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ONOMICHI |
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The appealingly raffish port of ONOMICHI , overlooked by the houses
and temples that tumble down the steep face of the wooded hill, Senkoji-san,
is only 20km west of Fukuyama. Many Japanese come here to linger along
the town's vertiginous byways, imagining scenes from their favourite
movies by local director Obayashi Nobuhiko. Onomichi is also a gateway
to some of the islands of the Inland Sea, including Ikuchi-jima and Omi-shima
, and to Shikoku via ferries and by road, along the Nishi-Seto
Expressway, a sixty-kilometre highway to Imabari that crosses ten
bridges and nine islands .
There's a pleasant walk from Onomichi Station past most of the town's 25
temples; to complete the full course takes the better part of a day, by
which time you'll be sick of temples, so skip those at the start by
hopping on the regular bus from platform 2 outside Onomichi Station and
heading east for five minutes to the Nagaeguchi stop (¥140). From here,
you can catch the ropeway (daily 9am-5.15pm; ¥280 one way, ¥440 return)
up to the park Senko-ji-koen , which blooms with cherry blossom and
azaleas each spring. The views from its hilltop observatory across the
town and narrow sea channel to the nearest island Mukai-shima are
impressive.
The most colourful temple on the hill is the scarlet-painted Senko-ji ,
packed with jizo statues and doing a lively trade in devotional
trinkets, particularly heart-shaped placards to scribble a wish on and
leave dangling in the temple for good luck. Heading back downhill from
here, you can follow the "literary path", so called because famous
writers' words are inscribed on stone monuments along the way. The most
celebrated of the local writers is Hayashi Fumiko, a female poet who
lived in Onomichi from 1917 and whose bronze statue - something of a
landmark - can be found crouching pensively beside a wicker suitcase and
brolly at the entrance to the shopping arcade a minute east of the
station.
The "literary path" continues past the pagoda at the temple Tennei-ji ,
just behind the ropeway base station, from where you can head east back
up the hill towards Fukuzen-ji . This temple, dating from 1573, has a
vast spreading pine tree in its grounds, said to be shaped like an
eagle, and its main gate is decorated with some beautiful wood carvings
of cranes and dragons. On the steps up to the temple, look out for
Tile-ko-michi (Little Tile Street), a narrow alley which has been
plastered over the last 25 years with ceramic slabs inscribed by
visitors.
Continuing east along the flagstoned streets, head north up the hill
when you hit the next main crossroads, and you'll arrive at Saikoku-ji ,
one of the largest temple complexes in western Japan and easily spotted
by the giant straw sandals which hang either side of the imposing
entrance gate; pray here and it's said you'll find the strength to
continue your journey.
The last temple worth visiting is Jodo-ji at the eastern end of the
route. Pigeons flock around its squat two-storey pagoda, and an elegant
Zen garden, with a tea-ceremony room transported from Kyoto's Fushimi
castle, is hidden behind the main hall of worship. To see the garden
you'll have to pay the attendant ¥500; he'll perk up once the money's
handed over and take you on a personally guided tour with a nonstop
commentary in Japanese.
Don't get too hung up in Onomichi's temples to miss pottering around the
evocative waterfront and shopping arcade near the train station. Here
you'll find remnants of old Asia rare in squeaky-clean modern Japan,
including a small crescent of shacks by the sea that have miraculously
survived the combined forces of earthquakes, typhoons and redevelopment.
In and around the arcades are several antique and junk emporiums that
are also worth a browse.
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