My Shikoku Henro Tales Part 6 - Dainichi-ji, temple 4

It was almost noontime when we finished visiting Konsen-ji.  As it was such a hot day, the lady at the temple office suggested that instead of walking five kilometres to temple number 4, we could instead take a bus which would shave off a few kilometres from our walk.

The bus stop was almost a kilometre away --  a good 10 minute walk.  Along the way, we passed by these plots full of lotus plants.  The roots are pickled and brined to make tasty tsukemono or pickles and are also stewed and eaten as side dishes.  

There were no trains passing so time for a quick photo on the train tracks!  

When we got to the bus stop, we saw that the next bus wasn't due till 12:58.  Buses in semi rural areas in Japan have fixed schedules and if you miss your bus, you'll have quite a wait till the next one.
We had about 45 minutes to wait so we looked around for a place to buy some food.  Where is a  conbini when you need one?
The nearest place we found was a supermarket, about 500 meters away.   We bought cold tea and a jam filled bun which we ate as we walked back to the bus stop.

We got back to the bus stop just in time -- the bus arrived at exactly 12:58, just as we expected it to.  

We alighted at  Rakan, the stop for both Dainichi-ji, temple 4 and Jizo-ji, temple 5.  

From the bus stop, it is still a 2 kilometre walk to the temple. 

As you walk down the road, temple number 5, Jizo-ji comes up first, just a five minute walk from Rakan bus stop.  We could have gone in but we decided to do it in the proper sequence.
There is a henro map in the temple parking lot which gives straightforward directions to Dainichi-ji. 

The road to Dainichi-ji is winds gently on a barely noticeable ascent and there are few
houses to be seen.  We did pass a lot of fruit laden trees -- were they citrus or persimmon trees? 

Once in a while a car would pass but for the most part of our walk, we had the road to ourselves.

Can you see the small pavilion in the photo above?  That is a henro rest area where one can stop
for a break or maybe even a quick nap.

Surrounded by low mountains, Dainichi-ji was at the very end of the  road, which was also perhaps the reason why we saw so little traffic along the way.  The road we had been walking tapered off
to a narrow one lane that seemed to disappear upwards into the mountainside. 

Kobo Daishi is said to have spent time meditating at this temple and he also carved the main deity, the Dainichi-Nyorai, hence the name of the temple.
My first impression of Dainichi-ji was that it was much smaller, perhaps the smallest of the four temples we had been to.  It was also very quiet --  it seemed far away from everything, surrounded by just mountains and woods.
Unlike the other temples, there were no well manicured gardens, no ponds filled with koi  -- just two plain wooden buildings, the Hondo and the Daishido.

As I finished the sutras at the Hondo, I realised it was connected to the Daishido by a covered corridor.

Along the corridor were statues of Kannon, Goddess of Mercy, displayed side by side and encased in glass. 

There are 33  statues along this corridor between the Hondo and the Daishido.  The statues are beautifully carved with such soft and compassionate features.  Kannon is very revered in Japan and there are a number of 33 Kannon Temple pilgrimages, the oldest and most well known is in the Kansai region. 

As we were leaving, one other henro came in.  He would have a serene and solitary visit.  

Dainichi-ji may be a small temple but its secluded setting made for a pleasant and tranquil interlude that afternoon. 

P.S.

This is the temple seal of Dainichi-ji and the sketch featured is the temple gate. Above it is the

photo I took of the same scene.  

The gate is not so typical because instead of the two fierce looking Nio warriors usually found by 

the entrance, there is a bell tower on the second floor.