When I was planning today’s route yesterday, I didn’t notice that there was a bekkaku sacred temple along the way. While I was walking towards Uchiko town, I eventually noticed this Eiraku-ji along the pilgrimage route.

In fact, there’s interesting story around this temple. It’s about one of the practices of Shikoku henro pilgrims, that pilgrims should refrain from using the Kongo-zue (pilgrim’s stick) on the bridge.

When Kobo-Daishi passed through the area, he looked for a place to stay for one night, but there was no lodging in the uncivilized area. He camped under a bridge, but it was so cold that he felt one night was more than ten. Therefore, as a warning to the pilgrims, it became practice not to use the pilgrim’s stick on the bridge to prevent Kobo-Daishi from resting under the bridge because of the sound of the stick.