Day 14 - Kechigan

97.4 km; 4hr 32min; (21.4km/h) Temples 84-88-1

Kechigan means "pilgramage completed", and that's what I managed to do today after more than 1400km of cycling!

Wake early, and its obvious that my final day on Shikoku will be a wet one. The rain started later in the night, and the wind has dropped, so its not going to clear. I'll be able to make use of the most useful of my osettai, a pair of waterproofs to cover my panniers. Thanks Akiko san, hope you finished your meguri safely! Osettai are small gifts given to henro on the pilgrimage and range from sweets, money, towels to meals or somewhere to stay overnight. A pilgrim must accept the gift, and offer the osame fuda, the slip of paper with the image of Kobo Daishi, to the person offering the gift.

The first nokoyocho is the earliest, 6:55am as the monk is obviously aware that I had stayed nearby and was eager to move on and complete my meguri. I meet another Japanese cycle henro who I passed yesterday, he ended up doing the same as me by pushing his bike up the footpath! I don't know where he stayed though, theres many possibilities on this large hill. So the descent is great on the closed roads, especially with break pads, and I fly past the tollbooth at the bottom, though almost have fear that they will call the police for this serious crime of cycling on a road for cars.

Temple 85, Yakuriji, also causes problems as its another temple with the possibility of using a ropeway/mountain tram to climb the 366m hill. I wanted to cycle along route 145, but as its raining hard I'm not using the maps as often and end up on route 146 and at the start of the tramway. Its not far, and I am determined to walk/cycle to all the temples today and head up the very steep path beside the tramtracks. Some of this is rideable, again a few steps, but I wouldn't advise this route try to cycle up 145 instead. At the temple I enjoy the falling rain and chat with henro on the steps, but we can't sit here all day and we must leave the shelter and travel onwards.

I remembere 86 & 87 being very wet, and having a nice pagoda, but not much else. SO after these were visited and respected there was only one temple left. The climb is really gentle and only 16km from 87. On the way up I see 3 Japanese macaque monkeys in the thick bamboo by the side of the road. Quite a surprise, as I was only just beyond the outskirts of Takamatsu.

Up and up, then I arrive at Okuboji. Initially no one around, I visit the Hondo and Daishido as usual and stamp my nokyocho with no special ceremony or certificate. I end up buying an extra stamp on a piece of washi paper, but it feels unnecessary.

I take many photos, and meet several people who are now finishing their walks. One couple has taken 3 years to reach this point, breaking the meguri up into 10 sections. You will find Japanese are amazed to learn that I have a 2 week holiday, long weekends are the norm and short 3-4 day holidays to Okinawa or Hawaii are the common way to go on holiday.

Great udon lunch across the road, put some dry socks on and feel recharged before heading eastward - towards temple 1!

Yes, the full meguri is a circle, and ideally you must complete the circle. It also makes a lot of sense for me to do this and leave the island via Tokushima to Koya san now that I have plenty of time. If I had been rushed, I might have headed back to Takamatsu and caught the train home, but I'm glad I didn't have to go back to Takamatsu.

It's a totally different feeling now as I cycle through the terraced rice fields, enjoying the scenery free from visiting the temples and the rituals of the meguri. One noticeable climb up to 1.7km tunnel on route 318, then I7m back in Tokushima ken and soon enough I'm back on route 12 where I was 14 days ago, and counting down the temples from 7 down to 1! Its a great feeling, all down hill and mixed feelings for the henro setting out today. Mixed, as its still raining and they don't get the amazing views and scenery I had on day 1, but also glad to know that they are starting out on a great journey to discover Shikoku, Kobo Daishi and perhaps themselves.

At Ryozenji, temple 1, I can give my final osame-fuda and more incense and pay respects to this small but perfect temple. Kechigan accomplished, yet still theres a blank space in my nokyocho - Koya san.

I leave Shikoku on the 4:30 ferry from Tokushima, 2 hour sailing over to Wakayama. Amazing Japanese attention to detail is appreciated even here as I put my bike in the ferry. Small blocks are put beneath my tyres to stop it rolling, as they are fall all the vehicles on the boat, and strips of material are wrapped around my bike frame to stop the ropes damaging the paintwork.

Its very nice to stay at Tokyu inn, Wakayama with the comfort of a good hotel and views of the castle and the rest of the city.

Js msta shikoku.