A short few hours of cruising took us across to Shikoku island’s northern tip at the town of Takamatsu. This sleepy port town is home to 1 million people predominately working in ship yards and soy sauce fermentation. Our group split up today with different excursions chosen. I toured the 7th century castle at Marugame with its illustrious samurai history.
This fortification is a master class in Japanese engineering with steep sloped access paths and defensible terraces.
A peaceful drive through perfectly manicured landscapes took us to the base of a mountain where a stunning temple dating back to 807AD is located. The temple is the head temple of the Zentsuji School of Shingon Buddhism and the 75th temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. It plays a vital role in this rural part of the island and it is the first area where we encountered a blooming Somei-yoshino cherry trees. The delicate fragrance permeates the fresh air in an intoxicating way, adding to this place’s special emotions.
Our visit to the temple included a sensory experience in the dark underground chamber where only your left hand touch of the wall gets you to the other end. complete trust and serenity are required to fully appreciate the effect. Some in our group saw deceased forefathers, others experienced visions, and some got scared by the total darkness. I felt it to be a cleansing experience in today’s digital age of distraction.
Back onboard, before we set sail, a special treat awaited us. The local high school calligraphy club came to perform for us. Think of glee with a massive piece of paper and buckets of ink. It was fantastic to see the passion, precision, and creativity of this group come to life in front of our eyes.
A bit of local charm and silliness rounded out our day. Next is a hoodcrest as tomorrow’s port is Hiroshima – an emotional stop indeed!
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