My Shikoku Henro Tales Part 10 - Chikurin-ji, Temple 31, Kochi Prefecture

The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage covers 1,400 kilometres around the island of Shikoku.  

The Henro Michi or pilgrim route winds through the island's four prefectures - Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime and Kagawa.
Jay and I could not do the entire pilgrimage (which would take us at more than 2 weeks, using
public transport like buses and trains) but we did vow to visit at least one temple in  each prefecture.  

After staying three days in Tokushima and visiting 7 out of the 23 temples in that prefecture,
it was time to move on to our next  "base",  Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture.
But first, we had planned a day trip Kochi, where 16 temples can be found.   Our destination was Chikurin-ji, temple 31.

It was cold and rainy on the day we left Tokushima.  After walking under sunny skies, our luck ran out, just as we were leaving the city.  This is the view from our hotel room,  the Daiwa Roynet  - perfectly located across the bus and train stations.

We had sent our suitcases ahead of us to our hotel in Takamatsu via Yamato, Japan's super efficient courier service.  The luggage forwarding service is called the Ta-Q-Bin or takkyubin and is the easiest way  to move your bags from city to city and hotel to hotel.  Going to Kochi, we just had our small carry on bags with us. 

Because Shikoku is a relatively small island, there is no shinkansen or bullet train.  To get around, there are regular, express and rapid express lines.  The trip to Kochi took two hours and a half, with a change of trains in Awa Ikeda.  I  love travelling by train in Japan -- they have the best and most well run trains in the world, to omoimasu. 

The rain was pouring even harder when we arrived at the JR Kochi Station.  The very large and complete Tourist Information Bureau is just across the station exit.  We got our maps and tickets to the My-Yu bus which would take us all the way out to Chikurin-ji, a 45 minute ride away.

I wanted to take a seat beside Anpanman but his bench was slick with rain.  Anpanman is one of Kochi's most famous celebrities -- his creator, Takashi Yanase was born in this prefecture and 

you can see Anpanman almost everywhere you go.

Perhaps more famous than Anpanman is Kochi's illustrious son, Ryoma Sakamoto.  

His bronze statue stands in the huge square outside the station.  Sakamoto san is one of 

Japan's  most popular historical figures. Aside from being a samurai, he was also quite the 

forward thinking revolutionary in his time.  He is frequently portrayed in this pose and you 

can see just how modern he was from the western style boots that he always wore with 

traditional Japanese dress.

I first "met" Sakamoto san in Nagasaki where his statues are also prominently displayed.  

In his short  life (he was assassinated at the age of 33) he accomplished much including 

helping bring an end to the shogunate era, thus paving the way for a modern Japan.  

At a shop in Kochi Station, I was able to enjoy their special latte  -- I can now claim that

I had coffee with Sakamoto san!

We took the My-Yu bus from Kochi Station.  It runs every 30 minutes and is a convenient way to see the sights in and around Kochi City.  The bus goes on a circular route and passes Mt Godai or Godaisan where Chikurin-ji, temple 31 is.  Because Kochi City is by the water, it seems to have a busy port -- at least from what we saw from our bus window.  

The My-Yu bus dropped us off at the entrance to Chikurin-ji.  It would pass by again in exactly one hour for the return ride to Kochi Station.  The temple is located further up the mountain and can be reached by a series of old moss covered stone steps.  For those who would need assistance, bamboo walking sticks are conveniently placed by the stairs, just return them when you leave.

The steps lead up to a beautiful wooden gate.  Chikurin-ji traces its origins back to the eight century although I am not sure how old the actual buildings are.  These wooden structures are often rebuilt after being destroyed by wars or by lightning, earthquake and other natural calamities.

There is a Treasure House that holds Chikurin-ji's valuable statues which are designated as 

Important Cultural Properties.  Entrance to the temple is free but you have to pay a small amount to enter the Treasure House.

Chikurin-ji is achingly beautiful.  The soft rain added to the ethereal, mystical atmosphere of the temple.  The worn pathways lead to moss covered steps and then even more steps.  

 Out of nowhere, a small shrine appeared.  Hidden behind trees, set away from the main path,  

I almost missed seeing it.

Thick green moss covers the ground and almost everything in its path.  Chikurin-ji is lush and 

verdant,  perhaps it's a vision of what the world was like,  hundreds of years ago.

A statue of Kobo Daishi and the Nyorai stand side by side in this small altar.  A sign says that 

figures of deities from the 88 temples of the pilgrimage can be found in Chikurin-ji.  The mountain also serves as a mini version of the pilgrimage.

The last flight of stone steps is also the most daunting.  The steps are unevenly spaced and moss makes them slippery, particularly on this rainy day.  There are no handrails so I had to make my way up very carefully, breathing a silent prayer to Kobo Daishi to steady my feet as I climbed the stairs.

When you reach the top of the steps, this eye-catching scene awaits.  Chikurin-ji's five story 

wooden pagoda  stands quite imposingly over the Daishido.

Chikurin-ji's pagoda is one of the highlights of the temple.  It is painted a deep almost maroon red, quite different from the normally bright vermillion pagodas that you see.

Across the Daishido is the Hondo, the main hall of Chikurin-ji.  Colourful banners festooned from the ceiling make the Hondo stand out from the background of green that surrounds it.

Chikurin-ji has  many secrets waiting to be discovered.  I wandered through the grounds and 

saw a number of paths that would lead further up and into Godaisan.

The temple grounds are ideal for meditation.  Its expansiveness leads you to many quiet 

corners  where you are alone with your thoughts. The real world seemed so far away.

I made my way slowly through hidden pathways, grateful for every moment that I was here in 

this amazing temple. 

This is the Gochi Nyorai or the five statues of Buddha.  They form a mandala, representing the Dainichi Nyorai, the Buddhas of Wisdom.  

All too soon, it is time to head back, our bus is due in a few minutes.  In less than an 

hour, Chikurin-ji managed to lodge itself into my mind and heart as one temple that I will 

always  treasure and remember.   Thank you Kobo Daishi for leading us here today. 

As I made my way slowly towards the steps, a single red maple leaf fell right on my path.

It is a gift, a message from the Daishi.  Autumn is a celebration of what was.  

It is a  last burst of colour and life before everything dies -- but with  a promise to bloom again.  

Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo

P.S

Chikurin-ji can easily qualify as one of Japan's nicest temples, at par with the best in Kyoto. 

Here is the temple's seal in my nokyocho along with my photo of the pagoda.