I visited Matsuyama Castle for the first time in a while. When I was living in Matsuyama, I went up to Matsuyama Castle every Sunday and saw the sunset at Iyonada. It was clear and sunny that day, and I could see the direction of Gogoshima, Suo Oshima and Sadamisaki, and the light up of Matsuyama-jo Castle reflected in the evening sky.
The Soga Plum Grove in Odawara is at its peak. At Kozu Station (KO- ZU) on the JR Tokaido Line, transfer to the Gotemba Line and get off at Shimosoga Station. About 35,000 white plum trees were in full bloom and reflected the sunset. Mt. Fuji is also nearby. This village of Soga is famous for ‘Soga Monogatari’, one of Japan’s three famous avenges. I remembered the Soga brothers at his family temple, Jozen-ji Temple.
A new commercial facility was built in Odawara last December. From the rooftop, you can see scenes of Odawara Castle and Sagami Bay that you have never seen before. It is interesting to see the castle tower of Odawara Castle from this angle. The sunset sinking into Hakone was beautiful. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the closing 2020 years.
That is the 78 th temple of Shikoku 88temple pilgrimage.The principal image is Amida Nyorai.This temple is a rare temple in the 88 sacred places of Shikoku where different sects of Ji sect and Shingon sect coexist. From Kaiganji I walked through Tadotsu and Marugame streets towards Takamatsu. I miss Marugame Castle. Beyond the Seto Inland Sea, I could see the mountains of my hometown, Kurashiki, and was filled with emotion.
I took a walk in Odawara after a long time. First, go to Odawara Castle which is one of the 100 famous castles in Japan. This castle was the residence of the Hojo family that reigned in Kanto region for 100 years from the first generation Soun Hojo, and it withstood the attacks of Kenshin Uesugi and Shingen Takeda and was called an impregnable castle. There are many big red pine and black pine trees, and the castle tower is beautiful. Hotoku Ninomiya-jinja Shrine in the castle enshrines Ninomiya Sontoku, a thinker of the Edo period. “Economy without morality is a sin.” he said. Miyuki no Hama Beach is goog one where Emperor Meiji and his wife visited. You can see Izu Peninsula, Hatsujima Island, Oshima Island, Miura Peninsula and Boso Peninsula. It is blessed with seafood and the kamaboko is a specialty. I ended my trip with hot sake and yakitori.
I head for Nankobo from Enmeiji, walked the nostalgic town of Imabari. There are many local specialties and attractions here. Tai Meshi, Imabari Yakitori, B-class gourmet Yakibuta Tamago Meshi, Imabari Towel, Shipbuilding, Yurukyara Bariisan. The Shimanami Kaido Road, now a sacred place for cyclists, connects Imabari with Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture.
A pilgrimage root that is 10 kilometers to Taisanji. I went up to Matsuyama Castle and saw the red sunset sinking into Gogoshima. It is one of the 12 castles that still have a castle tower. I used to live at the foot of this castle, and I was looking forward to seeing the Seto Inland Sea sunset from this castle every Sunday. For dinner, I enjoyed seared yellowtail with salt from Uwajima and local sake from Imabari. The night of Paradise continues.
A pilgrimage route from Dogo Onsen to Taisanji. At the foot of Mt. Mikiji which used to be a tumulus or mountain castle, there are many professional names such as Issoan where the haiku poet Santoka TANEDA died, Gokoku-jinja Shrine, and Russian cemetery. Matsuyama Castle is also nearby. Ishizuchi-jinja Shrine was located on the top of the mountain, and Ishitsuchiyama was clearly seen beyond the torii.
Hantaji, which is Temple 50 on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage, is located halfway up a mountain called Awaji Pass (Awaji Gato). You can see the Matsuyama Plain and the islands of the Seto Inland Sea from this mountain observatory. It was a fort of Hayashi Awaji no kami 400 years ago. Hirofumi ITO, the first prime minister of Japan, is said to be the 11th descendant of Hayashi Awaji no kami. It was a superb view.
During the pilgrimage, I visited Ozu Castle. That was repaired by Todo Takatora, a master of castle construction. The view in collaboration with Hiji-kawa River was beautiful,so the author Ryotaro Shiba loved it.