An added pleasure of the pilgrimage is collecting seals and calligraphic inscriptions at each temple as a memento of your journey. A book for collecting these, called a nōkyōchō, may be purchased at most temples, the price depending upon how fancy it is. A donation of ¥200 is expected for each temple seal and inscription. Inscription counters are generally open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but may close earlier in the winter. Although the central theme of this section is the pilgrimage, the description is more historical than religious, and is interspersed with anecdotes about the area and the people, as well as with many detours to places of interest unrelated to the pilgrimage, including museums, shops, restaurants, and Shinto shrines. The beginning of these detours is marked in the text with the symbol. ➩
A note on terminology: most Buddhist places of worship are called in Japanese tera, (or by alternate pronunciations of the same character, dera or ji), usually translated “temple.” Some others are called dō, meaning “hall.” Shinto places of worship are usually called jinja, translated “shrine.” In this text these terms appear as hyphenated suffixes; thus the reader will know immediately that Chichibu-jinja, or Chichibu Shrine, is a Shinto place of worship. Likewise, by convention, members of Buddhist religious orders are referred to as “monks,” while those of Shinto are referred to as “priests.” Another useful term to know is torii, the double-tiered archway that marks the entrance to Shinto shrines.
For those wishing to stay overnight, a number of ryokan (Japanese inns), minshuku (small, family-run lodgings), and hotels are available. A list of Accommodations in Chichibu, selected for convenience to pilgrimage routes and festival sites, is provided in the Appendixes. The numbers given for these facilities can be used to locate them on the maps. Reservations are recommended.
Good luck and enjoy your pilgrimage.
卍 Temples 1 through 9
Say Ichiban! (Number one!) to any taxi driver in Chichibu, and you will be whisked off to Temple 1 on the pilgrimage. (The thirty-four temples of the pilgrimage will generally be referred to by their numbers, rather than their more difficult-to-remember names). Taking a taxi to begin a religious pilgrimage might seem blasphemous, but it is certainly recommended for an easy and comfortable start. Or, you may take a bus bound for Sadamine-Minano 疋峰皆野 (towns to the northeast; from bus stand two) and get off at the village of Tochiya 栃谷. Take the fork just before the bus stop to the left and look for the green-roofed, red-painted building of Temple 1 on your left. The front entrance is on the corner ahead.
The temple’s name, SHIMABU-JI 四萬部寺, literally means Temple of Forty-Thousand Volumes, and derives from the legend of a medieval monk who supposedly read that number of sutras here at the behest of one of the legendary pioneers of the Chichibu pilgrimage. The entrance to the temple is marked by a low-roofed gate covered with senja-fuda (pilgrims’ votive cards) of wood and paper. The first Kannon hall of your pilgrimage is situated at the end of a stone-paved walkway with large stone lanterns on either side. Although not as elaborate as one might expect for the first temple on a centuries-old pilgrimage, the building, with its deep-green copper roof, is perfectly charming. Walk up and pray to the Kannon enshrined within.
The typical method of worship is to throw a coin into the offering box and ring a gong, if one is hung from the ceiling. This is to call the attention of Kannon and other deities concealed in the inner shrine. When praying to Kannon, you may wish for anything—safety during your pilgrimage, the well-being of your family, or the health of loved ones. The two most common entreaties made by Japanese on such occasions are for happiness in the family and for repose of the souls of deceased relatives. (Since this is a Buddhist temple, you should not clap your hands, a custom practiced at Shinto shrines.)
The fundamental Buddhist goal of attaining spiritual peace is very attractive to temple visitors. Japanese pilgrims thus often chant a short sutra, the Hannya shin-gyō 般若心経 (the Lesser Prajuna Paramita Hridaya Sutra). Written in approximately 265 Japanese characters, it is the essence of a several-hundred-volume sutra expounding Buddhist wisdom, and is chanted on many occasions, regardless of the sect to which the worshiper belongs. Commentaries published on this sutra continue to be steady best-sellers. However, it is perfectly all right to say nothing. The occasion merely calls for sincerity.
The Kannon hall of about thirty square meters was constructed in the late seventeenth century by a skilled Chichibu carpenter, and was modified in the mid-eighteenth century by an Edo craftsman. With intricate carvings decorating the transoms and gables, the architectural style of this temple set the standard for the other Kannon halls in Chichibu. The villagers are proud to have this temple in Tochiya and maintain it very well. They are also pleased that the large hall (to the right as you face the Kannon hall) is used for an important mass called segaki, which takes place in August (see p. l47). Next to this hall is a handsome, farmhouse-style building that serves as the living quarters for the monk and his family. A menacing devil mask can be seen on the roof, beneath which is a large tile with two characters reading ichiban. The building was originally designed to serve as a school for the community, and was built with funds donated by the villagers. Receiving the designation of number one was a crowning glory.
The part of the building on the left, as you face it, is used as a shop and inscription counter for pilgrims. Press the buzzer on the pillar if no one is around. (At some temples, a bell is used instead of a buzzer.) Rosaries, nōkyōchō (books for collecting temple seals and inscriptions), as well as complete pilgrim outfits may be purchased here. Some pilgrims collect temple seals on a scroll with an image of Kannon painted at the center, still others on a simple cotton vest called oizuru (or, oizuri), both of which are available here. Originally, seals and inscriptions served as acknowledgment of sutras chanted by pilgrims as offerings to the temple’s Kannon. However, nowadays it is permissible to omit the sutra and request that a seal and inscription be entered in your nōkyōchō for a small fee, an offering to Kannon. If you want to do your temple book, here is an important tip. To save on waiting time, submit your book (with the fee) upon arrival at each temple and pick it up as you depart.
A bronze statue placed before the Kannon hall to the left of the entrance was stolen and was missing for more than seventy years. It was subsequently found in a Tokyo antique shop and, with the support of publicly raised funds, was purchased and returned to the temple. As you leave, you will notice an attractive building outside the gate to its right. It is a minshuku (small inn) named Hatago Ichiban 旅籠一番, named after the Number One temple.
To reach Temple 2, take the narrow road across the street to the left of the minshuku. Follow the right fork to cross the bridge over the small river, and continue until you come to a small roadside shrine at a fork, with a stone marker for pilgrims to the left of the stairs. Throughout your pilgrimage, you should look for these old stone markers (some are indicated on the maps with a ◊) showing the direction to the next temple. Many were donated by dedicated pilgrims and monks to help others find their way. Temple 2 is located up in the mountains off to the left. If, however, conditions are unfavorable for hiking in woods, you may wish to opt for a faster alternative to Kōmyō-ji just for inscription in your temple book. If you turn right, you will return to the bus stop, from where you should walk straight for about twenty minutes. You will pass by two schools along the way and arrive at a bus stop for the entrance to Kōmyō-ji 光明寺 in front of a liquor and food store called ARAMASU on the left. Turn left and left again between two metal fences to reach the temple.
To follow the authentic pilgrimage road, take the left fork at the roadside shrine and continue your hike through the fields, crossing another road. Keep to the left. The road gradually ascends, and cedar woods replace terraced fields. It is not an easy climb; consider it an initiation into the discipline of the pilgrimage. After about twenty minutes the overhanging trees suddenly recede and a large square sign on the right says,