Long Long Long Day

I started by taking what appeared to be the easier of the two possible routes to temple 81. I'm not sure it was really easier but I think it approached the mountaintop with a more gradual slope instead of on a steep trail straight up the mountain. The last couple of kilometers were a very long staircase though, which was rather interesting. I think that was better than a slippery rocky trail though. The views out to sea were amazing most of the way up too.

The route from temple 81 to 82 followed several kilometers of the alternate path back down to number 80. I'm glad I was hiking down that part and not up it. The route to Negoroji, number 82 was almost all beautiful mountain trail that was mostly gentle ups and downs. It was one of the most beautiful temples with some of the buildings hidden high up long staircases and surrounded by Japanese maple trees with deep red leaves. One had a mysterious dark hallway that you could walk through that was filled with tiny statues. A fascinating place!

After Negoroji I thought the rest of the day would be nothing but a breeze. Boy was I wrong there! For the first half of the 12 kilometers it was an endless downhill walk mostly on a road with incredible ocean views. I was walking about the same speed as a Japanese couple and we exchanged a few words in my broken Japanese and their little bits of English. When we finally got to the bottom of the endless hill it was disheartening to see that we still had over 6 kilometers to get to number 83. We met an elderly man also headed there and the 4 of us walked together. The trail marking signs were kind of confusing. They seemed to turn us at every possible corner, bike trail, and alley. At one point the couple stopped to get some drinks and I continued with the older man. We saw one sign pointing straight ahead but after a while it seemed there were no more signs.

We were both totally lost! He asked directions from a bicyclist who seemed as confused as we were, but we followed his advice for a while. Still lost my companion asked someone else for directions. I have no idea what he said, but apparently he did give good directions.

We stopped in a tiny cafe and were surprised to find that other couple in there having a bite to eat. They had also gotten lost and had stopped there for directions. I'm not sure how much farther than the original 12 kilometers we all actually walked, but we did eventually find Ichinomiyaji hidden in a little corner somewhere on the edge of Takamatsu City. If Kobo Daishi actually did design the route to that temple one would have to wonder just what he was thinking or maybe what he was drinking at the time. It certainly was not a direct route in any way.

We were all happy to finally find it.

Afterwards I walked to the nearest train station and found my way to my hotel. It is halfway between number 83 and 84 so I will shave off a few kilometers in the morning by starting at my hotel. The next few are on mountaintops.