Walking up a steep mountain path one may begin to wonder “what I have I gotten myself into?” Your only company is the rice growing in the fields and the bamboo forest surrounding you. The only sounds you can hear are your heavy breathing and a walking staff that hits the ground with a light thud as the attached bell rings out.

Photograph taken at the 4th Bekkaku temple of a ema featuring an image of Kobo Daishi. On Shikoku there are many pilgrimages, but two are specifically related to Kobo Daishi. The most famous is the 88 temple pilgrimage, but there is also a 20 temple pilgrimage made up of Bekkaku temples. Often, when one completes the 88 temple pilgrimage they also visit these 20 temples.

The bell warns any living being of your approach, giving them ample time to flee from your path (and thus any harm that may come to them), while the staff represents Kobo Daishi. Kobo Daishi’s body may rest in a tomb at Mount Koyasan, but his spirit is thriving on the trail of the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage of Shikoku.

Photograph taken at the 1st Bekkaku temple of a collection of walking staffs (kongo-tsue) left by devout henro (pilgrims). When completing the pilgrimage you are to give special care to your staff, treating it as if it were Kobo Daishi himself.

Completing the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage of Shikoku brings you face-to-face with the entity known as Kobo Daishi. Virtually unknown outside of Japan, Kobo Daishi is a very famous figure within Japan. Also called as Kukai or Odaishisama, he is the founder of the Japanese esoteric Shingon Buddhism. He is also the mythical reason for the pilgrimage itself.

A flag for the Bekkaku pilgrimage found at the 4th temple. The flag contains a sillouette of Kobo Daishi and the number 108, a special number in Buddhism and the total if you add the 20 bekkaku temples to the temples of the 88 temple pilgrimage.

Kobo Daishi was born around 774 in (present day) Zentsuiji, Sanuki, Shikoku, Japan. At the age of fifteen he began his studies of Chinese subjects with his Uncle. At twenty-two he found himself fascinated with Buddhism and took many opportunities to chant sutras and mantras in isolation. In 804 he took part in a government trip to China. It was there that he met Master Huikuo and was trained in esoteric Buddhism.

Photograph taken at the 2nd Bekkaku temple of a painting featuring a young Kobo Daishi. This temple contains many murals depicting the life of Kobo Daishi.

Kobo Daishi is a man of myth and legend and it is on the pilgrimage trail that you myths. At Kumadaniji (temple of bear valley, the 8th temple on the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage) it is said that the Shinto kami Kumano came down to earth and gifted Kobo Daishi with a small image of Kannon. At Kirihataji (temple of weaving cutting cloth, the 10th temple of the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage) he ordained an eldery woman at her request and she promptly turned into Kannon.

Photograph taken at the 20th temple of the 88 temple pilgrimage: Kakurinji, the temple of the forest crane. At this temple it is said Kobo Daishi was completing trainig when he noticed a small image of Jizo in a tree that was guarded by a pair of cranes.

Lore also has him defeating a fire dragon by forming the mudra of “turning wheel of the Dharma” (with the aid of Kokuzo Bosatsu) to seal the dragon into a cave at Shozanji (temple of burning mountain, the 12th temple of the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage). And, most amusingly (or shockingly, depending on your out llook) many modern people believe Kobo Daishi brought homosexuality to Japan.

Photograph of one of the old stone henro (pilgrim) markers pointing the way to the next temple. This particular sign contains an image of Kobo Daishi himself.

The reality of Kobo Daishi may seem a bit tame when compared to his mythology, but it is no less important. Kobo Daishi was a great humanitarian and helped to build many dams, some of which still exist today. It is thought that he invented the kana alphabet and he wrote the iroha, a very famous Japanese poem that uses every kana.

Modern art work featuring an image of Kobo Daishi walking the Bekkaku pilgrimage.

He was one of the more practical Buddhist teachers, believing that if you were about to recite a mantra and were hungry that you should eat first. He opened many mountains and temples that were once restricted to women, giving women equal treatment to men. And, what he is most likely well known for, he founded Koyasan as a home for Shingon Buddhism.

The modern representation of Kobo Daishi can be seen as the modern henro (pilgrims) who walk around the island of Shikoku on the eighty-eight temple pilgrimage.

Whether one chooses to view Kobo Daishi through historical facts that can be traced to multiple sources or through the various myths whih surround him, the best way to get to know him is on the pilgrimage trail. I look forward to seeing you on it soon. Yoku omairi-deshita!

A henro (pilgrim) takes a break along a busy road, her walking staff beside her.

This post was created for inclusion in the January )2010)’s Japan Blog Matsuri. The month of January (2010)’s Matsuri is hosted by loneleeplanet and it’s theme is “Famous Japanese People“.