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Autumn in Shikoku, the fourth largest island in Japan and home to the 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail, is the perfect time to hike this rewarding trail. This incredibly deep spiritual route has inspired pilgrims for centuries, with very little being known about its origin, the trail also has a mysterious connection with Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism. Even today, it is not a rare sight to see pilgrims around the island wearing their distinctive attire and white cloaks. The full pilgri... View More
Autumn in Shikoku, the fourth largest island in Japan
and home to the 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail, is the
perfect time to hike this rewarding trail. This incredibly
deep spiritual route has inspired pilgrims for centuries,
with very little being known about its origin, the trail
also has a mysterious connection with Kobo Daishi,
founder of Shingon Buddhism. Even today, it is not a
rare sight to see pilgrims around the island wearing
their distinctive attire and white cloaks. The full
pilgrimage route encompasses more than a thousand
kilometers around Shikoku and connects 88 Buddhist
temples. Pilgrims traditionally would trek the
pilgrimage trail on foot over several weeks going from
temple to temple. Join All Japan Tours as we take you
through Shikoku, exploring the stunning trails and
ancient temples.
For this tour, we have selected the absolute best
walking trails that pass through charming landscapes
and explore the historic route. We will visit all four of
Shikoku’s prefectures – Tokushima in the east,
Kagawa in the north, Ehime in the west, and Kochi in
the south. Each prefecture has its own special
character, food, and scenery that we will be able to
enjoy. In addition to exploring the pilgrimage trail, our
journey will also take us to the isolated Iya Valley
located deep in the heart of Shikoku. Our pilgrimage
journey begins with a stay on Wakayama’s ‘Mount
Koya’, the hilltop temple complex on Honshu
established by Kobo Daishi, as well as an important
location for enthusiasts of the pilgrimage route. With
public transport being rather limited in the rural areas
of Shikoku, we will travel primarily by private vehicle.
However, we will still be able to enjoy traveling from
temple to temple through countryside and forest along
the ancient route. Our accommodations throughout
the route will be traditional country inns while we enjoy
the regional cuisine prepared from local ingredients
from the wondrous island. We will also be able to
rejuvenate and soak in natural hot springs, as well as
enjoy the superb hospitality, known as ‘omotenashi’ in
Japanese, of our lovely hosts.
For those looking to explore Japan's ancient culture,
history, and religion while exploring the countryside,
this tour is a wonderful choice. With autumn's cool
weather and colorful leaves, this tour will be an
incredible journey that you won't forget. You will
explore hidden gems and enjoy the changing leaves
as you hike the trails on the 88 Temple Pilgrimage
Route, as many pilgrims have done in the past and
still do today.
Note: this is an intense rated hiking trip with
some steady steep ascents and hikes over 4 hours.
Activity Level: Intense
Our Intense tours generally have dedicated days of
trail walking, with some days of over four hours and
with some ascent and/or descent.
Who is an Intense tour designed for?
- We recommend our Intense tours for anyone who
does regular walking or hiking, and is comfortable
walking a full day with some climbing and descending.
- If you do not exercise regularly, please practice
walking for three to four hours, about three to six
months prior to the tour in order to get the most out of
your trip.
Accommodations
This itinerary contains overnight stays at Western
Hotels, Ryokans, Minshukus, and Shukubo Temple
Lodgings. Ryokans and Minshukus are traditional
accommodations, with a more casual hospitality than
you will find at a hotel. At both a Ryokan and a
Minshuku, you will stay in a simply furnished room and
sleep on a futon, which is laid on a tatami mat. A
Shukubo is a lodging at a Buddhist temple, and, similar
to a Ryokan, rooms are simply laid with futon bedding.
Some Ryokans may have private bathrooms
attached to your room, but others only have public
bathrooms used by all the guests. At a Minshuku and
Shukubo, however, there are only public bathrooms –
meaning either a smaller bathroom used one guest at a
time, or larger bathrooms separated by gender (male &
female), and designed to be used by multiple guests at
once.
