In every heart lies the powerful force, the desire
Desire that drives us forward to wake up early, to endure, to sacrifice
It's this very desire that leads us on the quest for eternal happiness, health or prosperity
Imagine capturing that desire your deepest wish on the simple piece of paper and Osamefuda
this wish slip bearing your name and prayer it's the personal offering to the divine a tradition carried out in every temple you visit on a profound journey across japan
but what pulls us towards the sacred places what is a temple truly is it merely a structure a designated holy ground or is it the embodiment of our deepest beliefs manifested through ritual
statues and the collective spirit of those who seek? As we embark on the journey to the 88 temples, we're not just traversing physical distances
We're navigating the deepest of our desires. This pilgrimage is a testament to the power of wishful thinking, embodied by the tradition of Osama Fuda
where its slip of paper represents a step close to understanding our deepest desire
earnings. Through these ancient practices our focus sharpens day by day on what truly
matters to us. This isn't merely a trek through temples, it's the pilgrimage of the
soul, a journey that seeks to answer not just the question of what the temple signifies
but to understand the very essence of our desires and our place in the cosmos
join us as we explore the sacred following the trail of desires encapsulated in osamefuda to uncover
the spiritual heart of japan through its 88 temples of chicoku we were not camping people
we had never used a tent before yet given that staying in japan can be expensive we decided to
bring a tent with us for this grand journey We fell in love with Japan
Every nuance of its culture and tradition captivated us, from origami to karate to sushi to
Sakura, and when we've learned about the famous millennia-old walk crossing the most sacred
places of Japan called 88 temples of Shikoko, we didn't waste a minute before making our
way to the land of the rising sun. Every significant culture and
Every significant culture and belief system has its own famous pilgrimage
Be the Camino de Santiago in Spain, Jerusalem, Mecca, or the golden temple in India
Japan is no exception. There is a 1 kilometers walk around the island of Shikoku just south of Hiroshima initiated by the Kobodaishi a Buddhist monk
This pilgrimage undertaking as a part of ascetic training and followed by the generation since makes this 1,200 years old walk a unique experience of self-discovery
Passing by 88 temples, through four different prefectures over a variety of terrains
pilgrims collect stamps in the book, which then serves as a passport to their after-life existence
However, we were seeking some luck in this life. Having quit our stressful job some time ago, we decided
decided to walk around the world, driven not only by the beauty of nature and the scenic views
but also by the quest for the inner peace that had been lost after years of stressful job routines
appointments and complications. We've yearned to return to simplicity with basic needs like good food, laughter and the great company
We had already experienced log walks and pilgrimages. having walked many caminos, but we were unfamiliar with Buddhist traditions, rituals, temples
bells, monks, and also snakes, Japan in general or the Japanese language
Let's just say it was more than the journey. It was a leap into unknown, a venture far from our comfort zone
So we had three months to cover 1,200 kilometers by foot
and within the first week, we already felt it might not be enough
Our adventures seemed simple at the start
Visit 88 temples, collect their stamps, find places to sleep, eat and do it all over again next day
But the journey was far from simple. Ahayagosaymas. Oh, it's just about to step into the first temple, or rather first shop, because before everything, we need to buy an attire outfit with everything that involves, and then we can start the journey
The journey has already started though a long time ago. A long time ago
Baby, I wish you good pilgrimage. I wish you to. First up, we realized that to be a Chicoco pilgrim we needed special gear for the pilgrimage
not just our usual hiking clothes. No fancy-pancy fast-drying ultralight gear, but rather a kimono, a hat called Casa, stampbook
and many other We decided not to carry everything leaving behind some of the traditional items to save space for our tent and sleeping bags
And that turned out to be the choice we would regret later
Starting in the temple 1, we've learned that the path could go in any way
direction, a circular route like a Buddhist philosophy of life. In each temple, we followed a set of rituals, washing hand, ringing the bell, lighten the candles
also offering incense making a wish, giving donations and reciting mantras and sutras
It was a lot to remember, and at first we felt a bit lost
The only thing we were used to was a meditation which helped us to ease and to unknown
Stepping out of the temples, it wasn't getting any easier. More of unknown language and tradition, food, even the cars were driving on a different side of the road
In the end of the day, filled with temple visits, we've looked for the place to stay
We had to book many spots in advance, which meant we couldn't just decide on the whim where to sleep
Our choices ranged from the modern hotels and traditional reocans to pilgrim's houses
each offering a different slice of life on the pilgrimage. And also, many times we stayed on the camping grounds
Each temple had a own vibe. From the dog temple to the birth temple to end the long life temple
they were all over the place, in the middle of the cities, on the plains
or tucked into the mountainside, and each had a long history of welcoming pilgrims
We soon realized in the environment where all is unknown, watching and learning was the best way to understand what this pilgrimage was about
Baby, where are we going? To the waterfall training. And what is this
I have no idea! Why you sound is cool? We were checking out the way to get to Temple 13 in the guidebook and we found this waterfall training
What is this waterfall training? Let's Google it. It was 10 minutes meditation under waterfall, cold water, waterfall
So we said, yeah, we hate cold water. Why shouldn't we do it
We love doing things. We love doing things that we hate
That was a great idea, no? We love going out of the comfort zone
I remember that day very well. After nearly 10 days of walking we overnight in that camping side next to the river not far from the place outside the official guides where we were to try the samurai water for meditation
So first we had to undergoes the rituals and prayers
Faith in the good intention of the Mon was our great lie as we couldn't understand neither the language nor the rituals
And after then we went to find our destiny, 43 meters waterfall
And we finally arrived. By the time you reached the 20th temple it hits us
Every part of this journey was designed to help us to connect more deeply
The staff we carried, the sutra necklace, the incense and the candles, the pieces of attire we didn't have
Once we started wearing the pilgrims' clothes and the joining in the chants and incense, something inside us shifted
For the first time, we felt connected to everyone who had walked this path before
Visiting each temple became more than a ritual. It was a chance to reflect and understand to what we were truly seeking
When we got to the Temple 28, we realized our pilgrimage had really begun
converting from the mere outside adventure to inner transformation. It was more than just a long walk
It was the journey to discover the personal growth. That night, as we looked for the place to stay, we found nothing
At the dawn on NASA just how much this journey meant. We called many places and all were booked
No choices were left. This is where the journey really started
I can see this I'm How good How are you? Oh, Nice Japanese
We have the European Italy And Poland Oh, Holland We walk Hachy-Hach 80
10 Poland Walking Aluki Ahuki Why Why do you Pendor Thank you