A brief taste of the Shikoku Henro pilgrimage

[Burton Axxe]

I have lived in Japan for 35 years but had never considered the Shikoku circuit until I started approaching retirement. A few weeks back, I finally took a one-week plunge (by domestic air to Kansai Airport, then to Kobe, and a bus from there). Since I had only this limited time, I aimed to get a taste of the 'Henro' experience by covering four separate clusters of temples. Having been on the Frances twice last year, I'll share a few comparative thoughts below:

1. On the Camino you have one destination, Santiago de Compostela. On the Shikoku, you have 88. There is no goal per se but you are instead expected to stop, pray/do the rituals, and get your sello at each temple. On the Camino you can admire and enter various religious structures as you choose but with Shikoku, the whole point is do a basic ritual at each.

2. The Shikoku circuit is based upon Shingon Buddhism, which is a rather esoteric branch, based on the teachings and life of Kukai (Kobo Daishi). Of course, you don't have to be a follower to be a pilgrim but it will triple your appreciation if you learn a bit about the faith and its practices/theology in advance -- even more so than RC on the Camino.

3. On popular Camino routes there is an entire infrastructure built around the Camino - albergues, donativos, cafe/bars, places for reflection and encouragement - but there is much, much less of this on the Shikoku. The pilgrim feels a sense of being accompanied, having a shared purpose, on the Camino but this sense is far less tangible on the Shikoku. The infrastructure you meet in Shikoku is 99.9% the local/neighborhood one.

4. On the Shikoku, there will always be a convenience store (invariably open 24hrs) nearby, as well as supermarkets and restaurants open 9 AM to 9 PM. You have to worry much less about such places being closed in Japan. On the other hand, bustling, characterful bars open midday, with locals crowded inside for a glass or two, is NOT A THING in Shikoku. Very, very few establishments seem geared towards pilgrims.

5. Waymarkers and other route indicators are fewer and harder to see on the Shikoku.

6. The equivalent to albergues are 'Henro Houses' but they are often a distance away from the route or temples. There is almost no sight of lodgings lining the route like one sees on the popular Caminos.

7. The temples are often not the finest examples of Japanese religious architecture and are, in many cases, plebian neighbourhood temples -- they simply have a historical connection with Kukai. There may not be anyone there to greet or share with you, save for the official who will stamp your nokkyo-cho book for 300 yen.

8. Public transport in the temple cluster areas is very good and cheap. In more remote sections it will echo the quieter bits of the Frances.

9. As you might expect, most locals speak no English and a great deal of signage and information is in Japanese That's not a problem for me but it will be for most foreign visitors.

10. There is a full set of pilgrim wear/gear that some/many pilgrims adopt but I just went for the Hakui (white smock) and the credential book (buy these at the first temple, near Tokushima). Foreign pilgrims may look a little too much like cosplay afficianados if they are decked out in full Henro regalia.

Full disclosure :
I went at the wrong time (midweek late January). I hit the coldest days of the year with a strong wind in my face. I did not enjoy myself. There was no camaraderie -- I saw only two other pilgrims (Japanese) who greeted but otherwise ignored me. I was the only guest at the Henro Houses and the proprietors did not seem conducive to chatting (even in Japanese). The temple grounds were empty of people. The routes between them were almost exclusively on dull prefectural (busy) roads or on backstreets that looked just like those of my hometown in Kyushu.

Japanese Buddhist adherents will likely find the pilgrimage of spiritual value, and foreign visitors coming to Japan for the first time might find their surroundings stimulating in their relative 'exoticness', but it is unlikely to feel special to a visitor who is used the country. For more of a welcome or sense of companionship, I'd advise potential pilgrims come in April, May, or late September to mid-November.

 

[Bradypus]

Thank you for your post. I walked the complete 88 temple circuit in February and March 2018 starting from Tokushima. I chose to walk in winter after hearing my wife's description of the heat and humidity of a summer walk the previous year. Winter is my preferred time for walking the Caminos and I found the range of temperatures and precipitation on Shikoku very similar to winter on the Camino Frances - though what snow I did encounter was lighter and only remained on the ground for a few hours. I did meet a few walking pilgrims along the way - one Australian, the others all Japanese. I also met many groups and individuals visiting the temples by car or bus. Again almost entirely Japanese. In fact I had gone beyond Matsuyama (well over halfway round the circuit) before even seeing another obviously non-Japanese person. I gather from Facebook posts that the temples have not yet seen recovery of visitor numbers after COVID and that even before then visitor numbers had been in decline. Personally I welcomed the solitude I found while walking and I was not looking for much by way of camaraderie but your point that the Shikoku pilgrimage and the Caminos differ a great deal in that respect is important.

 

[shefollowsshells]

I have lived in Japan for 35 years but had never considered the Shikoku circuit until I started approaching retirement. A few weeks back, I finally took a one-week plunge (by domestic air to Kansai Airport, then to Kobe, and a bus from there). Since I had only this limited time, I aimed to get a taste of the 'Henro' experience by covering four separate clusters of temples. Having been on the Frances twice last year, I'll share a few comparative thoughts below:

1. On the Camino you have one destination, Santiago de Compostela. On the Shikoku, you have 88. There is no goal per se but you are instead expected to stop, pray/do the rituals, and get your sello at each temple. On the Camino you can admire and enter various religious structures as you choose but with Shikoku, the whole point is do a basic ritual at each.

2. The Shikoku circuit is based upon Shingon Buddhism, which is a rather esoteric branch, based on the teachings and life of Kukai (Kobo Daishi). Of course, you don't have to be a follower to be a pilgrim but it will triple your appreciation if you learn a bit about the faith and its practices/theology in advance -- even more so than RC on the Camino.

3. On popular Camino routes there is an entire infrastructure built around the Camino - albergues, donativos, cafe/bars, places for reflection and encouragement - but there is much, much less of this on the Shikoku. The pilgrim feels a sense of being accompanied, having a shared purpose, on the Camino but this sense is far less tangible on the Shikoku. The infrastructure you meet in Shikoku is 99.9% the local/neighborhood one.

4. On the Shikoku, there will always be a convenience store (invariably open 24hrs) nearby, as well as supermarkets and restaurants open 9 AM to 9 PM. You have to worry much less about such places being closed in Japan. On the other hand, bustling, characterful bars open midday, with locals crowded inside for a glass or two, is NOT A THING in Shikoku. Very, very few establishments seem geared towards pilgrims.

5. Waymarkers and other route indicators are fewer and harder to see on the Shikoku.

6. The equivalent to albergues are 'Henro Houses' but they are often a distance away from the route or temples. There is almost no sight of lodgings lining the route like one sees on the popular Caminos.

7. The temples are often not the finest examples of Japanese religious architecture and are, in many cases, plebian neighbourhood temples -- they simply have a historical connection with Kukai. There may not be anyone there to greet or share with you, save for the official who will stamp your nokkyo-cho book for 300 yen.

8. Public transport in the temple cluster areas is very good and cheap. In more remote sections it will echo the quieter bits of the Frances.

9. As you might expect, most locals speak no English and a great deal of signage and information is in Japanese That's not a problem for me but it will be for most foreign visitors.

10. There is a full set of pilgrim wear/gear that some/many pilgrims adopt but I just went for the Hakui (white smock) and the credential book (buy these at the first temple, near Tokushima). Foreign pilgrims may look a little too much like cosplay afficianados if they are decked out in full Henro regalia.

Full discosure:
I went at the wrong time (midweek late January). I hit the coldest days of the year with a strong wind in my face. I did not enjoy myself. There was no camaraderie -- I saw only two other pilgrims (Japanese) who greeted but otherwise ignored me. I was the only guest at the Henro Houses and the proprietors did not seem conducive to chatting (even in Japanese). The temple grounds were empty of people. The routes between them were almost exclusively on dull prefectural (busy) roads or on backstreets that looked just like those of my hometown in Kyushu.

Japanese Buddhist adherents will likely find the pilgrimage of spiritual value, and foreign visitors coming to Japan for the first time might find their surroundings stimulating in their relative 'exoticness', but it is unlikely to feel special to a visitor who is used the country. For more of a welcome or sense of companionship, I'd advise potential pilgrims come in April, May, or late September to mid-November.

Thank you for this generous sharing!

 

[KayfromUK]

Very interesting to hear your views. I was born and lived in Japan for 32 years...shorter than you, Burton.
In my youth, my idea of Shikoku 88 was for elderlies with religious convictions. We have hiked around the mountains of Shikoku and often come across those white clad pilgrims with sticks and traditional straw sandals. They didn't wear walking boots like we did. Very often we were amazed to see those elderlies getting up stone steps with their spiritual power.
There seem to be lots of organised tours. I guess, majority of them are taken to the entrance and they only walk within the temple ground, though it can involve lots of steps going up to the temples at the top of the mountains.
Spring and autumn are the good time to go, but don't go between June and September. Rainy season starts in June and it will be still too hot in September. They are experiencing a big show falls in Tokyo today. It may not reach Shikoku though.

 

[Burton Axxe]

Thank you for your post. I walked the complete 88 temple circuit in February and March 2018 starting from Tokushima. I chose to walk in winter after hearing my wife's description of the heat and humidity of a summer walk the previous year. Winter is my preferred time for walking the Caminos and I found the range of temperatures and precipitation on Shikoku very similar to winter on the Camino Frances - though what snow I did encounter was lighter and only remained on the ground for a few hours. I did meet a few walking pilgrims along the way - one Australian, the others all Japanese. I also met many groups and individuals visiting the temples by car or bus. Again almost entirely Japanese. In fact I had gone beyond Matsuyama (well over halfway round the circuit) before even seeing another obviously non-Japanese person. I gather from Facebook posts that the temples have not yet seen recovery of visitor numbers after COVID and that even before then visitor numbers had been in decline. Personally I welcomed the solitude I found while walking and I was not looking for much by way of camaraderie but your point that the Shikoku pilgrimage and the Caminos differ a great deal in that respect is important.
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View attachment 163469

An interesting response, thanks. I wonder if you could tell me which sections of the circuit you found of particular scenic or cultural/artistic/historical interest? I did only temples 1-6, 13-17 (near Tokushima) and those in the 80's (near Takamatsu).

I'm also wondering how familiar you were with Japan before embarking. For many of us from N. America and Asia, being on the Spanish Caminos is exciting simply by virtue of being in a remote part of legendary Spain -- that which may be mundane for locals is still captivating for us. For me, Shikoku looked much like what I see daily from my own window in Kyushu as I type this.

 

[Burton Axxe]

Very interesting to hear your views. I was born and lived in Japan for 32 years...shorter than you, Burton.
In my youth, my idea of Shikoku 88 was for elderlies with religious convictions. We have hiked around the mountains of Shikoku and often come across those white clad pilgrims with sticks and traditional straw sandals. They didn't wear walking boots like we did. Very often we were amazed to see those elderlies getting up stone steps with their spiritual power.
There seem to be lots of organised tours. I guess, majority of them are taken to the entrance and they only walk within the temple ground, though it can involve lots of steps going up to the temples at the top of the mountains.
Spring and autumn are the good time to go, but don't go between June and September. Rainy season starts in June and it will be still too hot in September. They are experiencing a big show falls in Tokyo today. It may not reach Shikoku though.

Born in Shikoku! Wow! You take the stage from me. I'm assuming that you are Japanese fluent, both culturally and lnguistically then.

Indeed, the bus tours seems to account for most Henro these days. The Japanese rarely have more than a few days to devote to non-work interests, let alone the 45 or so needed to complete the route.

 

[Bradypus]

An interesting response, thanks. I wonder if you could tell me which sections of the circuit you found of particular scenic or cultural/artistic/historical interest? I did only temples 1-6, 13-17 (near Tokushima) and those in the 80's (near Takamatsu).

For the simple pleasure of walking I always prefer hills and mountains to flat country. My copy of the guide book is in long-term storage at the moment and out of my reach so it is difficult for me to identify particular sections although the fairly long forest walk between temples 20 and 21 does stand out in my mind. But I think that we have probably been approaching the Shikoku pilgrimage from very different perspectives and perhaps looking for different things. I would not want to cherry-pick specific sections of the circuit to walk on the basis of their scenic quality or the architectural merits of the individual temples. For me the particular joy and satisfaction of walking the 88 temple circuit was in watching the route unfold in its entirety and appreciating the contrasts between city and village, mountain and seashore, and so on. Much of the walking on Shikoku is on asphalt and through very 'ordinary' towns and villages and agricultural areas. It really is not a route for those who prefer wilderness trails and undiluted prettiness. Not its essential character. Personally I do not find walking on asphalt or minor roads a problem. When walking the Caminos in Spain I would not think of skipping the meseta or the industrial suburbs of cities like Burgos or Leon by taking a bus or train. Similarly I would not want to miss any part of the Shikoku circuit. Much of the pleasure of the journey was in discovering small unexpected things - what guidebook will tell you about the little automated booths where farmers can pay to dehusk and polish a single sack of rice? That one took some working out!

I'm also wondering how familiar you were with Japan before embarking. For many of us from N. America and Asia, being on the Spanish Caminos is exciting simply by virtue of being in a remote part of legendary Spain -- that which may be mundane for locals is still captivating for us. For me, Shikoku looked much like what I see daily from my own window in Kyushu as I type this.

I had never been to Japan before walking on Shikoku. A friend had walked on Shikoku some years earlier and wrote a detailed blog. My wife had walked large sections of the circuit the previous year and so was able to explain something of the pilgrimage to me. I think our perspectives are probably 180 degrees apart on this! For me Shikoku - and Japan more generally - was at least initially the most exotic and alien environment I have found myself in. And I say that as a small-town Scot who spent six months in India which has its own powerful cultural challenges. Language alone was a huge issue - I consider myself reasonably well educated but on arrival I became instantly almost totally illiterate. Thank the gods of technology for translation apps! I walked my first Camino in 1990 and have returned to Spain many times since to walk other routes and for family holidays. It is as much a second home to me as any foreign country can be. Although Spain is definitely "other" it is also in its own way comfortably familiar to me. Japan was a great joy but also a challenge.

 

[KayfromUK]

Shikoku transport bureau issued a comprehensive handbook to visit them using public transport. Each county has 6 or 7 routes with the list of temples with photos and details incl. the availability of temple accommodations. It's in Japanese I'm afraid. Would Google help?

Žl‘•Õ˜H‚ð—ñŽÔEƒoƒX‚È‚ÇŒö‹¤Œð’Ê‹@ŠÖ‚Å„‚邽‚߂̃nƒ“ƒhƒuƒbƒNuŽl‘‚W‚W‚m‚`‚u‚hv‚Ì”s‚ɂ‚¢‚ÄiXVj - Žl‘‰^—A‹Ç

 

[KayfromUK]

Ummm...the link looks garbled. Does it not work!?

 

[Bradypus]

Ummm...the link looks garbled. Does it not work!?

The link works fine for me. The webpage also translates very well automatically using Google Chrome. The individual pdf files listed on the page are in Japanese and might be a bit more of a problem for those like myself who cannot read Japanese but Google Translate would probably help there too.

 

[dick bird]

After walking the Kumano Kodo we paid a brief visit to Shikoku island and even walked a couple of days of the 88 temple route. One thing I realised is that for Japanese people, the significant part of their pilgrimage was the visit to the temples and the rituals and prayers they performed there. They obviously saw nothing incongruous in travelling from one to the other by car, it was their presence at the shrine that mattered.

 

[Bradypus]

They obviously saw nothing incongruous in travelling from one to the other by car, it was their presence at the shrine that mattered.

The vast majority of pilgrims visiting the temples do so by vehicle. Often in large groups. People walking the circuit are a very small minority. The linking of the concept of pilgrimage so directly with the physical act of walking is a Santiago phenomenon which really is not shared with most other religious traditions or even most other pilgrimage sites within Christianity. Sometimes I think that those of us who walk the Caminos have tunnel vision about the nature of pilgrimage.

 

[wellwalk]

I have lived in Japan for 35 years but had never considered the Shikoku circuit until I started approaching retirement. A few weeks back, I finally took a one-week plunge (by domestic air to Kansai Airport, then to Kobe, and a bus from there). Since I had only this limited time, I aimed to get a taste of the 'Henro' experience by covering four separate clusters of temples. Having been on the Frances twice last year, I'll share a few comparative thoughts below:

1. On the Camino you have one destination, Santiago de Compostela. On the Shikoku, you have 88. There is no goal per se but you are instead expected to stop, pray/do the rituals, and get your sello at each temple. On the Camino you can admire and enter various religious structures as you choose but with Shikoku, the whole point is do a basic ritual at each.

2. The Shikoku circuit is based upon Shingon Buddhism, which is a rather esoteric branch, based on the teachings and life of Kukai (Kobo Daishi). Of course, you don't have to be a follower to be a pilgrim but it will triple your appreciation if you learn a bit about the faith and its practices/theology in advance -- even more so than RC on the Camino.

3. On popular Camino routes there is an entire infrastructure built around the Camino - albergues, donativos, cafe/bars, places for reflection and encouragement - but there is much, much less of this on the Shikoku. The pilgrim feels a sense of being accompanied, having a shared purpose, on the Camino but this sense is far less tangible on the Shikoku. The infrastructure you meet in Shikoku is 99.9% the local/neighborhood one.

4. On the Shikoku, there will always be a convenience store (invariably open 24hrs) nearby, as well as supermarkets and restaurants open 9 AM to 9 PM. You have to worry much less about such places being closed in Japan. On the other hand, bustling, characterful bars open midday, with locals crowded inside for a glass or two, is NOT A THING in Shikoku. Very, very few establishments seem geared towards pilgrims.

5. Waymarkers and other route indicators are fewer and harder to see on the Shikoku.

6. The equivalent to albergues are 'Henro Houses' but they are often a distance away from the route or temples. There is almost no sight of lodgings lining the route like one sees on the popular Caminos.

7. The temples are often not the finest examples of Japanese religious architecture and are, in many cases, plebian neighbourhood temples -- they simply have a historical connection with Kukai. There may not be anyone there to greet or share with you, save for the official who will stamp your nokkyo-cho book for 300 yen.

8. Public transport in the temple cluster areas is very good and cheap. In more remote sections it will echo the quieter bits of the Frances.

9. As you might expect, most locals speak no English and a great deal of signage and information is in Japanese That's not a problem for me but it will be for most foreign visitors.

10. There is a full set of pilgrim wear/gear that some/many pilgrims adopt but I just went for the Hakui (white smock) and the credential book (buy these at the first temple, near Tokushima). Foreign pilgrims may look a little too much like cosplay afficianados if they are decked out in full Henro regalia.

Full disclosure :
I went at the wrong time (midweek late January). I hit the coldest days of the year with a strong wind in my face. I did not enjoy myself. There was no camaraderie -- I saw only two other pilgrims (Japanese) who greeted but otherwise ignored me. I was the only guest at the Henro Houses and the proprietors did not seem conducive to chatting (even in Japanese). The temple grounds were empty of people. The routes between them were almost exclusively on dull prefectural (busy) roads or on backstreets that looked just like those of my hometown in Kyushu.

Japanese Buddhist adherents will likely find the pilgrimage of spiritual value, and foreign visitors coming to Japan for the first time might find their surroundings stimulating in their relative 'exoticness', but it is unlikely to feel special to a visitor who is used the country. For more of a welcome or sense of companionship, I'd advise potential pilgrims come in April, May, or late September to mid-November.

Thank you for this. I've been considering the 88 Temple route since hearing about it while walking CF in 2013.

 

[HenroDon]

Shikoku transport bureau issued a comprehensive handbook to visit them using public transport. Each county has 6 or 7 routes with the list of temples with photos and details incl. the availability of temple accommodations. It's in Japanese I'm afraid. Would Google help?

Žl‘•Õ˜H‚ð—ñŽÔEƒoƒX‚È‚ÇŒö‹¤Œð’Ê‹@ŠÖ‚Å„‚邽‚߂̃nƒ“ƒhƒuƒbƒNuŽl‘‚W‚W‚m‚`‚u‚hv‚Ì”s‚ɂ‚¢‚ÄiXVj - Žl‘‰^—A‹Ç

There's actually a brief book about doing the pilgrimage by bus and train,

88 Temples in 24 Days: Visiting the 88 Temples of Shikoku by Bus and Train​

by Oliver Dunskus: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C78HVNDF?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[jldelta]

After walking the Kumano Kodo we paid a brief visit to Shikoku island and even walked a couple of days of the 88 temple route. One thing I realised is that for Japanese people, the significant part of their pilgrimage was the visit to the temples and the rituals and prayers they performed there. They obviously saw nothing incongruous in travelling from one to the other by car, it was their presence at the shrine that mattered.

How was the Kumano Kodo and which route did you take, please ?

I was in Koyasan for a few days last week with my daughter, who has just completed a semester as an exchange student at Tokyo Waseda University. We loved Koyasan and I found myself wondering if I might return one day to walk that beautiful region...

 

[mrosenlof]

I (mostly) walked no. 1 to 38 in November and a bit of December last year. I speak decent Japanese, but non-fluent (by my standards, at least). I enjoyed my time very much. I am an introvert but enjoy human interaction in small numbers. I found innkeepers uniformly nice and helpful, as well as other guests in the places I stayed. In many cases, I was the only guest at the inn. I took the bus or the train when temples and lodgings got far apart, most notably down the east coast to Cape Muroto, and some of the section to Cape Ashizuri. I stayed in business hotels in Tokushima and Kochi cities.

Yes, the place is mostly rural Japan, you're not walking through Kyoto on this trip. The temples get by on their stream of stamp fees, but they are not treasures. However, as a *collection* they create a treasure. IMHO of course.

At temples, I rinsed my hands and mouth at the usual place, chanted the Heart Sutra in Japanese (or should I say "as the Japanese do") at both the Hondo and Daishido. Then I got my book stamped. I did not do the other chants that change from temple to temple. I chanted mostly slower than the larger tour groups with the leader tapping out the rhythm, so did not try to join in. I enjoyed listening to other groups or individuals chant. One man and woman did it almost as if singing a duet, lovely.