‚R�jSunday, September 12, 2004 Weather : Cloudy, then sunny Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part II)

• The fifth Fudasho : Shofukuji Temple (1161 Iizumi, Odawara-City, Kanagawa Pref.�j
  
  
  • I took on the first train in the morning from Higashi-kurume Station and caught the Express of Odakyu Line to be left at 6:00 AM from Shinjuku Station.
  • It was my long journey after a long interval. When entered into Kanagawa Pref., I could see the scene of harvesting the rice.
  • I arrived in Odawara Station at 7:30 AM. I aimed for the temple on foot. However, I lost the way and reached the temple around 8:30 AM. It took extra time.
  • After crossing a marvelous Deva gate, I found the precincts were spacious and openhearted.
  • I could not see the eleven-headed kannon since it is only opened every 33 years.
  • There is a big ginkgo tree to be believed as 700 years old.
  • I returned to Odawara Station on foot and bought Umeboshi (Pickled plum) and Kamaboko (Boiled fish paste)as souvenir, which are special products of Odawara City.
    
    
    Deva Gate Main Temple Main Temple
    
    
    Entrance Ship-shaped Basin ginkgo
    
    
    ginkgo Stone Buddha
    
    
    
• The 7th Fudasho : Komyoji Temple (896 Minami-Kimmoku, Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • I retuned from Odawara Station to Tokai University Station of Odakyu Line.
  • Referring to the map, I aimed to the 7th Fudasho. However, road construction was being made and the roads were changed. I could not trace the map.
  • I lost the way, but finally I managed to find the way to the Fudasho.
  • I found it took much time on food later. At last, I reached the temple beside the Kimmoku River.
  • I found the precincts were not so spacious. It was past 11:00 AM and there were several worshippers.
  • The kannon is publicly opened every 60 years! (Next is 2,034!!)
  • I could see clean and clear water running in the Kimmoku River.
  • I bought "Monaka" as a souvenir, Japanese cakes containing bean jam inside, named "Temple Bell Monaka" at the shop close the bus stop near the temple.
  • I was a little bit tired and thus I decided to take on the bus bound for Hatano Station. It took 25 minutes to the staytion.
  • I walked 22,000 steps today.
    
    
    Entrance Deva Gate Main Temple
    
    
    Stone Monument Deva Gate Kimmoku River
    
    
    

1)Saturday August 14, 2004 : Weather Sunny, Hot Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part I)

• The first Fudasho : Sugimotodera Temple (903 Nikaido, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • After JR started the service of Shonan-Shinjuku Line, it takes only almost one hour from Ikebukuro Station to Kamakura Station.
  • I walked from Kamakura Station to the temple for almost 30 minutes under the flaming sun via approach of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. Sigimotodera Temple is the oldest temple in Kamakura.
  • When climbing up the stone stairs, you can see a small main building with thatched roof. You will feel it's very countried.
  • In the temple, there is a twelve-headed Kannon (the Goddess of Mercy).
  • When I visited, it was before 9:00 AM and thus I could worship the Kannon quietly by myself.
  • This is the first temple of pilgrimage in Kanto District (Bando Fudasho) and thus I bought a red stamp book. Every time pilgrim visits a fudasho, he asks a red stamp on the book to prove that he visits and worships the Kannon there.
    
    
    Entrance Main Gate Stone Stairs
    
    
    Main Temple Stone Buddha
    
    
    
• The third Fudasho : Anyohin Temple (3-1-22 Ohmachi Kamakura City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • I went back to Kamakura Station on food and headed for the next temple. It took about 15 minutes from the station.
  • When entering the gate, you can see a big stone statue of Jizo at left and a small main building in front.
  • In the main building, there are gold one-thousand-hand Kannon and Amitabha Buddha. The Kannon is so-called good-match-Kannon (The Kannon promises good match to a prayer.)
  • There is a small stone tower which is believe to be a tomb of Ms. Masako Hojo, a wife of Yoritomo Minamoto.
  • There is a big black pine in the garden. The age of the tree is said to be 700 years old.
    
    
    Entrance Main Building Main Building
    
    
    Black Pine Lotus Tomb
    
    
    
• The second Fudasho : Gandenji Temple (5-7-11 Hisagi, Zushi City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • Then I walked 3 km bound for Zushi City. It was so hot and I had to go uphill to the last. It was hard to reach the temple.
  • The guide plate of Gandenji Temple was so small that I almost missed.
  • The main building is on the hill. I had to go up three big stone stairs.
  • The temple is small and old. There is a notice that it is dangerous to enter the building since it is very old.
  • There are Bishamonten, Kannon, and Fudomyoo in the temple. However, I could not see anything since it was so dark in the building.
  • At the back of the main building, there is a stone Kannon.
  • When climbing up the mountain in the back of the temple, I could see the Zaimokuza Sea.
  • There was no one there except me. All I could hear was the voice of cicadas.
    
    
    Guide Plate Entrance Main Gate
    
    
    Main Building Main Building Stone Buddha
    
    
    Zaimokuza Lily
    
    
    
• The fourth Fudasho : Hasedera Temple (3-11-2 Hase, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • Again I went back to Kamakura Station on foot, then I headed for Hase District.
  • It took almost 30 minutes to reach the entrance of Hasedera Temple. The approach was full of tourists. The atomosphere was completely different from those of Fudashos 1, 2 and 3. I felt that I suddenly came back to the actual world.
  • However, on entering the Kannon building, I was overwhelmed by the great eleven-headed Kannon. (The height is 9.18 meters.)
  • I had been staying there and gazing and worshipping the Kannon.
  • There are many highlights there such as Amida-dou, Jizou-dou, Daikoku-do, Benten-dou, Houmotsukan, etc.
  • You can see the Bay of Yuigahama from the temple far way.
  • I strolled the Bay of Yuigahama for a while and went back to Kamakura Station by Enoshima Dentetsu.
  • It had been hot all day. I walked almost 20 km.
    
    
    Main Gate Bay of Yuigahama
    
    
    
  
  

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