Temple: Shinshoji

Dedication: I lived in Alun’s house in Manchester when I was 17. He was a great landlord and became a good friend. I’ve always respected and looked up to him and remember I was very keen for him to like Ed when we first met. I haven’t seen as much as I would have like to of him recently but went to a Bjork gig with him, and up to Leeds to see him just before I left in December, and it was good to reconnect. It seems he has interests in Buddhism and psychoanalysis so I find another friend on a similar track in life. I’m thinking of you at this temple that feels like it’s at the end of the earth, Al.

The coast around this temple was glorious. Kobo Daishi meditated in a cave that I stopped at on the way until he found enlightenment. Looking at the view of the sea and the sky he had from the cave (from which he got his other name – Kukai – a play on words of the Japanese for Sky-Sea). Just before I got to the cave there was this incredible statue facing inland with Kukai stood as a protector facing out to the sea.