Day 15, 16: Lodge Camellia

Comfortable room at Lodge Camellia

Lodge Camellia is operated by a pleasant old couple for walking pilgrims only. They offer assorted bread for breakfast, retort curry and salad for dinner as osettai, and the laundry is also free. They offer clean and comfortable room with such services by just 3000 JPY.

Every day, they put a paper crane on the bed

Indeed, I think their services are very well considered for walking pilgrims. The assorted breakfast are provided in advance. It is convenient for walking pilgrims because they’ll usually depart very early in the morning and they may bring it and eat while walking. And curry for dinner is also nice, because I think curry is easy to eat even when they might be exhausted regardless of the season. The landlord said that he himself was pilgrim.

Sweet bread are provided in advance for breakfast

Dinner is curry rice

After enjoying the bath, I had a curry, and then asked the old landlord about tomorrow’s route together with other pilgrim staying together at this lodge. He first pointed a place around the elementary school near the guest house Okada where pilgrims could go straight wrongly, and that there is no need to walk on the beach a little before that even though it is old pilgrimage route.

In addition, he told us that there are only a few places where we can eat lunch. He recommended Kaisen-kan Tairyo-ya (海鮮館大漁屋) at Kubotsu port, which sells boxed lunch, and that we can also eat tasty lunch at the restaurant.

According to him, he used to do Shikoku Henro pilgrimage and has been running this lodge for two and a half years now. At first he was worrying about pricing because unfortunately there’re some people being pilgrimage just to rely on osettai to get free lodge and free food… If it would be too cheap, then the lodge would always be occupied for such people. He told us that he decided the current price because it’s half price comparing with average guest house, while it would still be expensive for such “occupational pilgrims”.

I told him about my story that, when I injured my knee, my friend offered me a ride in his car. Then he said to me that some young people tend to stick to walking, and that I don’t have to. He also said that if it rains, he would just take a train. He also suggested me to take bus tomorrow if it would be difficult to come back from No.38 Kongofuku-ji. Yes, it is completely up to each individual how to complete this pilgrimage.

Hotel fee3000 JPY (per each night)
Personal rating★★★★★
Lodge Camellia