26 and a special education school were established at the head temple with a capacity of several dozen monks. The author SHIBA Ryōtarō commented on this, saying, “The Meiji era was a unique period in Japan’s history.” Traditionally, those who were stationed at the head temple had to conform to a hierarchical order based on the status of their home temple. These new schools, however, were not bound by old customs and they even invited monks from the most minor sub-temples. Due to these twists and turns of history, Enryō was selected as one of the five monks who would be required to specialize in English language. Studying English Education at Teachers College in Kyoto It must have been a great honor for his family and the parishioners at Jikōji to have Enryō selected for the school at the “Great Head Temple.” How joyful they must have been. Enryō, who had been working at the Nagaoka School, resigned on June thirtieth and re-turned home. A week later, on July eighth, he left his home of Ura, shared a “farewell cup” with his family and parishioners at the border of the village, and headed for Kyoto. In his travel diary Enryō de-scribed the route that people took to Kyoto in those days. He traveled from the inland village of Ura to Kashiwazaki on the Sea of Japan, then by sea to Takada in Jōetsu, and then southward inland to arrive at the temple Zenkōji in Nagano. From Zenkōji, he traveled along the Nakasendō path, starting at Kiso and passing through Nojiri, Nakatsugawa, and Ōgaki in Gifu to reach Sekigahara. From Maibara, he crossed Lake Biwa to Ōtsu. After leaving Ōtsu he
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