2)Saturday, June 18, 2005 Weather : Cloudy then occasionally sunny Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part X)

• The eleventh Fudasho : Anrakuji Temple (374 Ohaza Gosho, Yoshimi-cho, Hiki-Gun, Saitama Pref.)
  
  
  • When I woke up at dawn, it was raining. However, fortunately, the rain almost ceased when I left home.
  • I arrvied in Higashi-matsuyama Station at 7:30 AM via Seibu Line and Tojo Line.
  • It was not raining although it seemed to start rain.
  • This time, I tried to walk according to the course set by the quidebook.
  • First, I visited Yakyu Inari Shrine located near the station.
  • Then I started to walk again from the station toward 11th Fudasho.
  • Just crossing the bridge of Namekawa River, there exist Iwamura Kannon and Yoshimi Hyakettu. (Hyakettu means one hundred holes.)
  • I worshipped the Iwamuro Kannon, then I went to the Yoshimi Hakketu. However, the gate was closed since it was just past 8:00 AM.
  • So I started to walk again to the Yoshimi Kannon. (11th Fudasho)
  • The nice walkway is arranged and many guide poles are prepared.
  • Soon the course entered into the forest and I could hear a cuckoo singing in the right and a Japanese nightingale singing in the left. I could refresh.
  • I could also see a lot of stone images of Buddha roadside.
  • Finally I reach the temple around 9:00 AM.
  • Luckily June 18 was the only day when the kannon was open to the public in the year.
  • According to the guidebook, the kannon was open from 3:00 AM to 2:00 PM only. It is said that the earlier the worshippers visit the temple , the more they could get the grace. A lot of worshippers gather around 0:00 AM on June 18 every year.
  • I could see several street stalls in the precinct and in front of the temple gate reckoning on the worshippers. However, such scenery spoiled my feeling. I am of opinion that the pilgrim should be made in quiet and sober atmosphere.
  • Since I arrived in the temple past 9:00 AM, the number of worshippers was not so many. And thus some street stalls already started to close. They might start to open at 0:00 AM and made a lot of money!!
  • I had a plan to buy Yakuyoke-dango (Talisman dumpling) at the Dango (Dumpling) shop in front of the temple. However, unfortunately, all dangos were sold out!!
  • Anyway, to my regret, I could not see the Kannon at all since the inside the main temple was so dark!!
  • Then I walked according to the guidebook.
  • I visited a few ponds, however, on the way, I lost my way and lost more than 30 minutes. At that time, the sun started to appear and it was getting hotter. Carelessly I forgot to take my cap!
  • Finally I visited Yoshimi Hyakettu. I pay Yen 300 to enter and see the holes where ancient people made for tombs. Also I saw big holes made for munition factory at the end of WWII. I strongly felt the foolishness of war to see the holes.
  • I retuned to the station and dropped in the Chinese restaurant for lunch. It was so hot that I immediately ordered a draft beer. It was so delicious.
    
    
    Yakyu Shrine Iwamuro Kannon Stone Buddha
    
    
    Stone Buddha Jizo faced to north Walkway
    
    
    Walkway Stone Buddha Stone Pole
    
    
    Pagoda Main temple Main Temple
    
    
    Main temple Hacho Pond Yoshimi Hyakettu
    
    
    
  • I walked around 20 km. Approx. 30,000 steps!!
    
    
    

‚P�jSaturday, May 21, 2005 Weather : Sunny Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part IX)

• The twenty first Fudasho : Saimyoji Temple (4469 Ohaza Mashiko, Mashiko-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi Pref.)
  
  
  • Saimyoji Temple is located in Mashiko-cho. Mashiko-cho is famous for pottery, "Mashiko Yaki". Thus I had a plan to see potteries after pilgirmage.
  • I took on the train around 6:00 AM from Higashi-kurume Station. I arrived in Toride Station at 7:30 AM.
  • I rode on the train of Kanto Railroad at 7:52. The train was better than I expected. (I thought the train was very old.)
  • Kanto Railroad was two-car train to Mitsukaido-station. However, from the Mitsukaido to Shimodate, the train was one-man car since the line became single track. The train ran through Kanto Plain. I could enjoy the scenery of rice field and wheat field. I could also see Mt. Tsukuba far away. The terminal was Shimodate Station.
  • I changed to the train of Maoka Railroad. The train was old two-car train. (When coming back, it was new one-man car.) I later found Maoka Railroad was once operated by JR.
  • I arrived in Mashiko Station at 10:19. The station building was very unique.
  • Contrary to my expectation, the station was very quiet. I could see few people.
  • Anyway, I started to walk from the station. After walking 1 km, I found a guide plate and turned to the right. Soon I could see the rice field. Then the road became upward and went into the forest.
  • It took almost 1 hour to reach the gate of the temple.
  • I found that stone stairway continued from the entrance. When passing the temple gate, I could see the three-storied pagoda in the left, the main temple in the front and the house of the great King of the Buddhist Hades in the right. The atmosphere was very nice and I felt very good.
  • By paying Yen 300, a Buddhist monk will guide and explain in the main temple. The monk explained about the belief in Kannon and Buddhism very easily. I had interested in esoteric Buddhism.
  • The main Kannon of this temple is the eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy. However, the Kannon is only open to the public every 12 years. (The next time is 9 years later.)
  • Instead, I could worship 6 kinds of Kannons in the temple. I stayed in the temple for a while.
  • The visitor can see inside the house of the great King of the Buddhist Hades. I could see big the great King of the Buddhist Hades.
    
    
    Maoka Railroad Mashiko Station
    
    
    Stone stairway
    
    
    Temple gate Temple gate Main temple
    
    
    Main temple Sacred water
    
    
    Ceiling of temple
    
    
    Enmado Pagoda Stone Buddhist images
  • Then I visited the potteries district.
  • A lot of pottery shops existed alongside the road. But the visitors were not so many.
  • I took lunch at Mashiko-yaki selling center. I drank draft beer. It was delicious since it was so hot.
  • Anyway, I did not buy any Mashiko-yaki. I found local liquor shop and locally brewed Japanese sake. I bought "Mashiko Takadatesan Gongen". (720 ml : Yen 850)
  • I came home via Mito Line and Utsunomiya Line of JR.
  • The number of train of Mito Line was very few and thus I came home at 8:00 PM. I walked around 10 km.
    
    
    
  
  

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