Shoichi Utsunomiya

OK, Shoicisan's wife, Harukosan, is around 74 years old now and I think he's a bit older.

The book in front of him records pilgrimages to the the 88 temples strung around the island of Shikoku and the red stamps on the page note each time he's visited that specific temple. This is a pilgrimage that few people do once in a life time let alone 9 or 10 times!

BTW: Back in the early 70's an American, Gail Lee Bernstein. wrote a book called "HARUKO'S WORLD, A Japanese Farm Woman and Her Community." about Shoichisan and his wife, Haruko (OK, OK, it's really about Haruko!). Damn good read, available from Amazon & I'm reading it now. Having spent a very very pleasant evening with them (even if he did want me to drink too much whiskey with him), the book is especially enjoyable.