt okay so went to breakfest. Still no issues. Issue came when I put on shoes. That right ankle! I could feel the sore part clearly. Almost every step made me wince.

Still have had similar issues before so I figured I just start walking and maybe it gets better later. And actually at the start it did. Went to temple 36 that was right next to my lodging. Easy going except for very long stairway. ARGH!

Gate to the compound of temple #36 Shoryuji(Green dragon temple).

As a side note in Finnish language(and probably english) green and blue are distinct colours. However this is not constant! Seems that surprisingly many languages(and culture) don't have notable distinction between the two. And Japan is one(in textbooks separation between the two started after second world war!). Therefore kanji in name of temple can be used to describe both what Finns would be calling blue and what we would be calling green!

Kōbō Daishi built this temple in memory of the Chinese master who taught him esoteric buddhism( Hui-Kuo, Keika as he is known in Japan. 7th patriarch of Ch'ing-lung temple in Ch'ang-an, the capital of T'ang China).

Before leaving to Japan he is said to have thrown three pointed Vajra(kind of tool/instrument used in buddhist ceremonies) toward Japan which is said to have landed in pine tree in the rear of the present temple. How many vajra's he threw? There's identical legend related to Koya mountain!

Main hall. Honzon here is Fudo Myo the immovable king. First in this pilgrimage. Honzon, carved by Kōbō Daishi is venerated as guardian of the fishermen. Commonly called as "wave cutting Fudō Myōō". This comes from legend that when Kōbō Daishi was walking this area he was struct by fierce storm. Praying for the storm to go away he saw vision of Fudō Myōō clearing away the storm which it eventually did without harming Kōbō Daishi. Storms being enemy of fishermen this suits fishermen quite well I think!

Until 1975 pilgrims had to use ferry to go to the temple but now there's bridge instead(think that's the long bridge I crossed yesterday).

Middle of forest in a slight rise. Nice peaceful place.

Another Fudo Myo statue.

The Daishi hall.

Yet another Fudo Myo statue.

Next part would be long walk middle of nowhere. There's the southern route and northern route. Northern route requires backtracking plus is tad longer so I took the southern route. Also get to see the oku-no-in of 36 which the Biker Aunt(hehe) had recommended as good "power spot". Could do with some power...

Was enjoying the even parts of this section but the right ankle area was very painful during the climb toward the top. Every step made me wince. And tomorrow's path would have 400m tall mountain to climb...Now I was getting worried.

Getting to the road I took the 200m detour for the oku-no-in. Usually I don't visit these as they are WAY off the road but 200m wasn't too bad.

Friendly guide post toward the Oku-no-in!

Now that's a whole pile of gates to show you the way.

Arrival to the Oku-no-in aka the inner temple. Old days this was where priests of temple #36 were doing ascetic practices etc in silence. Very quiet temple building. Nothing spectacular but one could easily see why priests in olden days came here for their practices. Good place for meditation.

Basically just a typical looking temple building. Nothing fancier than that.

Remains of Emperor Hanayama who was exiled here are said to be here as well. Surprisingly public and unguarded place for Emperor's remains. Well not that much is left by now most likely.

Then...Time to start walking. Would be about 24km to the 5th bangai temple that was my goal for today. So I started to walk wincing at my right ankle soreness ever so often. This section was quite empty of...well everything! Middle of nowhere with occasional cars passing by. Not sure where they are going in these numbers though. On route had some spectacular views also.

At least I had BEAUTIFUL coast view to look at.

This is one of THE most favourite photos I took this year. Scenery was breathtaking here.

However by now my right ankle was also starting to dislike weight put on. This was turning to be bad. I hopped forward for maybe 2-3km but eventually had to admit the truth. I was out of gas so to speak. Or maybe tire puncture is more accurate term. Felt like I had enough strenght to walk this trip no problem but right ankle was both sore and painful.

Sitting along road close to cat(that refused to come close) I finally decided to raise the white flag and call a taxi.

One number didn't connect, other rang repeatedly but nobody replied.

This was NOT good. Oh and did I mention this was middle of nowhere? Not much bus stops either! I had seen few bus but that had been school bus. Not sure those would let me in, not sure of time and that school was by now like 2km behind.

This was most definitely NOT good.

I considered turning around figuring I rather walk the 7-8km or so back rather than 19km or so ahead but instead I for a while hopped ahead and listened for cars behind. When I heard one I lifted thumb in classic hitchhiker pose. Never done this before but guess first for everything!

And hey presto! First car stopped! But hearing what I asked they had to decline for obvious reason. Super mini car with 2 seats with 2 people in...Oh bummer.

Hopping forward I tried this for next 3, 4 cars but they didn't even stop. Uh-oh. I was getting more than a little nervous. Luckily next car stopped and even agreed to take me in! Thank you! This men in maybe his 30's or 40's really saved my neck here Seems he was having day off from work so maybe he was on route to enjoy his free day somewhere. We talked a bit while he drove me to Susaki station(stopping briefly on statue nearby of some famous samurai by the look of it).

Dropping me to the station I gave him name slip and...got tea and some candies in return. Hey this wasn't supposed to go like this! Felt especially embarrassing since I was done for pilgrimage for this year but...Well thank you anyway and mega thank you for driving me here! I might have been in serious trouble without somebody driving me here.

Well I still wanted to see the bangai bekkaku temple in this town so I hopped there. And found out main hall was on very tall area with lots of stairs! Couldn't have been easier? Not good time for me to climb stairs but no can do. Climbing time.

Taking it slowly I made it to the top where I first sat down to rest my poor feet and call to the lodging to check what time I can check in. 3PM but when she heard of my feet issues she said I could check in sooner. Huge thank you!

Main hall. Bangai bekkaku temple #5 Daizenji(Temple of great virtue) with Kobo Daishi himself as Honzon.

Seems originally Daishi hall was up here as well but among one of the numerous rebuilds was relocated down where I had just came from.

In the past many disasters at sea occurred in this area so KD constructed this temple to pray for safety while on land and water on the top of two large rocks on the beach.

Seriously overexposed photo :-/ Darn it.

View over the Susaki town.

Daishi hall.

Finishing up temple(and getting stamp from another place 500m away...) I checked the train schedule figuring I take train to the lodging. 2 hour wait...or about 3km walk. Gritting teeth I took the walk.

Not pleasant walk, nothing really interesting on route. Eventually I got to the lodging around 12:45 where I collapsed to the futon.

Now I need to figure what to do after this! About a week to kill.