24Apr10: Barbara Barrett

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DSCF1400.JPGHenro Experience Reflection
 
I was grateful to have another chance to do a walking henro experience. I enjoyed talking with everyone in our henro group as we walked. The weather was perfect. I was grateful because Japan is often either extremely cold and dry or hot and humid with little mild weather in-between. It had also rained almost the entire week before, which I have been told is unusual for Kagawa this time of year.
 
Mitoyo City is beautiful. But it is far from Takamatsu, so it's not a place people often have a chance to visit. Because we were on a tight schedule, I felt like I was rushing more than I have in the past. I wanted to have more time to take in the scenery. I hope I can visit the area again someday.
 
I often visit some of the 88 temples when I have free time. Some are very impressive, and others are quite modest. The first temple we visited, Motoyamaji (Temple 70) was pretty and newly renovated. The people working there were very friendly to foreign visitors.
 
However, I thought Iyadanji (Temple 71) was much more impressive. It is carved into a mountain, and is one of those temples with grounds that just keep on going and going. It is no wonder people from hundreds of years ago chose a place like that to build a temple. The peacefulness of the surrounding forest and high elevation reminded me a bit of Mt. Koya. I appreciated the lecture from the monk, because I have only had two other chances to hear lectures from monks at Shingon Temples. But his soothing voice, the incense, and the peaceful atmosphere of the temple combined with exhaustion from the trek made me very sleepy. The buddhas carved into the mountain and view from the top of the mountain were impressive.
 
Because of heavy rains the day before the leaf-covered ground was soft and slippery, the walk down the mountain was extremely dangerous. Fallen trees blocked the path, areas of the path were less than a foot wide along a steep drop. There were times when the path merged with the stream we had been walking along.
 
I wasn't sure if the path had actually gone into the stream until another hiker pointed out the "へんろ道" sign hanging from trees above it. The slippery mud combined with walking through the stream soaked through my shoes into my socks and made it difficult to get secure footing. At least one member of our group slipped on the way down and hurt his back. It was fun and challenging, but I was also very nervous. I felt accomplished (and relieved!) when we finally emerged from the woods at the bottom of the opposite side of the mountain.
 
When a sign-up deadline was set so that insurance could be arranged for henro experience participants, I thought it was a little excessive. But on the way down the mountain from Iyadanji to Kaiganji, I finally understood why insurance was necessary. I learned soon after the experience that the reason why henros where white is because if they die along the way, they are ready for their memorial service. In Japan, the deceased are dressed in white. Although I am sure the rate of death while doing henro is far lower than it was in the past, after my third walking henro experience I certainly appreciate just how challenging the walking pilgrimage is, and admire the people who complete it from beginning to end. 
 
I am sincerely grateful to all the people at the International Affairs Department at the Kagawa Prefectural Office as well as the people working at the temples who made it possible for us to have this experience.

Barbara Barrett
 

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