The 88 temples pilgrimage of Shikoku - Day 1

A Chinese proverb says, also a journey of 1000 ri (1 ri = ca. 4000m) starts with the first step. In the case of this journey, it started somewhat earlier, and not by doing a step but turning the wrist.

In 2003, I went to Beppu by Bike. I was looking for my way while I was driving, so more or less by coincidence I was passing the island of Shikoku. Only a small part in the west, but nevertheless I liked it there. I decided to take a closer look on my way back, so I spend some days there. Maybe only because there is the so called "German house" there, I went to Bando, which, also by coincidence is the start of the 88 temple pilgrimage of Shikoku. I got interested, researched on the topic and decided that I want to do this also, once I have the chance...

The 88 temple pilgrimage a path connecting 88 temples that the monk Kukai is said to have visited after he came back from China and studied a form on Buddhism there, that was not practiced in Japan at this time. It's more or less a round course around the island, some 1200 km long, passing 4 prefectures. As I did this in my free time and not on a professional basis like Kukai, I had to limit my plan to the first 25 temples, that's about 250 km, completing one prefecture and entering the other.

大きな地図で見る

Another difference between me and Kukai was that I could not rely on the hospitality of the temples, so I packed my tent, my sleeping back, stove, a very limited amount of cloth, some luxury items such as toothbrush and 2 books, some water and some food. 20 kg of luggage is not much if you walk to the station, but if you want to carry it for days that's a different story... (What I can see from depictions and statues, Kukai had max. 5kg on his trip! And he had a nicer hat!!!)

Start in Tokyo

I arrived around 4 p.m. at the first temple, after a trip with the Shinkansen and the highway bus. Fist thing to do: shopping. I needed: a white jacket called "Haku-e", a walking stick called "Kongozue", a hat called "Sugakasa" and a book ("Nokyocho") to collect calligraphies of every temple called (some kind of early Panini sticker collection album).

Having purchased all this, I did the rituals, wished for a safe journey and went on my way to temple No.2.

Temple No1

Temple No2

By the time I reached temple No.3, the temples office was already closed so I had to rest there for the first night.

I found some very small restaurant (Udon) close to the temple, one old lady running it and one guest. I had some difficulties with the communication but once I got a bit used to the dialect, we had a really great conversation. They told me how they admire Germany because it's a country of great technology ("it's the country of Benz!")... funny thing, these stereotypes, they seem to be sticky persistent.

They also told me where's a good place to sleep and where to find an Onsen, a hot bath. I paid 4 Euro for the complete meal, including dessert. After the hot bath, I got another soup, rice crakers, a can of tee and some sweets. (When you're on the pilgrimage in Shikoku, it's not unusual that locals give you presents, e.g. food or drinks or invite you for a meal.)

So after the first day I crawled into my tent after a delicious meal, having had a nice conversation with new friends, and against all odds freshly bathed. :)

Beijing Jumbo

The Long Island Ice Tea is one of the strongest cocktails. A urban legend says, it has been invented by a house wife who didn't want her husband to discover she was drinking, so instead of taking some amount from one bottle, she took small amounts from every bottle.
Wether this is true or not, a Long Island Ice Tea is rather a drink that you take when you want to get drunk, and is rather not a drink that you order because of the enjoyment of the good taste.


I found the food equivalent to the Long Island Ice Tea, and it is called Beijing Jumbo.


Ikebukuro, where I live, is  a very vivid place with many restaurants, bars, drinking places and food shops. You find a big variance of really delicious noodles here, so one could say this is the speciality of this area.

Of course I already have my favorites (I went to university here, so I still now where to go - I also came here just for eating when I stayed on business trip in Shinagawa, 30 min away from here). But also, I also still try to find new places and discover new restaurants, new food, make new experiences. 
For example I discovered a really good place last Friday and discovered some new food, such as fried whole garlic with miso or tori karaage with salt and cinnamon. Very yummy!

There is one shop where I remember from 7 years ago, because at times, there was a queue of 20 people outside of the place. I've never been there because I don't like queuing for food, but on Saturday the timing was good and I bumped into the place when it was empty (empty meaning that there was nobody waiting but of course, all the seats were taken).
On the door, a big sign said "No.1 hot & tasty in Japan".


It is quite usual to buy a ticket for your food from a vending machine before you sit down on your table, also in this shop. Usually, you'll find some explanations about what is what, so you have an idea of what you are ordering. I front of this vending machine, I was lost. The buttons contained only names, non significant names. After reading for a while, I just took the Beijing Jumbo.


And what I got was big - no, it was jumbo, hot, spicy, red, did I say it had enormous size? and it was fiery, pungent, piquant and completely chili. I think the only 3 ingredients where noodles, hot spiced oil (Ra-yu) and chili.
The challenger who I am I ate it all, but I'm still wondering if I should rate this as mistake or as an experience.
My stomach is still voting for the latter.

Further random food pics with no relation to this article :)

Sweets: Mister Donuts and self made cappuccino, Anna and self made pan cakes :)

By the way

I didn't have too many information about the trip to Gifu, and I didn't ask too many questions (this would have been inappropriate). Of course I was sure that everything would have been organized so I wouldn't have to worry about a hotel or transportation from the station to where ever I was supposed to be going.

We arrived in Gifu and Nambu Sensei was waiting for us there. We went to the first hotel to drop off the other well known Sensei, and then to the hotel where I was staying. By then I found out that there was a group of the Canadian SKA traveling together with  Akita Sensei, must have also been funny for them as I, a complete stranger, entered their room (actually, it was our room but they didn't know it yet) and just lay down on one of the free beds. I made a brief explanation that I do Karate as well and I belong to the group (actually, I just said OSS what means all of the above in one word) so we became friends.

The next day, we had training and grading examinations (I didn't take part in the later). After the training I was looking forward to a hot shower, but they told me to stay. By the way, we do have a small tournament today. And by the way, you're taking part. I do what? I haven't trained for quite a while, to be honest I haven't done any sports since I was surfing in Peru! No no, you're taking part. It's the International SKA friendship tournament and you're representing Germany. I do what... ok, this will be fruitless so I just said OSS. (In this case, as you can imagine, it has a different meaning than what I wrote above).

So we watched the children fighting and saw some good Karate. Meanwhile we were all guessing what the tournament rules would be, e.g. which Kata (Form) you would have to show, will the judge select one or can you select one by yourself? (It doesn't matter too much for the Kumite - free fighting - what the rules are. The one who hits the other usually wins...) Also we were guessing what time our group would start. Also here, no idea, no information. Everybody warming up, cooling down, warming up, ...

So at noon we had lunch. Then Matsuda Sensei came to me and said, by the way there is a group coming over to present a traditional Japanese folkloristic dance. And by the way, you are the translator. Translator for a dance? No no, the leader of this group will explain about the dance, its roots in the Japanese culture and its meaning within the Japanese religion... Oss!

The availability of information stayed on this level, but even though I didn't know that I had to fight again until the bout began I finished 3rd. Even though I didn't know the 'party' was a really formal dinner with the mayor, some local celebrities and everybody wearing suits & neckties I, dressed in jeans, T-shirt and pullover, had my share of fun. :)

When I was traveling home to Tokyo in the Shinkansen together with the other well known Sensei, I thought how lucky I am to have friends like Akita Sensei, Matsuda Sensei and to know all the nice people of Gifu.

Also I thought that even with translating for them for weeks, I wouldn't be able to repay their hospitality. I was not one of official guests (the Canadian delegation) but still I got tons of presents and they wouldn't let me pay anything, not the hotel, not the food, nothing. 

As I said, I feel blessed to have these friends.

Demonstration by teenage Karate student

Demonstration Folklore dance with Shishi (mythical lions)

Folklore dance with fans (I mean the fans in the hands of the girls, not the fans sitting on the side and watching them)

Shishi again, small version

Iai-Do Demonstration (Skilled usage of the Japanese sword)  

Cut through with one stroke - very smooth and clean... Impressive!!!

International SKA friendship tournament, 3rd place - I lost against Masaaki

Gifu

The distance between Tokyo and Nagoya is 400 km. To go there by Shinkansen (Japanese express train) takes 110 minutes. That's with the slow train. (Maybe that's why it's called bullet train.)

It is another 18 minutes to Gifu, a small town that is famous for fishing a small fish call "ayu" using cormorants. They go out to the river at night with big torches, and because the light attracts the fish, the cormorants that the fishermen brought with them dive into the water to get them. Of course, this in not supposed to be a feast for the cormorants but later on for the people, therefore the fishermen put a strap around the cormorants' necks so they can't swallow their prey. 

Right now I'm sitting on the riverbed of Nagara river, a few hundred meters from the place where they usually catch the fish, and the sun is shining on me and the blossoming cherry trees. The fishing season will begin soon and the first fish caught this way will be given to the tenno heika, the emperor of Japan. Good old tradition.

I haven't tried it yet, but they say the important thing is to see the marks of the bill on the fish so you know your having the real thing, because the same fish will taste less if you catch him with a net (and that's enough reason to pay much more for it...)

I'm not so much into fishing, so for me there are other reasons to visit Gifu. It is the hometown of Akita Sensei who travels once in a while to Gifu and kindly asked me to join him. It's my third time here, so there are a lot of friends to meet again. 

I thought, if we travel together, Akita Sensei, one other well know Sensei and me, it would be nice to have something to eat on the train. Maybe some fruits, and maybe, because it seems to be the season for it, strawberries.

So I found a box of really delicious looking strawberries, but maybe it is because I'm Swabian so I'm stingy and penny-pinching, but I didn't want to spend 48 Euros on strawberries. At least not on only 24 strawberries!

So I bought a cradle of the cheap ones for 10 Euros.

Later I found out that I was travelling alone as Akira Sensei was already in Gifu. so I ate my 10 Euro strawberries all by myself.

Gifu is located in the mountains (the Japanese Alps) and the rivers running trough Gifu have their origin in the snowfields and glaciers of the surrounding mountains. It's a bit cold there.

In January every year, the Karateka from Gifu go down to the river bed and start training there. Of course, in the traditional way, wearing Karategi (same thing, summer and winter), no shoes, nothing else. After everybody's warmed up with some tough training,they go into the river until the water reaches the hips and continue training there.

Friends and supporters meanwhile prepare a fire, some hot soup and other food, so when the training is over everybody get's something warm to eat. What is important, because the training itself is so ******** cold! I think you can imagine and you won't be surprised if I tell you that this training is called "kangeiko" what literally translates as "cold training". 

But the interesting thing about it is that if you train hard and concentrate on the training, you don't feel cold and usually, nobody gets a cold. I've done it once in 2003, so it will be time to go there again next year.

Of course, I'll tell you everything about it on this page, so keep it bookmarked! :)

 

Shopping!

If you move into a room that is completly furnitured, it will always feel like a hotel at first. So the first thing to do is to turn it into a home by personalizing where possible.

I didn't know when my stuff from Germany was to arrive, so I started anyhow some shopping - just the most necessary things. E.g. a WLAN router to get rid of the LAN cable I had to use. Unfortunately, this one wasn't the same simple thing we used to have in Germany, but some high tech piece of crap that needed some special software. To be able to install this, I bought a USB CD drive (obviously, they don't sell "CD drives" any more so I had to buy a RW-DVD drive).

Of course my computer used to have a CD drive, but this is somewhere in a packing case in Germany...

Also, I bought a webcam to stay in touch with my friends all over the world.
Of course, I used to have a webcam, but this is somewhere in a packing case in Germany.

A few days later my stuff from Germany arrived. When I was unpacking everyhing, I found out that my webcam has not been in a packing case in Germany, but on its way to Japan. So I'm still looking for a way to enhance communication by applying 2 webcams... any ideas somebody?

But not only in electrics, also the kittchen needed enhancement. First of course, a cup and a glas. Bowls and plates. A frypan. A pot. Having all this, I neatly stored it in my tiny kittchen kabinet and never touched it again because I eat all every day. But it's good to have it anyway, just in case.

Also I needed a coffee machine (urgently!). They sell hot coffee in cans here out of vending machines, but it's too sweet, too milky, too much out-of-a-can... So I looked for a nesspresso machine in the department store and of course, they had some. Starting from about 300 Euro. 70 Cent per espresso for the capsula.
I kept looking.

Finally, I was asking my new good friend, amazon.co.jp, and he knew where to get one. It arrived a few days later, together with coffee and everything. I'm still looking for the right water to make a perfect espresso, until than I have a pretty good espresso every morning (after buying some espresso cups....).

Of course, I used to have a espresso maker, but this is somewhere in a packing case in Germany. And for some mysterious reasons, all my espresso makers are red...

Further shopping: today my 2 new Karategi arrived. So no more telephone-conferencing with Germany after 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...



Also with some help from my friend amazon, I found some cocktail ingredients like bar syrup and lemon juice. It's much more expensive than in Germany, so I will keep it to a minimum, but I already have everyhing I need for e.g. a Planter's Punch....

Next thing I would like to buy: a new notebook - this one's driving me crazy! I spent the double amount of time it took me to write this waiting for the computer to be ready to work again. To request that this f***ing multi-media device plays some music meanwhile was too much anyhow.