JAPN Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage: Planning Your Journey
Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage: Planning Your Journey
Understanding the Pilgrimage
The Shikoku Henro circuit connects 88 Buddhist temples across all four prefectures of Shikoku Island, tracing a route attributed to the monk Kukai who established the pilgrimage in the 9th century. Walking the full 1,200-kilometer circuit takes 30 to 60 days depending on pace and fitness. Each temple provides a stamp in the pilgrim’s stamp book, called a nokyocho, and calligraphy written by the temple monk for 300 yen per stamp. The white vest, conical sedge hat, and wooden walking staff identify pilgrims, and locals along the route practice osettai, the tradition of offering food, drink, or accommodation to walking henro.
The route traditionally begins at Temple 1, Ryozenji, near Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture, and proceeds clockwise through Tokushima’s mountains and coastline, across Kochi Prefecture’s Pacific shore, through Ehime Prefecture’s inland valleys, and finishes in Kagawa Prefecture’s Sanuki Plain. However, pilgrims can start at any temple and proceed in either direction. Many modern pilgrims complete the circuit in sections over multiple trips spanning months or years, and bus tours cover all 88 temples in roughly 10 days.
Key Temples Along the Route
Temple 12, Shosanji, perches at 700 meters on Mount Shosan requiring a steep four-hour climb through cedar forest, testing pilgrims early in the journey. Temple 24, Hotsumisaki-ji at Cape Muroto, stands on a dramatic headland where the Pacific Ocean crashes against volcanic rocks and where Kukai reportedly attained enlightenment meditating in a seaside cave. Temple 45, Iwayaji, is built into a cliff face with a ladder climb to the main hall.
Temple 51, Ishiteji in Matsuyama, features a 200-meter tunnel decorated with Buddhist statues and mystical imagery leading through a hillside. Temple 75, Zentsuji, is Kukai’s birthplace and the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism in Shikoku, with a vast temple complex including a basement passage you walk through in complete darkness while touching a wall-mounted mandala. Temple 88, Okuboji, marks the traditional end with a steep mountain approach and views across the Sanuki Plain to the Seto Inland Sea.
Practical Planning for Walkers
Accommodation along the route includes temple lodging at around 6,000 to 8,000 yen with meals, minshuku guesthouses, business hotels near cities, and henro huts, simple free shelters built by communities for walking pilgrims. The route passes through cities like Tokushima, Kochi, Matsuyama, and Takamatsu where hotels are plentiful, but rural sections between temples require planning to avoid being stranded without accommodation at nightfall. Spring and autumn provide the most comfortable walking temperatures.
Daily walking distances average 20 to 30 kilometers. The Tokushima and Kochi sections include the longest gaps between temples and the most challenging mountain terrain. Carrying water is essential in rural sections, though vending machines appear remarkably often even on remote roads. The full pilgrimage costs approximately 300,000 to 500,000 yen for walking pilgrims including all accommodation, meals, and temple fees. A lightweight backpack under 8 kilograms prevents cumulative fatigue over the weeks of walking.
Getting Started
Tokushima is the most common starting point, reachable by bus from Osaka and Kobe via the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge or by ferry from Wakayama. Temple 1 is a 20-minute train ride from Tokushima Station. Several shops near Temple 1 sell pilgrimage supplies including the white vest, hat, staff, stamp book, and sutra cards needed for the proper ceremony at each temple. The Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide app provides GPS navigation, accommodation listings, and distance calculations between temples.
Non-walking options include driving the circuit in about 10 days, cycling in 14 to 21 days, or joining organized bus tours. Combination approaches work well: walking scenic mountain and coastal sections while using trains or buses to skip urban stretches. Even visiting a handful of temples and walking one section provides a meaningful experience of the pilgrimage tradition. The final destination after completing the circuit is traditionally Mount Koya in Wakayama to report completion at Kukai’s mausoleum.
Related Guides
This content is for informational purposes only and reflects independent research. Details may change — verify current information before making travel plans.