Bishop Taisen 宮田 諦詮 Miyata, has written five-revisions of this “Guide Book” since it was published in 1984 for 遍路 “pilgrims” へんろ (henro) to Shikoku. That said, Budddism most “holy four sites” are associated with the life of Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni (The Buddha).
1. Tokushima 徳島県 as … “Lumbini” (Siddhartha is born to the Shakya-clan in Lumbini).
2. Kochi 高知県 as … “Bodhgaya” (Siddhartha reaches “Enlightenment” in Bodhgaya).
3. Ehime 愛媛県 as … Sarnath” (Siddhartha gave his first “Dharma” sermon in Sarnath).
4. Kagawa 香川県 as … “Kushinagar” (Siddhartha reached “Parinirvana”[attained nirvana] at Kushinagar).
The “metaphor” of the route through 88 temples in the 4 prefectures (Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime, and Kagawa) of Shikoku 四国 Island is to me “symbolic” of the life of Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni (The Buddha).
Kukai 空海, the Japanese Buddhist monk of the “Shikoku Pilgrimage” in my view presents “symbolically” the analogy the “Indian subcontinent” as it were the “Japanese island”of Shikoku.
Taisen 宮田 諦詮 Miyata, “A Henro 遍路 Pilgrimage Guide to the 88 Temples of Shikoku 四国 Island, Japan”, 1984 was travel writing in Japan. Kukai 空海(born 774-835 died) was the grand master in propagating the teaching of Siddhartha in Japan, that included the pilgrimage in teaching.
高野山東京別院 Koyasan Tokyo Betsuin (shown on sign in the above photograph) is a temple located 3-15-18 Takanawa, Minato-Ku, Tokyo JAPAN. In the “Wikipedia” footnote this temple is listed as a “0” (zero) temple [starting-point for the 88 temple pilgrim route]. The “Koyasan Tokyo Betsuin” is not technically on the 88 temple route; however, it is in the neighborhood of the “American Embassy” in downtown Tokyo.
Bishop Taisen 宮田 諦詮 Miyata guided Japanese-Americans on tours and this neighborhood of the “American Embassy” and “Koyasan Tokyo” temple is important, as is his 1984 book.
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