The Pilgrimage Part VI

Being at about the same latitude as Georgia, the vegetation on Shikoku is lush and

varied. There are plenty of opportunities for good photographs.

Plum Blossoms

The plum trees bloom in February.

Cherry Blossoms

Flowers

There are flowers all along the country paths.

Gifts for Pilgrims

Everyone agrees that the best aspect of the pilgrimage is the wonderful

people you meet along the way. The residents of this farming village set

up tables to distribute rice balls and cakes for the pilgrims.

Free Accommodations

Mr. Jiro Ishikawa, shown here, provides free accommodations for pilgrims

in a small hut beside his house.

Pilgrim Family

I met this family at one of the temples. They said they had moved to

western Japan from the Tokyo area six months ago and had difficulty

getting used to the local dialect. However, they said their daughter

picked up the local pronunciation in no time.

Shop Owner's Daughter

This is the daughter of the owner of a shop in front of one of the temples.

Kids can always be counted on to smile for the camera.

Matsuyama City

The city of Matsuyama dressed up these two students to look like the

characters is a famous novel about the town. They pose for photos

with the tourists.

Blue Sky

The sky is a beautiful deep blue on the island.