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Jump
right in and start reading from the first logbook entry! |
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Don't miss the Words-and-Pictures
Pages!
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Introduction
Background
The
Meguri
Features
Logbooks
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How to read the Aki
Meguri site:
There are seven indexes to the
Aki Meguri pages:
If you are interested in the background
of the Aki Meguri, including the Prospectus
that explained to my friends what I was doing (and how), or the Archives
containing the Logbooks for the Prelude
and Postlude, start at the History
Index. You can also
find a section on the mechanics of the pilgrimage entitled "To
Be a Pilgrim," and a nod to the old "Connected
Japan" site on which these pages were first published.
If you are interested in any one of the
Three Stages of the journey, start at the Old
Tokaido Index, the Yamato Index,
or the Shikoku Pilgrimage Index
as appropriate.
To follow the entire journey
sequentially, start at the Logbook Index, or jump to the first
logbook entry. You can also find locations there alphabetically.
If you are more interested in my
philosophical ponderings (abbreviated as "B.S.,") start at the
Journal Index.
Finally, if you prefer images to words,
see the features that can be found in the Words
and Pictures Index. |
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Introduction
On September 5th,
2001, The Temple Guy took
the single step that led to an epic
pilgrimage of 10 weeks through
the heart of Japan, predominantly on foot. This 2,000
kilometer (1,200 mile) "Aki
Meguri" (Autumn Pilgrimage) was in many ways the experience
that solidified his status as "The Temple Guy."
Throughout that experience I kept a daily homepage (before I know what a
"blog" was). It was raw. What you see here is a
slightly more processed version of those daily posts.
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Although the journey
was a continuous 10 weeks long, it can be separated into three discreet
sections.
First, I walked the historic Old
Tokaido highway, a nearly 500-kilometer road created by the shogun
Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1601 (I was walking in the 400th anniversary
year). The highway joined Edo (now Tokyo), the seat of the
shogunate, to Kyoto, home of the Emperor. It was punctuated by 53
stations, and my Logbook records my arrival at each one.
Next,
I used public transportation and walked through parts of the Yamato
area, the heart of old Japan that includes Nara, Asuka, and Mt. Koya.
This was mainly "sacred tourism," a visit to some of Japan's
most popular sights, including the Great Buddha of Nara.
Finally, I arrived on Shikoku.
The 88-Temple Pilgrimage there is Japan’s oldest and longest.
Here my journey took on a decidedly "holy" aspect, which is
reflected in the Logbook. |
As
an integral part of my journey, I offered several ways for people to
join me.
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First,
I was on a mission to the gods. Like pilgrims throughout the
ages, I carried my friends’ petitions and thanksgivings with me,
and expressed them at appropriate places along the way.
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Third,
I asked everyone to "follow me" as I wrote and posted
information along the way. I asked them to check in on
the nuts-and-bolts logbook, and the more reflective journal, as
often as possible.
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Fourth,
I asked them to stay in touch by private e-mail.
In
this revised version of the old Connected
Japan homepage, you
can read about my "mission" and the financial aspects of
the trip in the "Prospectus." The Logbook is
now spread over
the Old Tokaido, Yamato,
and Shikoku stages,
and you can still e-mail
me! |
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Aki Meguri Site Map
Background
History
The
Aki Meguri, Stage by Stage
The Old
Tokaido Stage
The
Yamato Stage
The
Shikoku Stage
Features
The
Daily Logbooks, Start to Finish
Prelude
Old
Tokaido Yamato
Shikoku
Postlude
Prelude:
Before the Trip
September
1st, 2001 (Saturday)
September 2nd, 2001(Sunday)
September 3rd, 2001(Monday)
September 4th, 2001(Tuesday)
The Old
Tokaido Stage
September
5th, 2001(Wednesday)
- The
Route: Nippori to Nihombashi, then through Ginza to
Shinagawa; also, people's reactions to my clothing, some
promises of what I'll (try to) do each day, a haiku,
and plenty of road stories
- Words-and-Pictures: Ginza
and Sengakuji
September
6th, 2001(Thursday)
September
7th, 2001(Friday)
- The
Route: Kawasaki to Hodogaya, downsizing, and a night at
Tom and Yuka's
- Words-and-Pictures: Soujiji
September
8th, 2001(Saturday)
September
9th, 2001(Sunday)
September
10th, 2001(Monday)
September
11th, 2001(Tuesday)
There will be no entry for today, because I didn't walk due to
the typhoon. I will tell you about the word
"typhoon" though: it's Japanese! Taifu is
made of two Chinese characters. The first is the opening
character of "Taiwan," and the second means
"wind." So taifu means "the wind from
Taiwan."
September
12th, 2001(Wednesday)
- The
Route: From 1 ri before Chigasaki to Ninomiya
(between Oiso and Odawara).
- Words-and-Pictures: Joshoji
September
13th, 2001(Thursday)
September
14th, 2001(Friday)
September
15th, 2001(Saturday)
September
16th, 2001(Sunday)
September
17th, 2001(Monday)
September
18th, 2001 (Tuesday)
- The
Route: From somewhere in Yoshiwara to past Yui
September
19th, 2001(Wednesday)
- The
Route: From Yui (Satta Pass) to somewhere past Ejiri
(Shimizu).
- Words-and-Pictures: Seikenji
September
20th, 2001(Thursday)
- The
Route: From somewhere past Ejiri (Shimizu) to somewhere
past Mariko.
September
21st, 2001(Friday)
September
22nd, 2001(Saturday)
September
23rd, 2001(Sunday)
September
24th, 2001(Monday)
September
25th, 2001(Tuesday)
September
26th, 2001(Wednesday)
September
27th, 2001(Thursday)
September
28th, 2001(Friday)
- I took a day off! Read more about it
here.
September
29th, 2001(Saturday)
September
30th, 2001(Sunday)
October 1st,
2001(Monday)
October 2nd,
2001(Tuesday)
October 3rd,
2001(Wednesday)
October 4th,
2001(Thursday)
October 5th,
2001(Friday)
- The
Route: Almost Kameyama to Almost Tsuchiyama
October 6th,
2001(Saturday)
- The
Route: Almost Tsuchiyama to Past Minakuchi
October 7th,
2001(Sunday)
October 8th,
2001(Monday)
October 9th,
2001(Tuesday)
The Yamato
Stage
October 10th, 2001(Wednesday)
October 11th, 2001(Thursday)
October 12th, 2001(Friday)
October 13th, 2001(Saturday)
The
Shikoku Stage
October 14th (Sunday)
October 15th (Monday)
October 16th (Tuesday)
October 17th (Wednesday)
October 18th (Thursday)
October 19th (Friday)
October 20th (Saturday)
October 21st (Sunday)
October 22nd (Monday)
October 23rd (Tuesday)
October 24th (Wednesday)
October 25th (Thursday)
October 26th (Friday)
October 27th (Saturday)
October 28th (Sunday)
October 29th (Monday)
October 30th (Tuesday)
October 31st (Wednesday)
November 1st (Thursday)
November 2nd (Friday)
November 3rd (Saturday)
November 4th (Sunday)
November 5th (Monday)
November 6th (Tuesday)
November 7th (Wednesday)
November 8th (Thursday)
November 9th (Friday)
- The
Route:
Temples 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, Bangai
November 10th (Saturday)
November 11th (Sunday)
November 12th (Monday)
November 13th (Tuesday)
November 14th (Wednesday)
Postlude:
After the Trip
November 15th (Thursday)
November 16th (Friday)
Note: The following two
"Logbooks" are actually Words-and-Picture pages
November 30th and December 2nd
(Friday and Sunday)
December 3rd (Monday)
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