5)Saturday, March 5, 2005 Weather : Sunny and Cloudy Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part VIII)

• The fourteenth Fudasho : Gumyoji Temple (267 Gumyoji-cho, Minami-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • It snowed very much on Friday and thus I wondered if I could go pilgrim next day. However, it was cloudy and some time the sun appeared. I decided to go out.
  • I took on the train of Keihinkyukou Line from Shinagawa Station. I took on the limited express train and the changed to local train at Yokohama Station. It took almost 40 minutes from Shinagawa to Gumyoji Station.
  • Going down the slope for a few minutes from the station, I arrived in the temple gate.
  • Climbing up the stone steps, a gorgeous main temple appeared. The atmosphere was very nice.
  • After I got the stamp from the temple, I could worship the one-thousand-hand Kannon (Fee:Yen 300) I could see the Kannon very closely and thus I was much impressed.
  • The kannon was made from one zelkova tree and gleamed black.
  • It became fine when I came back, but it was cold.
  • There is local shopping street in front of the temple gate.
  • Passing through the street, you will see the subway station.
    
    
    Temple Gate Gate Jizo
    
    
    Main Temple Main Temple Belfry
    
    
    Stone Buddha Stone Monument Jizo
    
    
    

4)Thursday, March 3, 2005 Weather : Fine Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part VII)

• The twelfth Fudasho : Jionji Temple (139 Jionji Iwatsuki City Saitama Pref.)
  
  
  • I left home past 6:00 AM. I took on the train of Tobu Noda Line from Ohmiya Station and arrived in Toyoharu Station around 8:00. (Two stops from Iwatsuki Station famous for as the town of Japanese dolls.
  • I started to walk to the temple from the station. However, after a while, I found that the indication of address said "Kasukabe City". The address should have been "Iwatsuki City". I check the map and found that I was walking to the opposite direction.
  • I returned to the station and walked alongside the narrow road to the northward. Soon the rice fields appeared and I reached the temple in 20 minutes.
  • The main temple was built in the corner of the spacious precincts.
  • I got a stamp on the book by an old men. He had a good handwriting.
  • One-thousand hands Kannon was put in the small shrine and could not see.
  • It was early in the morning and only one old woman was there.
  • There was a big FUJI tree in the precincts. You may see nice Fuji flowers in spring.
  • When returning to the station, I found a convenience store "MINI STOP" alongside the road. I bought a soft cream. It was one of my favorite foods. While going back to the station, I ate the soft cream. It was delicious.
    
    
    Stone Monument Gateway Main Temple
    
    
    Main Temple Main Temple Ume
    
    
    Jizo Stone Buddhas Belfry
    
    
    

3)Monday, February 28, 2005 Weather : Drizzling then sunny Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part VI)

• The 27th Fudasho : Enpukuji Temple : 293 Babacho Choshi City Chihba Pref.
  
  
  • I left home before 6:00 AM. I took on the limited express "Shiosai No. 1" from Tokyo station bound for Choshi at 7:36 AM. I felt as if I was going excursion.
  • The train reached Choshi Station at 9:30 AM. It was cloudy and cold. To make the matter worse, soon it started to drizzle although I always say the I am a man who invites sunny weather.
  • There was a platform of Choshi Railways Co., Ltd. in front of the JR platform. I took on the one-man car to be departed at 9:43 AM. I bought a one-day round-trip ticket (Yen 620) in the car.
  • I took off at the "Kannon Station" (two stops from Choshi Station) There was a small "Taiyaki" shop operated by two middle-aged ladies in the small station building. I bought one "Taiyaki : sea-bream-shaped baked cake stuffed with adzuki-bean paste" (@Yen 90) I walked to the temple while eating "Taiyaki". It was delicious.
  • The head temple was very close to the station. I got stamp there. The main temple was located 150 meters away from the head temple. I walked to the main temple, however, I almost lost my way since the roads were complicated, but I finally reached the temple.
  • The temple gate and main temple were painted red and thus they seemed to be Chinese style. There existed a big stone Buddha just in front of the main temple. The eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy was put into the small shrine and I could not see. I stayed in front of the main building for a while.
  • The precincts was not so spacious, however, there is a plan to build 5-story pagoda (height of 60 meters)
  • The weatherman said it would be sunny and then cloudy, however, contrary to the weather forecast, it started to rain when I finished the worship. Moreover, it was cold.
    
    
    Choshi Line Train Kannon Station
    
    
    Head Temple Jizo Stone Monument
    
    
    Gateway Buddah Main Temple
    
    
    Belfry
    
    
    
  • I went back to the station and took on the train to the "Inubo Station". It was still raining and I stayed in the building for a while. But the rain did not stop. I decided to go out toward the Cape Inubosaki in the rain. After a ten0minute walk, I could see a while lighthouse. I paid Yen 150 entry fee and climbed up the lighthouse to the top. I could enjoy the 360-degree panorama view although it was drizzling. There was no one except me. I could monopoly the marvelous view. It would be much better if it were fine.
  • Then, I aimed the "Observatory where spherical earth can be seen" on the top of Mt. Atago.
  • On the way, there was the Manganji Temple, an innermost shrine of 27th Fudasho. I visited there. The temple was very new and gorgeous.
  • I reached the "Observatory where spherical earth can be seen" via road near Manganji Temple in 10 minutes on foot. I could see the panorama of 360 degrees on the roof of the observatory. The brochure says that the height of 90 meters above sea level, which is the highest in the Hokuso area. Panorama of 330-degree horizon out of 360-dgree view. You can realize the spherical earth. The catch phrase of the brochure was real!! I could fully enjoy the view with binoculars I brought. The only regret was that it was cloudy.
  • When I left the observatory, the sun appeared and it became fine. Alas!!
  • I walked back to the Inubo Station and bought "Baked rice cookies seasoned with soy sauce" as souvenir. "Soy sauce" is the specialty of Chosi City. Service ticket for one free rice cookies was attached to the one-day round trip ticket and thus I got one free cookies form the shop.
  • I took on the train again to the terminal "Sotokawa" Station. Sotokawa is famous for slopes and is called as the "Town of slopes". I wandered around the port, but all I could see were fishing boats and sea gulls.
  • Then I decided to walk alongside seacoast from Sotokawa to Unubosaki. I walked in 30 minutes enjoying the scenery of the sea.
  • Finally I took on the train from Inubo Station and came back to Choshi Station at 3:30 PM.
  • I intended to get on the limited express to be departed at 4:38 PM. There was one hour extra time and I walked around the Choshi Station area. I went straight on the road from the station and soon I reached the mouth of Tone River.
  • On the way back to the station, I found a small liquor shop. I asked the master if he had a locally brewed Japanese sake. He introduced me the "Choshi no Homare". He fully explained about the features of Japanese sake brewed in Choshi area. According to him, since the ground water of Choshi contains the salt because of location close to the sea, the brewed sake is apt to be sweet although the brewery tries to make dry sake. 'The small amount of salt enhances the sweetness.) I fully agreed with his explanation and purchased a 720cc-bottle of "Choshi no Homare". (Yen 1,330) (As soon as I got home, I drank the sake and found that the sake was not dry as the master explained.)
  • I took on the limited express. (The car was almost empty!) I returned home at 8:00 PM.
  • I walked almost 25,000 steps.
    
    
    Lighthouse View from lighthouse
    
    
    Gateway The innermost shrine Observatory
    
    
    View from roof View from roof
    
    
    Sotokawa Port sea gull The open sea
    
    
    Lighthouse The mouth of Tone River
    
    
    

2)Friday, February 11, 2005 Weather : Fine Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part V)

• The nineth Fudasho : Jikoji Temple (386 Nishidaira Tokigawa-mura Hiki-gun, Saitama Pref.)
  
  
  • I left home past 6:00 AM. It was fine, but cold owing to cold north wind.
  • I took on the train bound for Hanno from Higashi-kurume station at 6:34. I changed to the JR train at Higashi-Hanno station. It was freezing at the platform of Higashi-Hanno station while waiting for the train.
  • I could enjoy the local scenery while I took on the train of Hakkou Line. I finally arrived in Myokaku station past 8:00 AM. But only a few passengers took off.
  • The guide book says it is convenient to take on the bus run by a village. However, I could not find such a bus in front of the station. I later found the number of buses on the holiday was very few.
  • It was so cold since the north wind was still blowing. I decided to walk to the Fudasho alonside the road No. 172. There was no sidewalk alongside the road, so it was a little bit dangerous to walk. But soon a sidewalk appeared and I was relived
  • It seems that the Toki-mura is famous for woodwork and I could see a lot of woodwork plantings.
  • I could also see a lot of stone Buddhas while walking.
  • I could reach the entrance of Jikoji-temple after 1 hour walk. Then a steep slope started. The distance to the Fudasho was 2 km. Soon I could see the women's temple.
  • Then I could see the approach to the temple acrossing the paved road. When I climbed up the women's slope, I reached the entrance of the temple.
  • After I climbed the stone steps, I could see the temple gate. It took 5 minites to reach the main temple from the gate. It was cold, however, I could see the flowers of Ume.
  • The main temple is not so big, but well-designed and gorgeous. After one group of worshippers was gone, only I was there and I could enjoy the loneliness.
  • I could not see the one-thousand-hand Kannon, because she was kept into the small shrine. However, you can meet her on the second Sunday and 17 of every April.
  • I visited the temple office and got the stamp on the stamp book. The chief preist at Buddhist temple had been talking with the group I met at the main gate and I had to wait for a while. He seemed to be talkative. Several visitors came later. Of course, they came there by car, not on foot.
  • You can see the treasure house there (Fee:Yen 300)
  • I returned to the station on foot. I found that the train just arrived, however, I could not take on.
  • I checked the timetable and was surprised that I had to wait almost one hour for the next train. Only one train was available per hour at day time! I should have checked the timetable in advance.
  • Finally, I had to wait almost one hour in the cold station house.
  • I came across the 85-year-old lady at the plat form.
  • I just said to her "It's very cold, isn't it?", then she started to talk, talk, talk! I was much annoyed by her talk. I was relived since she took off the train before I did. Anyway, she was so vigorous for her age.
  • I returned home around 3:00 PM. It was really cold all day.
  • I could visit from the first to the tenth Fudashoes so far.
    
    
    Myokaku station Toki River
    
    
    Stone Buddha in the rice field
    
    
    Bato-Kannon Stone statue of Jizo Women's Temple
    
    
    Approach Stone Plate Stone Monument & Belfry
    
    
    Founder's Temple Temple Gate Main Temple
    
    
    Main Temple Ume Flowers Ume Flowers
    
    
    Holly Tree Stone Buddha

1)Saturday, January 15, 2005 Weather : Rainy Pilgrmage in Bando Fudasho (Part IV)

• The eighth Fudasho : Shokokuji Temple (3-3583 Iriya, Zama City, Kanagawa Pref.)
  
  
  • According to the weekly weather forecast, it would be snowy on Saturday. Actually, it was sleety this morning. Weatherman said this morning that the rain would change into snow shortly.
  • Thus I was hesitating to go out, but finally I decided to go around 8:00 AM.
  • I took on the express train of Odakyu Line from Shinjuku Station and got off at Zama Station. It was still rainy and cold there.
  • It took about 10 minutes from the station to the Fudasho. No one was there owing to bad weather.
  • I could not see the main saint Kannon since she was kept into the small shrine.
  • There is a well named "Well of Star". It was said that you could see the reflected stars on the surface of the water of the well even in the daytime.
  • Also there is a camellia tree which has 5 kinds of flowers.
  • Fortunately, the rain did not change into the snow while I was in the Fudasho. But it was so cold that I could not stay there for a long time.
  • When I took photos, my hand got benumbed and I worried about blurred photos. I got back to the station as soon as possible.
    
    
    Stone Monument Main Building Plate
    
    
    Inside of main building Well of Star
    
    
    Camellia Belfry Big Ginkgo Tree
    
    
    
  
  

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