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Pilgrimage by car: The second half of the Chichibu Kannon temples was no walk in the park

2026年5月13日 17:16

The Chichibu 34 Kannon Sacred Sites—I traveled by car to visit the second half, from temple 18 to 34. *The first half is here

Having visited the first 17 temples, I had grown accustomed to the flow of praying, receiving the goshuin stamp, and moving on to the next, so I thought I would be able to make this trip calmly.

In the end, I had underestimated the second half of the pilgrimage as well.

I started at 8:00 AM from Temple 18, Jinmon-ji, and there was hardly anyone in the temple grounds. The peace of mind I felt, thinking, 'This might be a quiet pilgrimage today,' lasted only for the first few minutes.

From around temple 20, I started seeing the same familiar groups of people. The people who were at the parking lot earlier were at the next temple, too. We didn't speak to each other, but I knew we were following the same route.

Even though it's a pilgrimage, this lonely race continued.

In the second half, the mountain roads and the GPS navigation get serious

What differed between the first and second halves was the distance between temples and the atmosphere of the roads.

The first half wasn't easy, but the second half involves more mountain roads. The navigation system calmly says, 'Turn right,' but I couldn't stay calm.

Arrive at a temple. Find a parking lot. Climb the stone steps. Put hands together in prayer. Head to the sutra office. Return to the car. Repeating this felt less like a pilgrimage and more like a very serious circuit task.

The moment I stand in front of the temple hall and put my hands together, it is truly quiet. But the moment I return to the car, reality sets in.

How many minutes to the next temple? Is there a parking lot? Will I make it before the sutra office closes?

My heart calms down a little, but the navigation system doesn't wait.

The first half was a 'struggle of getting used to it.' The second half was a struggle of 'knowing what's coming and continuing the ascetic practice.' The second half hit me harder. Halfway through, even the voice guidance from the navigation system started to sound a bit annoying.

Bear bell, retired after 20 minutes

What left a particularly strong impression in the second half was Iwaido, the inner sanctuary of Temple 26, En'yu-ji.

If I hadn't bought the Chichibu 34 Temple Pilgrimage Route Guidebook in advance, I probably would have missed it. If I had just visited the temples normally, I don't think I would have even thought about the inner sanctuary.

On the path to Iwaido, I used the bear bell I bought on Amazon for the first time. It was a mountain path, so I was being cautious.

However, this bell broke about 20 minutes after I started using it and disappeared into the bushes. The cost of the bell: 3,000 yen.

I should have managed my equipment better before worrying about bears. That's what I thought as I walked the path, but the temple hall under the rock wall left a lasting impression on me. Perhaps because I arrived in a slightly tired state, it felt quieter and heavier than it looked in photos.

Number 31, Kannon-in, was intense. The stairs are just brutal. Halfway up, you start thinking less and less.

I'm tired. My legs are heavy. But I have no choice but to keep climbing.

Rather than a sense of accomplishment, it felt more like I was simply running out of energy, and my mind was going quiet.

By the end, just before completing the pilgrimage, I was almost completely blank.

Once you pass number 31, the end is in sight. However, since the stamp offices close at 17:00, seeing the end and having time to spare are two different things.

Numbers 32, 33, and 34. Even though there are few left, the travel distance is among the longest at over 10 kilometers, and the stamp office closing time is looming. From here on, it's less about worship and more of a race against time.

There was no lingering sentiment like, 'I'm almost done (tears).'
My mind was pretty much blank.

I just really, really didn't want to finish with one or two places left, so I was desperate.I absolutely hated that ideaso I was desperate.

When I received the final stamp at number 34 and my stamp book was full, I finally thought, 'It's over.' Calling it a 'completion of the pilgrimage' sounds nice, but honestly, 'well done' feels closer to the truth.

However, my worldly desires did not disappear.

Material desire - The happi coat worn over the white pilgrim's outfit to collect stamps looks cool. Bear bell 3,000 yen (crying).
Appetite - I want to eat Chichibu soba one more time.
Desire for approval - I want to praise myself for collecting all the stamps.

The three major desires are still very much alive and well.

I was quite exhausted. There were many mountain paths, the stairs were tough, and I was chased by time. Even so, the moment I pressed my hands together at each temple, it was quiet. It was a day where that silence and the voice guidance of the navigation system alternated.

The second half of the Chichibu pilgrimage was also just driving around and training as usual.

If I go again, I'll choose a sturdier bear bell.