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Visiting or living in shikoku is something special, for this island has always been the spiritual sanctusry of the Japanese people. No other place in Japan has been visited by so many generations of people from sll over the country.
They have often spent more than 60 days walking along the whole circuit of the eithty-eight temples that compose the longest, oldest and popular pilgrimage in Japan.
Even those who have arrived hare in weariness of life, in unhappiness or weak haelth, have usually left the island with a lirhter heart, more enlightened, and in many cases in improved health.
Though today the island is quite accessible and traveling around it can be very easy, some of the eighty-eight temples still remain very hard to resch.
This pilgrimage circling the island is nationally known as 0-shikoku-san, showing that "Dear old shikoku Pilgrimage"is synonymous with this island and provides sanctuary to the soul of Japan. The scenes along the Shikoku Pilgrimage correspond well to what Shikoku offers--the Seto Inland Sea, the Uwa-kai Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the green mountains that crown a large part of the island, cosy little towns and middle-sized cities that fringe the coasts.
Its climate is mild; the seas are bountiful; the land is fertile. Naturally local people have been contant with their blessed island, even if it has remained underdeveloped since the 8th century. Until then the northern coast of Shikoku was among the first areas to enjoy civilization in Japan. as proved by so many archaeological findings.
Remote as it was for many centuries. however. Shikoku did not stand aloof but observed movements on the Inland Sea as an artery of Japan's cultural.political and economic development. On the other hand, Shikoky's unique attractions such as the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Kompira worship and the Dogo Onsen Hot Spring spa have always drawn a large of the main island of Honshu ond neighboring Kyushu.
Naturally those visitors brought something new with them each time, just as refugees and exiles from the capitals added color to the island's history. They were welcome and something the culture they brought here was carefully preserved or developed even long after being forgotten in its homeland--language, festivals, arts and techniques. These cultural assets now peculiar to Shikoku have added another dimension rewarding travelers to this island.
A new type of attraction in Shikoku is the fruit of modern technology that the waves of development have finally brought here in the 1980's and 90's -- the colossal bridges connecting Shikoku with the main island, pleasure resorts, theme parks, museums, skyline drives and relatively inexpensive golf courses. So the charm of Shikoku can rightly be called an exquisite coexistence of tradition and modernity, nature and art.
Last but
Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa Prefecture.which has traditionally been called the gateway to Shikoku. with the whole land of the prefecture jutting out into the Seto Inland Sea like a porch.
JR Takamatsu Station next to Takamatsu Harbor is the terminal of the kotoku Line For Tokushima Pref.,the Yosan Line for Ehime Pref. and the Dosan Line for Kochi Pref. ,while serving as the bus terminal to Tokushima, Matsutama, and Kochi City. Takamatsu chikko just opposite JR Station is the terminal of kotoden trams to and from Kotohira, the seat of 'Kompira-san.'
The new Takamatsu Airport handles non-stop flights to and from Seoul Korea.
Another place in Takamatsu appropriate as a gateway to Shikoku is the Takamatsu Heike Monogatari Historical Museum that features not only the famous historical literature called Heike Monogatari but also about 50 great historical figures closely associated with Shikoku or native to shikoku.
Takamatsu became the capital in 1587 with the advent of Lord Ikoma I as governor of Saneki Province. The castle he built on the harbor was succeeded by 4 generations of his descendants, and then by 11 generations of Matsudaira Iords, governing Takamatsu Province with a fief of 120,000 koku.
One ninth of the former castle ground is preserved as Tamano Koen Park across the street from JR Takamatsu Station. The donjon is gone, but two of the 15 turrets and Mizute Gomon Gate from the 17th century (Important Cultural Properties) survived the air raid in 1945. Admission: 100 yen.
Traditionally the popular sightseeing spots in Takamatsu are Ritsurin Koen Park near downtown and Yashima Plateau overlooking the city and the Inland Sea. They are accessible by bus or tram, with terminals at Takamatsu Chikko just opposite JR Station.
30 minutes walk from JR Takamatsu Station.
The busy street in front of JR Takamatsu is the main street of downtown Takamatsu, and leads to the main gate to Ritsurin Koen Park, a National Special Scenic Spot. This spacious garden laid out with shapely mounds, cool ponds and about 160 varieties of trees and flowers provides a classic example of a Japanese garden or even a Chinese Taoist paradaise fit for meditation.
Originally it belonged to a local warlord, and then to Lord Ikoma. When it was transferred to the matsudairas, they spent five generations developing it into a larger stroll-type garden for their villa. Seasonal charms of flowers and blossams such as ume (Japanese plum blossoms) in february, camellias in March, cherry blossoms in April, wisteria and azaleas in May, Irises and water lilies in June, giant lotuses in August, and Japanese bush clover in September, and brilliant maple leaves in November add to the pleasure of strolling.
Kikugetsu-tei, one of the pond-side teahouses, was originally one of the Matsudairas formal buildings. The museum just inside the main gate houses a variety of mostly local handicrafts. There is a zoo, too, inside the gate. Open daily. Admission to the park: About 300 yen.
Bus: 30 minutes ' ride from Chikko to the terminal(Kotoden Bus for Yashima-sanjo or Yashima Hilltop).
Tram+Cable: 30 minutes' tram ride from Chikko to Yashima (Shido-sen Line)+5 minutes'cable-car ride.
Yashima, a pine-wooded tableland to the northheast of downtown Takamatsu, is one of the world's rare lava mesa, about 290 m high, 3 km wide, jutting 5 km out into the sea. The hilltop, overlooking the archipelago of the Inland Sea, features Yashima-ji (No.84) 1, an apuarium 2 and observatories all linked by forest promenads. One of the observatories, Dankorei 3, commands a view of the inlet fringed with memorials to the Genpei Yashima Battle (the second last battle in Genpei War fought between the two rival clans, the Minamotos and the Tairas).
Once a British poet, Edmund Blunden, visited Yashima and wrote a poem that was engraved on a stone here at Dankorei observatory:
Like a long root, men say, and will they say,
This hill of warrior ghosts surmounts the plain...
In 794 kyoto became the capital of Japan and it enjoyed peace for about 350 years (811-1155) - the longest peace Japan has ever attained in her history.
The last 30 years of this period, however, were far from peacaful. In 1156 the first battle *1 took place in the capital, thus opening up a new era dominated by martial emotions. Two martial clance - the Minamoto and Taira clance - began to acquire greater and greater influence in politics through figthing against each other in the name of "the Emperor" or "the Ex-Emperor".
In 1159, the Tairassucceeded temporarily in staving off the Minamotos. The 20 years that followed saw the Tairas rise to increasingly contorol the Imperial Family, inviting animosity from the reigning Emperors, the Ex-Emperors, powerful priests, warriors and lords, to say nothing of the Minamoto in exile.
In 1181 the patriarch of the clan Taira no Kiyomori died just when the Tairas faced more battles against the Minamotos,who were gradually consolidating their power.
In 1183 the Tairas were driven from the Capital along with the 6-year-old Emperor Antoku and his mother, who was Kiyomori's daughter. They wandered far in search of supporters,while fighting losing battles.
Now in 1185, Minamoto no Yoshitsune attacked the remaining Tairas here at Yashima, then at Dan-no-ura in the westernmost corner of the Inland Sea. where the proud Taira finally fell, the noblewomen casting themselves into the sea with the child Emperor Antku.
Thus the age of ancient nobility yielded to the age of Shoguns (1185-1867).
Yashima-ji Temple treasures in its museum a folding screen depicting the Gempei no Kassen Battles. (See p.42) The bell in the belfry, cast in Kyoto in 1223, was dedicated here for the repose of the defeated Tairas. But no one can strike the bell, as there is no hammer. They say, "Strike the bell, and invoke the ghost of the Tairas."
On the last weekend in March the Gempei Yashima Festival is held,whose highlight is the Warriors'Pageant.
*1 It was an insurrection caused by the discord between Emperor Goshitakawa (1127-92) and Ex-Emperor Sutoku(1119-64). Sutoku was defeated and banished to Sanuki (Kagawa Pref.) to die a miserable death 8 years later. His ashed were buried at Temple 81. In 1184 the court elevated him to Shinto deity to placate his ghost. (See p.50)
*2 Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-89) : By bringing about victory in the civil war, Yoshitsune had greatly helped Minamoto no Yoritomo, his elder brother, who in 1192 was to establish the first Shogunate at Kamakura. But Yoshitsune had to spend the rest of his life escaping Yoritomo, until four years later he killed himself. His tragic life and death was so appealing to Japanese sentiment that he was taken on heroic proportion in Kabuki, Noh and Joruri plays, based on what is called Yoshitsune Literature.
Very few Japanese visit Yashima without being reminded of episode shown in picture above:
It was on the afternoon of february 19, 1185, that Minamoto no Yoshitsune mounted another surprise attack against the Tairas at the them Tashima Island. Frightened by the imagined immensity of enemy forces, the Tairas jumped into their boats and sailed off. A fierce battle lasted for hours.
Now the sun was setting. Both sides bagan to retreat, when a fair vessel parted from the Taira legious and stopped about 80 m from the beach. Then a beautiful lady appeared from the cabin, produced a pole with a bright red fan on its top and beckomed to the puzzled warriors on the shore.
"What dose she mean?" said yoshitune.
"Perhaps she is inviting one of us to shoot the fan. Or she may be inviting you to come out onto the front line for her archers,"said his attendent.
"Then let it be shot down by someone," said Yoshitune.
soon a young man called Nasu no Yoichi apeared on horseback with bow and arrow in his hands. The north wind was strong. The boat was tossing up and down. The fan painted with the golden sun at its center was fluttering on the pole.
All the Tairas in the boats and all the Minamatos on the shore were watching Yoichi. What he do? Would he succed?
yoichi rode into the water as far as he could. but it was still about 70 m to the target. He closed his eyes and prayed. Then the wind fell for a moment. He shot. The arrow pirerced through a little above the rivet. The fan, flying up a moment or two, came floating down, glittering in the setting sun. There was great applause from both sides.
Then a man in armor appeared in the same boat. He bagan to dance an elegant dance perhaps in genuine appreciation of Yoichi's archery. Then Yoichi got another order and shot down the dancing man, too, Some said, "Good shot!" But others said, "Not fair,"
The Tairas were silent this time. Was it a precursor of their demisea? Two months later, the Tairas finally fell.
8 3 minutes' walk after leaving the bus at Tosyogu-mae .(Kotoden Bus:Yashima-sannjofgToshogu-maefgChikko)
8 3 minutes' walk from the cable-car station. This is an open-air museum laid at the foot of Yashoma Plateau. About 20 old rural buildings from various parts of shikoku have been reassembled here, including a Farmers' Kabuki Theater, peasant' houses, a fisherman's house, a sugar will, a shed for steaming mulberry bark to make paper, and wprkshops for making soy sause and so on. There is a reprica of Kazura-bashi from Nishi Iyayama-son,too.(p.173)
Open daily: 8:30 -16:30. Admission:500yen
On May 5, people including children from shodoshima Island, from whichi the Kabuki Thester came here. stage an annual performance of their traditional farmers' kabuki.
8 3 minutes' walk from Nihon Tabako-mae Bus Stop after 10 minutes' ride from JR Takamatsu. (Kotoden Bus: Asahimati Line)
8 3 minutes' walk from JR Takamatsu Station.
Japan's largest wax doll museum.The first froor is dedicated to the 41 dolls of historical figures or modern men and women of celebrity who have been closely associated with Shikoku.
The one of Kobo daishi (p.190-199) in his nyujo (p.195) has its own corner as a special exhibition.
The other dolls include:
The second froor exhibits about 300 dolls portraying the 17 scenes from the Heike Monogatari or The Tale of the Tairas. The Saga, composed of a large number of revealing episode, was and still is an inexhaustible source of Japanese literature and art. Some of the most famous scenes took place at the foot of Yashima Plateau at the northeastern tip of Takamatsu (p.35).
One hi-tech doll seen at the end of the exhidition is what ws called biwa hoshi or a blind biwa playng bard who traveled around chanting The Tale of the Taira Family even before it was written down in the first half of the 13th century. Its opening passege is especially famous for its Buddhist idea of impermanence that goes as follows:
The bell of Gion Monastery tolls
The impermanence of all worldly things.
The color of sal blossoms snows the truth that
Even the most prosperous inevitably decline.
The proud will fall like a dream on a spring night.
The valiant must perish, too, as.
frail as dust blown by a puff of wind.
The doll begins to talk and sing the first line of the opening passege when it senses visitors approaching.
Open daily,admission:1200yen
(High school students:800yen Children:600yen)
*Yoshida Shigeru (1878-1967), Prime Minister from 1954, is credited with giving Japan direction through her most difficulut times after the war.
jYoshida kSeto Ohashi Memorial Park lGold Tower mSakaide Port
The Kojima-sakaide Route, popularly known as the Seto Ohashi Bridge, was completed in 1988. It is the world's longest two-tiered bridge system, stetching 13.1 km from Kojima to Sakaide, connecting the 5 islands in between.
The 11 bridge in the system include 3 suspension bridges, 2 twin cable-steyed, 1truss and5viaducts. The upper level accmmodates a motor expressway of four lanes, and the lower contains Japan Railway's system for a dual track ordrinary line at present and for a dual track superexpress line in the future.
The first person to air the idea of the seto Ohashi Bridge was Okubo Jinnojo (1849-1891), a Kagawa native, who at that time was constructing the first Shikoku Roads to link all the prefectures on the island. In 1889 Jinnojo disclosed his dream in a congratulatory speech he made as a member of the Prefectural Parliament at the opening ceremony of the first railroad in Shikoku between Marugame and Kotohira(p.51).
Exactly a century later, the Bridge came into bring after decades of planning and ten years of construction. 13 million workers involved (with the loss of 17 lives),and costing 1,190,000 milliom yen.
Surprisingly, Jinnojo had aiso foretold man's travering to the moon in his favorite drinking song of his own making, which went as follows:
I'll tell you, dear, don't laugh at me, a hunered years from now, I'll be seeing you flying to and from the moon in a space ship. Its port, let me tell you , dear, will be that mountaintop over there!
One of the best points to view the bridge is Yoshima Ialand j,a central pier of the Bridge. It also serves as a sightseeing outpost for the Shikoku and Inland Sea Districts, providing 2 perking areas for those who like to enjoy bridge-viewing, seafood and shopping.
To Yoshima: 20 minutes from JR sakaide by Seto Ohashi Express Bus.
Another is a rotating tower 132 m tall at the Seto Ohashi Memorial Park at the foot of the Bridge in Sakaide. The Memorial Hall provides all kinds of information on the Bridge and its construction, while the park itself applies modern art to stone and water.
Admission to the tower: \800.
Admission to the Hall: \510.
To the Seto Ohashi Memorial Park: 10 minutes from JR Sakaide by shuttle bus (free of chargea).
The Gold Tower near JR Utazu Station offers a marvelous view, too. The 144 m tower made of half-mirror glass is the tallest of its kind in Japan, housing the Sky Lounge, restaurants, stores and a World Toilet Museum.
Open daily. Admission to the tower: \800/\1000 (Toilet Museum included).
To Gold Tower: 8 minutes' walk from JR Utazu.
Bridge-viewing cruises are available from Keihan Fisherman's Wharf on Yoshima,Memorial Park and Sakaide Port.(\1,000-1,500)
25 minutes' train ride from JR Takamatsu.
*To the Castle: 15 minutes' walk from JR Marugame.
The three-storied donjon on top of a green hill crowns the city of Marugame. When a Marugame Province of 53,000 koku was formed in 1641, an old castle was reconstructed and the castle seen today dates back to 1660, one of the few genuine Edo Period castles remaining in Japan.
The present-day Marugame is famous for uchiwa or round paper fan manufacturing, producting about 90 % of these fans in Japan.
The Castle Park, 15 minutes' walk from JR Marugame, is surrounded by moats, featuring the donjon, a couple of main gates (all Important cultural Prorerties) and walls from the 17th century. The 4-level 60 m ramparts, the tallest and among the most beautiful in Japan, also contribute to the beauty of the castle.
O-shiro Matsuri Castle Festival is held on the 3rd weekend in May.
The Inokuma Genichiro Modern Art Museum adjacent to JR Marugame Station is dedicated to Inokuma Genichiro (1902-93)
Banshoen Gerden built in 1688 as a villa for the Lord of the Province is 10 minutes' drive from downtown Marugame. One of the galleries there houses Chinese ceramic ware and a collection of Iranian earthenware and glassware dating back to 2500 B.C. through the 1200's A.D. Open daily.
Admission to the Garden & Galleries:\1000 (Student:\600, Children:\400)
10 minutes' walk from Nakazu-bashi Bus Stop after 10 minutes' ride from Marugame Toricho near the castle. (Kotosan Bus for Zentsuji via Tadotsu)
[From JR Kotohira] 5 minutes to JR Zentsuji by ordinary train.
[From JR Takamatsu] 40 minutes to JR Zentsuji by express train (Dosan Line)
* 25 minutes' walk from JR Zentsuji along the street in front of the station.
Zentsu-ji Temple (No.75), is known as the birthplace of Kodo Daishi Kukai. Kukai is one of the greatest geniuses Japan has ever produced. He made a great contribution in remolding Japanese religion, while making unparalleled achievements as a acholar, poet, artist, calligrapher, sculptor, artchitect, educator, socialworker, inventor, discoverer and civil engineer.
The glant camphor trees near the five-storied pagoda in the East Precinct are said to have already been several nundred years old when Kukai was born in 774,The Mieido Hall in the West Precinct at the foot of the green hill is the Birthplace.
Visitors may traverse the basement of the hall along a pitch-dark path. This introspective journey is called kaidan-maguri. The entrance is at the right-hand corner of the Hall. The entrance fee includes the admission to the Museum. (\300)
The utter blackness along the path symbolizs the darkness of the human mind or human ignorance of the Truth. The notice says: "Go along with the palm of your left hand pressed against the left-hand wall. The wall, is the Buddha's Way. You will be safely guided as long as you are on His Way.
After the Kaidan-meguri, arrows guide you to the Museum. The temple treasures exhibited there include a small clay pagoda Kukai molded at 7,a bowl used by Kukai as a medecant priest, a robe and a ritual stick (a National Tressure) of Indian make, bothpresented to Kukai by his Chinese master Abbot Hui-kuo, and a sutra scroll (a National Treasure) with each of the Chinese characters accompanied by a little Bodhisattva on a lotus pedestal: Kukai did the calligraphy, his mother the painting.
Shorinji Kempo is not merely a sport or martial art, but a religious exercise to approach the Buddha's spirit in the princioles of "self-reslization" and "help each other."
It was started by So Doshin I (1911-1980) in 1947. Two yesrs before he had been repatriated from Manturia, the northeastern part of China that "Imperialist Japan" held for 13 years till the end of World War II. Doshin had seen how people could be dehumanized in the dire extremities of war and its aftermath. "Developing good humanity is the only way to save Japan and the world at large," he kept saying to himself. Doshin, who had learned various martial arts in China, pondered over the Zen philosophy of Bodhidhaema himself was said to have practised about 1,500 years ago when he brought Zen from India to China. Finally, Doshin succeeded in restoring and reorganizing the whole body of that art, which he named Shorinji Kempo. Now its Headquarters has more then 100 branches in 23 countries in the would.
The Shorinji Kempo Headquarters (0877) 33-1010 is on the southern slope of Toryo Koen Park Hill 15 minutes' walk from JR Tadotsu Station.
The Bodhidharma Festival is held on the 1st Sunday in October.
[From JR Takamatsu to JR Kotohira] 60 minutes by shuttle train (Dosan Line)
[From Takamatsu Chikko] 70 minutes' tram ride to Kotohira (Kotoden).
[From JR Okayama] 67 minutes' train ride by spetial express. 2hours to Kotoden Kotohira Station by Seto Ohashi Kosoku Bus.
Especially Noted product: Ittobori woodcarving.
Kotohira-gu, a great shrine complex, onten affectionately called Kompira-san, has been a celebrated destination for pilgrims and tourists for hundreds of years.
Acceding to legend, Kompira-san came into being when Kumbhira - a guardian god of Buddhism, originally a Hindu crocodile god of the Ganges,
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