KJ200710: Walking the Streets of Sanuki in Autumn (4/4)

Okubo-ji shrine, the 88th stop on the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage, is a mountain temple located near the border of Tokushima. This is the goal of pilgrims who walk many miles around Shikoku to reach it.
From late October to mid November, this quiet mountain temple is surrounded by autumn leaves so red they seem to be burning.
The Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage road was created by the Buddhist monk Kobo-daishi, also known as Ku-kai. It winds around Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime and Kagawa, passing 88temples on the way. This route is known as the “Henro-michi”, or pilgrim’s trail, and the pilgrims are called “O-Henro san”. Bus and car tours are common, but recently walking pilgrims have increased in numbers. It takes about 40 days to walk the entire pilgrim’s trail.
Kobo-daishi, or Ku-kai, was born in 774 in Zentsuji. He studied abroad in Tang dynasty Chang-an (now known as Sei-an city),and on his return to Japan, he became the founder of Shingon Buddhism. He was a very active man, and is credited with creating the finest man-made pond in Japan, Manno-ike. Zentsuji is revered as the birth-place of Ku-kai.
･Access:30mins by “Community Bus”, from the bus-stop outside Ogawa Bus headquarters, near Kotoden Nagao Station. Take the bus bound for Okubo-ji.
･Contact: Sanuki City Tourist Office
Tel:087-894-1114
http://www.sanuki-kanko.jp/