~SHIKOKU: A WELL-WALKED PATH, 2017~

As I moved between the closely clustered temples of Naruto City, Tokushima (where temple #1 is located), I got this glimpse of a fellow henro moving the opposite way, probably on his first day.

Roadside planting points like an arrow down the road, soon after I departed Butsumoku-ji, temple #42.

Foggy mountain scenery on the road out of Tosa City on a wet afternoon.

A speeding local train at a road crossing in rural Tokushima Prefecture just before dark.

Beautiful scenery after leaving temple #84, shortly before climbing again to Yakuri-ji, 5.4km further down the road.

On a day when my sandalled feet began to deteriorate in the prolonged damp, a statue of O-Jizo-sama (protector of children & travellers) stands by the roadside above a surfing beach. I ended up missing a turn, getting lost, negotiating treacherous, muddy paths in the darkness, & sneaking into a fishing-village shrine to lie down beneath the eaves.

One of the characteristic mini-Fujis that characterise Kagawa Prefecture is glimpsed through a train overpass illuminated with golden light.

After sleeping on the roadside uncomfortably close to (thankfully rare) passing trucks, I started early, enjoying the fog & glorious mountain scenery.

After a few days' rest in Matsuyama with damaged feet, I returned for my final section of this, my 2nd Henro. I was camped by the road here on the long road up to the Kuma-Kogen highlands, making use of a brand-new shelter for bicycle tourists.

A friendly local tethered on a canal bank on a chilly morning in Ehime, Day 4.

It's important not to be discouraged between some of the more widely spaced temples - this is shortly after departing Yakuo-ji, temple #23, for the journey down the east coast of Cape Muroto & into Kochi Prefecture.

On the approach to the hot-spring area of Shishikui, not far north of the border with Kochi Prefecture, on Day 23.

A frosty morning as I moved on following a night camping at the back of a bangai (subsidiary) temple.

Tetrapods line the shore beneath a spectacular sky after a cold first night camped here on the beach north of Matsuyama.

This is a quiet stretch of coastal road with occasional lovely views & a lot of up & down. I've now walked it in both directions & made use of that vending machine each time!

On the long, steep mountain road after leaving the coast at Tosa-Shimizu, a farm dog comes out to wish me safe travels.

Two road bridges stretch across the Niyodo River, on the outskirts of Kochi City, not long before dawn. I'd camped under the one on the left after resuming the Shikoku Pilgrimage with a long, slow walk from the city.

A mosaic on the wall of an exceptionally long walker's underpass on the coast of Ehime, Shikoku.

A pair of women pilgrims walk along a busy road on a rainy day after departing temple #39, Enko-ji.

Nearing temple #57, the "Temple of Good Luck", after a chilly night near here in a roadside Henro shelter.

One of my favourite moments & pictures from my 2nd pilgrimage. The tonbi is my favourite Japanese animal - these were closely monitoring as a fishing boat’s haul was sorted on the docks below, the birds taking turns to swoop down & grab a snack right off the tables.

Yakuo-ji, temple #23, is the final Tokushima temple when hiking in the standard clockwise direction. This was taken with a telephoto from the hillside temple, early in the day after stealth-camping at a nearby erst area. A 75.4km trek to temple #24 looms…

After a long day including a climb & descent of Shosan-ji, temple #12, I passed this gently beautiful scene as I searched for somewhere to crash. I ended up camping in a roadside bamboo grove.

After a night freezing in a free roadside shelter, the dawn & the scenery as I moved closer to temple #1 were lovely. Dainichi-ji (“Temple of the Great Sun”) is #4 on the Henro.

Mejiro or white-eyes are tiny but readily observed feeding in cherry blossoms. This was early in the day following a rainy night by the road - I’d visited temple #88 early the previous evening.

That was a beautiful afternoon’s walking, a great beginning to the 45.2km journey from Meigami-ji (temple #64) to Sankaku-ji.

A loyal resident awaits the return of its human to bangai (subsidiary) temple #10, one of the few bangai I visited & one of the most beautifully situated temples in all of Shikoku.

A beautiful stretch of pilgrim trail, one option after leaving “Brilliant Stone Temple” for the 61.9km slog to temple #44.

On the journey out of Kochi City, this short, free ferry ride is an option on the way to temple #33. A few fellow pilgrims were aboard, include the woman in traditional garb posing for a picture here. We ran into one another several times on the road in that period.