• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 4478 0

inns. If you want to escape the crowds, one minute on foot from the Honkan (through the shopping arcade) is Tsubaki-no-yu (; admission ¥360; 6am-11pm), Dōgo Onsen’s hot-spring annexe, frequented primarily by locals. If you don’t want a full bath, there are also nine free ashi-yu (; foot baths) scattered around Dōgo Onsen where you can take off your shoes and socks, and warm your feet. The most famous one is located just opposite the station at the start of the arcade. Here, you can also check out Botchan Karakuri Clock (), which was erected as part of Dōgo Onsen Honkan’s centennial in 1994. It features figures based on the main characters from Botchan, who emerge to take a turn on the hour from 8am to 10pm.

* * *

Return to beginning of chapter

MATSUYAMA TO TAKAMATSU

This stretch of country is home to several noteworthy temples on the pilgrimage circuit, including the twin temples at Kanonji, and the important town of Zentsū-ji, the boyhood home of Kōbō Daishi.

The JR Yosan line runs around the coast between Takamatsu and Matsuyama. At Tadotsu, the JR Dosan line splits off and runs south to Zentsū-ji and Kotohira, through the Iya Valley and eventually to Kōchi.

Kanonji

0875 / pop 65,000

Coming east from Ehime-ken, the first town of consequence in Kagawa-ken is Kanonji, notable as the only spot on the pilgrimage trail to have two of the 88 Temples on the same grounds: Temple 68, Jinne-in (), and Temple 69, Kanon-ji (). It’s also known for the odd Zenigata (), a 350m-circumference coin-shaped sculpture in the sand dating from 1633. The coin and its inscription are formed by huge trenches dug in the sand, and are said to have been dug overnight by the local population as a welcome present to their feudal lord. For the best views of the sculpture, you’ll need to climb the hill in Kotohiki-kōen, 1.9km northwest of Kanonji station (not far from the two temples). A small tourist information office (25-3839), over the bridge from the station, has maps. Kanonji is considerably closer to Takamatsu (tokkyū ¥2210, 48 minutes) than Matsuyama (tokkyū ¥4130, one hour and 38 minutes).

Marugame

0877 / pop 110,700

An interesting detour from the 88-Temple circuit is in Marugame, home to Marugame-jō (; 24-8816; admission ¥200; 9am-4.30pm). The castle dates from 1597, and is one of only 12 castles in Japan to have its original wooden donjon intact.

At Uchiwa-no-Minato Museum (; 24-7055; admission free; 9.30am-5pm, closed Mon) there are displays and craft demonstrations showing how uchiwa (traditional paper fans) are made. Marugame is responsible for about 90% of the country’s paper-fan output, making it a logical place to pick one up. The museum is in the harbour, a few minutes’ walk from the station.

Bike hire (25-1127; per day ¥200, deposit ¥500) is available from the bicycle park across from the station. By bike, it is less than an hour from Marugame to Zentsū-ji (see below). Maps are available at the tourist information counter at the station. Marugame is easily covered as a day trip from Takamatsu (tokkyū ¥1050, 25 minutes).

Zentsū-ji

0877 / pop 34,000

Temple 75 of the 88 Temples, Zentsū-ji (; 62-0111) holds a special significance as the place where Kōbō Daishi was born. It is also the largest temple – most of the other 88 could fit comfortably into the car park here. The temple boasts a truly magnificent five-storey pagoda and giant camphor trees that are said to date back as far as Daishi’s childhood. Visitors can venture into the basement of the Mie-dō (; admission ¥500) building and traverse a 100m-long passageway () in pitch darkness: by moving carefully along with your hand pressed to the wall (painted with mandalas, angels and lotus flowers), you are said to be safely following Buddha’s way. There is a small shrine halfway through, where Kōbō Daishi himself welcomes pilgrims, in a booming voice, to his childhood home. If you’re on a bike, there are several other pilgrimage temples within easy reach of this one, including Temple 73, Shusshaka-ji (). It’s at Shusshaka-ji that a seven-year-old Kūkai flung himself