Journey to the Hidden Mountain Temple

日本語

I worked as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) for the two years from August 2006 to August 2008 at Toyonaka Junior High School in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture.  However, during that whole time, I never once set foot inside Motoyamaji despite the fact that I commuted to work everyday on the street that runs right in front of the temple.  I finally took my first steps inside on April 24, 2010 during the 5th Shikoku 88 Temple Circuit Experience for Foreign Residents and Visitors, with a group of fifteen other “pilgrims.”  We took in the gracefully curved lines of the temple’s Main Hall, which was built during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) and is a designated National Treasure, and we peered up at the towering five-storied pagoda.  The beauty of the temple made me think to myself, “Why didn’t I come here sooner?” 
Gazing up, up at
The temple’s tall pagoda -
Awash in Spring’s calm

Our group left Motoyamaji and set off to the north.  We passed Mitoyo’s plentiful reservoirs and its low, rolling plains as we hiked 11 km up a path that gradually became steeper.  We then reached the base of Kengozan Mountain, where we began our ascent up the steep path.  On the way we saw a rest stop called the Haiku Jaya, on the walls of which were hung hundreds upon hundreds of haiku poems, written by pilgrims passing on their way through.  We saw a strange piles of rocks called the “Sai no Kawara,” which are said to have been made by the spirits of deceased young children in a display of respect for their parents and ancestors.  We also saw the awesomely tall statue of Kongoken Bosatsu, or the bodhisattva with clasped hands, bending down to greet us as we passed by before finally arriving at Iyadaniji.  I found it enchanting that, even though the temple cannot be seen from below on the approach, when you look out from its inner sanctuary, you can see the whole of Mitoyo City lying before you.  It was truly a beautiful view.  

Clear, shining spring day -
Secretly hidden temple
In the mountain folds

At Iyadaniji, the Daishi Hall (the hall dedicated to Kōbōdaishi Kūkai, the Buddhist monk who is credited with founding the Shikoku Pilgrimage) is built into a mountain cave called the Shishi no Iwaya – the Lion’s Mouth Cave.  Here the chief priest gave us an explanation of the history of the temple, as well as an introduction to some of the special customs of Iyadaniji, such as the “Iyadani Mairi,” in which people bring the hair and finger nails of the deceased members of their family as offerings.  After this, we hiked a little higher up to see the Main Hall and the images of the Buddha carved into the mountain wall before attempting the perilous downhill descent of the Pilgrimage Trail.  Here, the path completely crumbled away at certain points and it merged with a mountain stream at others.  Though it felt dangerous at times, we couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the beauty of the sunlight filtering through the mountain’s green trees.  We made a leisurely walk of the last 6 km to Kaiganji Station, and beneath the sunset of a gentle evening sky, the 5th Henro Experience came to a close.
 
Exiting the woods
At the skirt of the mountain –
Pilgrims clad in white