Tour Duration: 8 days
Price : Starting from USD2115
Tour start : Tokushima
The fourth-largest island in Japan, Shikoku is home to some of the most breathtaking and unspoilt landscapes in the nation. The difficult Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage, an old trekking route, is also located on the island. The entire route is more than a thousand kilometers long and connects 88 Buddhist monasteries. O-henro, or pilgrims, historically made the long journey on foot over several weeks while spending the night at Shukubo temple quarters. Although tour buses are now the preferred form of transportation for most modern travelers, we have discovered some traditional routes that may still be experienced on foot.
Day 1
Take a long-distance bus from Kyoto or Osaka to Tokushima Prefecture. Start your journey with a leisurely introduction to the Shikoku treks in the peaceful areas of Tokushima. Visit Temple 1 Ryozen-ji, Temple 2 Gokuraku-ji, and Temple 3 Konsen-ji, three of the trail’s most striking temples. Spend your first night in a Shukubo Temple lodging, as all pilgrims ought to. The alternative is to spend this first night in a conventional Ryokan.
Day 2
Travel south from your Shukubo pilgrims lodging by pre-booked and pre-paid taxi to Temple 11 Fujii-dera, located at the bottom of a fascinating hillside temple complex. From Fujii-dera undertake a challenging hike to Temple 12 Shosan-ji. The full walk is one of the longest and most strenuous on the tour, but very rewarding with beautiful scenery. Walk onwards to Yorii and board a bus to the small Onsen village of Kamiyama and your inn for the evening.
Day 3
Travel by pre-paid taxi to one of the most beautiful and varied hikes on the entire 88 Pilgrimage route. From Temple 20 Kakurin-ji the trail descends to the hamlet of Anan, crosses the Nakagawa River and climbs again to Temple 21 Tairyu-ji. End the day with a cable car ride with wonderful views over a cedar forest and the small town below. Travel by bus to your accommodation for the evening.
Day 4
Travel from Tokushima to a worthwhile walk in northern Kagawa Prefecture by bus and pre-paid taxi. Temple 82 Negoro-ji, Temple 81 Shiromine-ji, and finally Temple 80 Kokubun-ji can be visited after a stroll through wonderful countryside. Continue your journey by rail and spend the night in Kotohira Spa, an ancient hot spring village.
Day 5
Train from Kagawa to Imabari in northern Ehime, where you can start your hike to Temple 57 Eifuku-ji. Before entering a forest and beginning the difficult ascent to Temple 58 Seny-ji, the path gradually transitions from urban townscape to rural farming settlements. Visit Seny-ji and Eifuku-ji, and you can also take a side trip to Temple 56 Taisan-ji. Spend the night at Seny-ji at the Shukubo pilgrims’ housing at the temple, or choose to stay in an imabari city hotel with a western feel.
Day 6
From Senryu-ji, the trip continues with a leisurely descent of the mountain, with the chance to observe tiny hamlet villages along the way. Return to Imabari, where you can choose to take a paved town hike to Temple 59 Iyo Kokubun-ji before taking the train to Matsuyama and spending the night at Dogo Onsen.
Day 7
From Matsuyama, take the bus and pre-paid taxi south to Temple 45 Iwaya-ji, which has ties to Kb Daishi, the monk who established Shingon Buddhism and Mount Koya. To access his meditation location and enjoy the breathtaking views of the area, climb the famous ladder. Enjoy a delightful forest stroll from Iwaya-ji to Temple 44 Daiho-ji before taking the bus back to Matsuyama in the evening. In Dogo Onsen, spend the night.
Day 8
The tour ends with a rewarding hike in the east of Ehime Prefecture. Travel by bus and pre-paid taxi from Matsuyama to reach the trail and walk to Temple 60 Yokomine-ji, Temple 61 Kōon-ji and onwards to Temple 62 Hoju-ji. The walk passes through a rural area of Shikoku and the temples are in lovely natural settings. After the hike, travel onwards by train to the Kansai area, arriving mid-evening.
