Pilgrimage 71 - Approaching Ichijo-ji

Blue the mists hovering in the distance,
blue the mists hovering in the distance,
seen briefly through the trees
of the foothill-hugging forest,
the trail cool,
dew glistening on the low bamboo gass,
as I slowly walk on and on.

Not reborn,
yet not alive as before,
in limbo
as the mists before me
are neither dew nor clouds.

Rounding a corner following the path along the edge of the forest, by the full green rice fields, I see an old wooden temple gate far ahead of me. Reaching it, I see it is the outer gate of Ichijo-ji, the 26th temple of the Saikoku pilgrimage. Founded in 649 by Houdou Sennin, who also founded the previous two temples, Ichijo-ji's main object of veneration is Sho-kannon, or Kannon in revealed non-esoteric form. The statue of Kannon is not open to the public. The attendants are Bishamonten and Fudo Myo-o.

There is not yet sign of the temple, however, and I continue along the trail.