21 April 2025 - Day 50 - Temple 83 and into Takamatsu City - 18,5 km (plus 5 km through Takamatsu without backpack)

I didn’t like the shabby place where I stayed so I was happy when breakfast arrived in my room at 6:30. Breakfast in bed - or in my room - might sound nice but in this case it didn’t turn me on. In fact I rather felt like a prisoner who gets his food and might be yelled at if he doesn’t eat up. Breakfast was not much and as soon as I had finished I took my things and left. So I was out even before 7 o’clock, looking forward to passing the next Lawson’s conbini for food and a toilet break.

The 9 kilometer walk to Ichinomiyaji (Temple 83) was unspectacular but nice. I kept trying to take pictures of the landscape around me, but each time there were trees and other plants in the way. The Temple grounds were pretty, especially the two dogwood plants that were blooming in white and pink.

After this, there were about 9 more kilometers to walk through Takamatsu City until my hotel. Walking through big cities is not always nice so I am always happy when there’s something special to see, like a small river filled with turtles and big carps. And while I was watching them and wondering how so many animals can live in such a small stream, a lady on her bike on the other side of the road called to me to wait for ossetai. She pedaled over to me and handed me a ¥1000 note, asking where I was from and telling me to be careful. Thank you so much!

By now the weather, that had started out as a cool slightly windy grey morning, had turned into a warm sunny late morning and it was getting harder and harder to keep walking through an asphalt desert. Luckily I was close to my hotel so after a short break I went there and left my backpack and henro pouch at the hotel reception.

Funnily walking had just become a lot easier and as I had three more hours to spend before check-in I strolled through town and found first the red light district close to the port and then the nice Takamatsu Castle with its garden. They charge ¥200 but it was worth it. The gardeners were trimming the pine trees and it smelled like Christmas. And in these gardens seem to be the only benches in all of Takamatsu for people who need to have a rest.

The hotel is a big one but in its restaurant they apparently only serve curry. So I checked on my phone about restaurants close by and there was one, Nagara, just opposite my hotel. It is a wine and beer bar, shop and restaurant. The owners were extremely kind and helpful and so was one of their guests who helped me understand the menu that my phone wouldn’t translate into a language I understood. I ordered a small beer and then after a while, many laughs, questions and incomprehension, we decided I’d be better off eating curry at my hotel. Why? Because it sounded like this was a kind of french cuisine restaurant with fancy meals and no side dishes and I might walk out broke but still hungry.

The Chef felt sorry for me and gave me a small plate of delicious marinated shrimp in an olive oil/vinegar dressing on some green veggies. I felt sorry that I couldn’t understand and I would so have loved to try his food.

I paid my beer bill, the excellent shrimps were a gift, thanking them and at the same time apologizing for not understanding and being complicated. They thanked me and apologized for not having what I was looking for. And then encouraged me for the last days of my pilgrimage.

Laughing but sad I went back to my hotel and had the house curry which was ok but not exactly filling. When I reached my floor I realised I had forgotten to pay and went back down to reception to ask where I needed to pay but they told me it was for free. I guess then I can’t moan about a free curry.

And with this ends my story for today. Tomorrow I will have to climb two smaller mountains again so I’d better get some sleep. Thanks for reading and love to hear from you.