- 2024.02.19
-
Ohenro Journals
Back to where we are after over 1,400 kilometers
“From a distance, it may seem meaningless: Leaving behind the daily hassle, only to rediscover it in new guises. Hiking about 1,400 kilometers on the other end of the world only to realize we are back to square one. We climbed the last mountain, visited temple 88 and returned to temple 1. The circle is complete. We are back to where we were.”
“And then again. One of the things that has touched us the most while walking ohenro is becoming part of a larger whole. Shikoku people encouraging us, literally getting down on their knees to solve our challenges, drying our hiking shoes while we sleep, asking us to do our best and giving us food, money and gifts along the way. On Shikoku, you are an ohenro before you are a human being, and a human being before you are a woman or a man, French or Dane.”
“Before embarking on this pilgrimage, we thought the temples might be too religious for us. But on the very first morning, our host went with us to the temple and taught us the rituals. We took them in as if we were her children.”
“Since then, we have felt our roots growing in the present while washing our hands at the basin, lighting the candle and incense, reciting the mantras, ringing the bell and listening to its reverberations.”
“It is as if the rituals draw us into the present: The water trickles down from the mountain now–not yesterday or tomorrow. The incense smells and dances with the wind of the moment. This journey has not only brought us back to where we were, but more importantly: Back to where we are.”
“The last part of the road is backtracking in our own footsteps. We relive where we got lost, now knowing why: The white square stickers on the lampposts with the arrow, faded away by the sun long ago. We discover that the field that we saw being sown on the first day is now ready to be harvested.”
“We meet Raymund, an exchange student from the Philippines, who curiously joins us on the last steps to temple 1, while our smiles and tears flow together. As we walk around the very last temple, we teach him the rituals and their meaning. On this last day, we pass it all on.”
Traveling all the way from Denmark, Marie and Torben (@Frie fodspor) completed the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage back in late November of 2023. They have posted numerous information and helpful tips about the pilgrimage on their hiking blog (linked below) that I urge you to check out
Marie and Torben (@Friefodspor)
https://www.friefodspor.dk/japan
Learn more about the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/highlights/henro
“From a distance, it may seem meaningless: Leaving behind the daily hassle, only to rediscover it in new guises. Hiking about 1,400 kilometers on the other end of the world only to realize we are back to square one. We climbed the last mountain, visited temple 88 and returned to temple 1. The circle is complete. We are back to where we were.”
“And then again. One of the things that has touched us the most while walking ohenro is becoming part of a larger whole. Shikoku people encouraging us, literally getting down on their knees to solve our challenges, drying our hiking shoes while we sleep, asking us to do our best and giving us food, money and gifts along the way. On Shikoku, you are an ohenro before you are a human being, and a human being before you are a woman or a man, French or Dane.”
“Before embarking on this pilgrimage, we thought the temples might be too religious for us. But on the very first morning, our host went with us to the temple and taught us the rituals. We took them in as if we were her children.”
“Since then, we have felt our roots growing in the present while washing our hands at the basin, lighting the candle and incense, reciting the mantras, ringing the bell and listening to its reverberations.”
“It is as if the rituals draw us into the present: The water trickles down from the mountain now–not yesterday or tomorrow. The incense smells and dances with the wind of the moment. This journey has not only brought us back to where we were, but more importantly: Back to where we are.”
“The last part of the road is backtracking in our own footsteps. We relive where we got lost, now knowing why: The white square stickers on the lampposts with the arrow, faded away by the sun long ago. We discover that the field that we saw being sown on the first day is now ready to be harvested.”
“We meet Raymund, an exchange student from the Philippines, who curiously joins us on the last steps to temple 1, while our smiles and tears flow together. As we walk around the very last temple, we teach him the rituals and their meaning. On this last day, we pass it all on.”
Traveling all the way from Denmark, Marie and Torben (@Frie fodspor) completed the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage back in late November of 2023. They have posted numerous information and helpful tips about the pilgrimage on their hiking blog (linked below) that I urge you to check out
Marie and Torben (@Friefodspor)
https://www.friefodspor.dk/japan
Learn more about the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/highlights/henro
