Day 46: 88 Temples (84,85) - Takamatsu

Because we couldn't get a Sunday booking at the Ryokan near Temple 88 but could get a Monday reservation, we have 4 days in Takamatsu to do the three days originally planned to Temple 87.  This has turned out to be a nice break.  A few shorter days are really welcome.  4 nights in the same bed is a luxury.


We weren't in a great hurry to get started today and chose the 8:52 train to miss the high school kids.  We came out of the Katamoto Station and there on the street was Claude.  We caught up for a minute and he headed off as he was concerned about time.  He had a 1pm museum appointment for an artist he knows in the area.  We needed to put sunscreen on.

As soon as we left the train station we started climbing.  First through residential and then in a park.  We walked up a concrete path.  It was steep but not many stairs.  


Temple 84 was pretty popular on a Saturday morning.  It's a big temple.  We paid our respects; mostly we rinse our hands, drop our signed slips in the container, put some yen in the temple and pause for a moment.  We don't do the chanting - though we  wait for people to finish.  I try to find the special things at a temple and try to photograph them.


Before our books were stamped we saw Claude. Somehow we got up here before him.  He had taken the vertical path while we opted for the concrete ramp.  We left the temple together and passed a Henro helper station.  A very gentleman walked us to the Henro path and answered a lot of questions.  I was curious about the derelict hotel we walked past.  He said it had been abandoned 20 or 30 years ago.  We could probably figure out which by the video games that were left there.


The Henro path basically went straight down the mountain.  It was steep and rough.  I was faster than Mike and Claude and got far enough ahead I could no longer hear them.  I waited at the bottom where I was able to get my toes out of the front of my shoes.


Just after it leveled out we saw Taiwan Leo alone.  He and Claude were walking together behind us when we last saw them.  We crossed a bridge and soon started up again.


I had asked the Henro helper about udon in the valley below and he said there was a place called Yamadaya near the cable car to the temple.  It was a much bigger place than I expected and it was very popular and kind of a destination.  It was also excellent.  We had the jou tempura udon - udon with a huge piece of shrimp tempura in it.  I was busy making a hotel booking before it arrived and dived into it right away, so sorry, no pictures.


The climb to Temple 85 was shorter than the last one.  Just at the top we met a gaijin and chatted while enjoying the view.  He had been an English teacher in Japan and was back for a visit.


Temple 85 was pretty busy with all the people taking the cable car.  It was a nice temple.  Too bad there were so many things obstructing the buildings.  I magic eraser-ed some of them out of on picture.


The walk down was along a road so less steep but downhill always hurts.  We got some help from an older guy.  He directed us to the train station.  Shioya Station is where we finished today and will start tomorrow.


Back at Super Hotel just after 3pm.  The early return was good but we used the time drinking beer.


Dinner was at a place called Yama steak house ... like Beni Hannah only nicer.  We got the bacon of beef.  Very tasty.






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