Henro-no-michi
It’s fifty two kilometers between the last two temples in Kochi prefecture. We would not reach the last one, Temple 39 (Enkō-ji), today. Instead we would spend hours walking along the ocean through small seaside villages. And, of course, adding distance by going around, instead of through, tunnels.
We picnicked at a henro hut (pilgrims resting place) near a lighthouse while dozens of cats watched with curiosity.
After lunch another small town and narrow road. This one barley had enough room for a car to go through, let alone a bus that rolled by and almost hit me. As the taillights disappeared around a sharp turn, we could only hope the road ahead was clear.
A short kilometer later we caught up with the bus and saw a long line of elderly ladies waiting outside. The women had rolling shopping baskets neatly placed in front of them. Some came alone, others with young caretakers. We realized quickly that this was no ordinary passenger bus. This was a grocery store on wheels, a vehicle that travels to villages without regular access to food! It served the rural elderly population. The driver explained to me that he travels to these places three times a week and twice on Sundays and Wednesdays. Curious, we went inside. The bus had everything from milk to mops. Each shopper clutched their baskets as they picked up items to examine their freshness, quality and necessity. One lady picked up a package of thick toast, counted on her fingers, then reluctantly placed it back on the small shelf.
We took advantage of this serendipity and also purchased a few items for dinner.
Armed with sustenance, we continued onto the nature path. The forest trail had some of the same intensity as yesterdays. Rocks slipped from under foot, small snakes crossed the path, and leaves covered the floor making the turnoffs hard to distinguish. However, instead of a creepy feeling, this lush trail felt safe. We were protected by school children who had posted dozens of encouraging messages and signs along the trail for pilgrims. They hung from tree branches and greeted you around corners. Their cheerleading continued until the end of the trail which dropped directly onto a rocky beach. Huge boulders with red spray painted arrows continued giving pilgrims the confidence to go on.
Another 90 minutes of walking and lots of “gut guiding” took us closer to our destination. A stop to confirm we were still on the “henro no michi” (pilgrims road) lead to a nice exchange with an elderly shop owner. She kindly let me use her toilet which was a complete mystery to flush.
Finally, after our long magical day of walking: the Kashinishi Seaside Center. A two story building a few steps from water. Modest shelter, no camping amenities, but a free cold shower if you braved it. As we settled into our spot on the lower floor, two Japanese spear fisherman approached us asking if we were camping tonight. They told us they also planned stay and could we nanbun no, or share half of the bottom floor. The guys gave us a few beers and lots of good conversation. As the sun set over the water we ate our mobile grocery store food and settled into an evening by sea.
April 30, 2016 - En route to Temple 39
