Monday, February 3, 2025

From Kiyotakiji to Shoryuji

 


I spent the night in the tsuyado, the free room offered by some temples for walking pilgrims, at temple number 35 Kiyotakiji, so was up before sunrise and on my way on day 18 of my walk along the Shikoku Pilgrimage.


The route towards temple 36, Shoryuji, was pretty much directly south towards the coast and about 15k away. First I had to cross the Hage River, a tributary of the Niyodo River.


To reach the coast the road passes over a line of hills. Just before the pass, at around 100 meters above sea level, is a small park. As well as toilets it has a nice seated shelter..... exactly the kind of place that a walking henro keeps their eyes open for....


Dropping down into a town called Usa. I knew of the Usa in Oita on Kyushu, home to the head Hachiman shrine, but hadn't heard of this one before.


As usual, I pass by numerous small, local shrines, and one has a most unusual torii.


It is made of steel, seemingly stainless, yet dark. I have seen bronze torii, torii sheathed in copper, and some large steel torii, but none like this...


I reach the Pacific coast and pass by the fishing harbour with expansive views back along the Kochi coastline.


Shoryuji is on the Yokonami Peninsula a long narrow peninsula across a long narrow inlet. Before the 640 meter long Usaohashi bridge was built in 1973 pilgrims would have had to cross by ferry, one of the many sections on the pilgrimage route that ferries were needed.


The beaches on the tip of the peninsula seemed to be a popular holiday spot.


The previous post in this series was on temple 35, Kiyotakiji.


1 comment: