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I didn’t feel that it was my last day in Shikoku, in the morning when I was heading to the 86th temple. The road to the gate was surrounded by white wall, once walk through the gate, there is an interesting Garden. Most of the temples have rather emptied space, usually well swept or well maintained gardens. However here, there are many rather wildly grown trees and unswept coloured leaves on the floor, giving charm to this temple. I enjoyed walking through to find  different buildings.As I had done the last 31days, I was thinking of direction, and calculating the distance and time, then just walked as fast as I could. After the 87th, I had quick visit to the pilgrims exchange salon as a typical first timer Ohenro, there I have asked differences of three passage to the 88th, and received honorable paper which proving that I have walked all the way, then quickly saw the exhibition the history of Ohenro. It was tough all the way to here, but 100 years ago was even more difficult as there were no clear signs and maps nor good equipments? However this was clearly showing that, for the last 1,200 years so many people had done this, therefore I knew that I could also do this and finish.

The route to the 88th, which I picked was the shortest one of course? It isn’t traditional rout and very steep one. Just before getting into the mountain road I thought that it must have been not that bad, back in those days, there were no horrible feet burning asphalt which now covers 90% of pilgrims path. Then after I entered concentration to the walk. The very last part before the top was little bit dangerous small rock climbing. At the top, I stopped while to cool down my self and looking back where I came from, 770m which isn’t that high but literally I walked all the way up from almost 0m of the sea level. To the last 88th temple is slightly down from the top, gradually I started feeling and understanding of the end. It is quiet and calm, very opposite of the first temple or some other busy temples. After getting the last stamp in Shikoku I waited bus quietly. 32 days, walking pilgrimage costs the most. However it didn’t really matter if it took another day or two, I could see interesting things more slowly. Advance faster and saving money and ending earlier isn’t the aim. Either spending more money and time or not, the end is the end. Money and Time are factors coming from out side of the pilgrimage and it only exists in our heads. I took another bus to cross the channel.

25.11.2016
86志度寺
87長尾寺
88大窪寺

大阪 東急INN
22.6km

今日が四国で最後の日であるという感覚は朝出る時はまだそれほどなく、86番志度寺に向かう。白い塀に囲まれた道から門をくぐると素敵な庭になっている。多くの寺の境内はがらんとしているか、また庭は丁寧に手入れされていてそれほど魅力を感じないが、ここは木が多く生え、ある程度野放しにされていて魅力的である。本堂、納経所などすぐにわからなくても散策してみようかという気にさせられた。いつもながら時間と距離の計算、どちらの道を行くか考えて、ただただ国道をなるべく早く歩く。最初のお遍路の恒例通り、お遍路交流サロンに立ち寄る、88番まで三つある道の違いを聞き、館内の展示、お遍路の歴史を見る。ここまで色々と大変であったが、100年前のお遍路は道標、地図、装備など今とは違う。1200年間多くの人が歩いてきたのだから、自分も歩けると確信できる。

そこから選んだ道は最短距離、昔はなかったルートで一番斜度がある。山道に入る前にふと思う、アスファルトが無い以前は逆にもっと歩きやすかったにちがいない、あとは記憶がなくなるほど山歩きに集中する最後はちょっと危険な岩登り。足を止めて体を頂上の風で冷ます、標高770m大して高くないと思うがほぼ海抜ゼロから開始した今来た道をぼうっと眺め、そこから僅かな下りで88番大窪寺に向かう。最後の寺、少しづつ終わりを考え実感する。いたって静か落ち着いている、一番霊山寺や、途中の栄えた寺とは違う、納経を済ませてバスを待つ。

32日、歩き遍路が一番時間がかかり旅費がかかるのは確かだが一日二日伸びても何も変わりはなかったのではないだろうか。むしろ少しゆっくりと見ることもできたのではと思う。早く進みお金を節約し早く終わるのが目的ではなく、時間やお金をかけても、かけずとも終わりは終わり。時間とお金はお遍路の外からの要因であって自信の頭の中にしか存在していない。高速バスに乗り換えて海を越える。

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