現代の日本では宗教文化の1つの象徴として認識されている四国遍路ですが、1970年頃の日本の経済的な急成長の時期以前ではダーティーなイメージが一般的でした。現在でも四国の当時を知る高齢者の方々には遍路に対して肯定的な人ばかりではありません。どういうことかと言いますと、ズバリ、人種差別がその根底にあります。
かつての日本は貧しい国でした。生きていくことが厳しい人々が日本の辺境である四国に死に場所として渡ってきて四国を死ぬまでグルグルと終わりのない旅を続けたのです。また、不治の病や伝染病におかされた人々が「死国（四国）へ行け」と家を追い出されたりもしたようです。現代の四国内の高齢者の方々が子供であった時代は「遍路を見かけたら怖くて家に逃げ帰った」という話も耳にします。私の高知出身の50歳台の知人は子どもの頃「お遍路さんにされわれるから
、近づかないように」と親から教育されたそうです。
でも、そのような時代でも純粋に宗教的な理由の遍路も居たことは古文書などからわかります。また、道中で運悪く命の尽きた遍路を他人である四国の人々が手厚く葬ったことも今も路傍に残る遍路墓が証明しています。
いづれにしても現在では心の充実を得ることのできる特別な旅行ができる世の中に感謝したいものです。旅行などというものは国が平和でなければ成り立たないと思います。
The Shikoku pilgrimage is recognized as one symbol of religion culture in
present-day Japan. However, Recognition to the Japanese Shikoku pilgrimage
was generally dirty until the period of an economical rapid growth of Japan
around 1970. Even now, a skeptical person is in the person who knows former
Shikoku about a pilgrim, too. They have a fearful image to the pilgrimage.
They regarded a pilgrim as a target of discrimination.
Former Japan was a poor country. Hard people in Japan have come over in Shikoku
that is the frontier region as a place for death and the never-ending travel
was continued around until died. Moreover, it seems that the people who had
incurable disease and infectious disease were thrown out by his family, they
were said "Go to death country (Shi-koku)." Such endless pilgrim
had a very shabby figure. Now, I often hear of the story, the time when senior
people in Shikoku were child "they were afraid and run away to a home
when seeing the pilgrim ". The acquaintance of 59-years old from Kochi
seems to have been educated from a parent around a child. He was said "Because
kidnapped by pilgrim, do not approach". But an ancient document etc.
shows that there was a pilgrim of a purely sacred reason in such time. As
well as, Henro graves remain of a roadside prove that people in Shikoku buried
the pilgrim who died middle of pilgrimage.
Anyway, I would like to thank the society that can do Shikoku pilgrimage without
constraint of today.I think if the country is not peaceful, journey of pilgrimage
can not be realized.