New 88 temple pilgrimage guesthouse/tour service, Matsuyama!

[sen88]

My wife and I (I'm American, she's Japanese) are opening a guesthouse in Matsuyama, Shikoku on the o-henro trail, 5 mins from Japan's oldest onsen, Dogo, in early March, 2012. We plan to offer "self-guided tours" to both give a taste (2-10 days) of O-henro and to advice/instruct how to walk the pilgrimage. The tours entail an introductory orientation/workshop on the pilgrimage and your specific route-including Japanese that is useful on the trail, full booking of accommodation, maps/literature of the route you'll be walking, optional luggage service from accommodation to accommodation and full support while on the trail. The orientation will take place at our guesthouse in Matsuyama, you will take public transport (train/bus) to the start of your requested route, then walk back to Matsuyama (2-10 days) on the pilgrimage route.

Our aims are: to help bring more foreigners to experience the pilgrimage, to offer something that is more digestible to most travelers to Japan who want to try the pilgrimage and to help people learn "how" to walk o-henro. Please check out our website for more information: senguesthouse-matsuyama.com

I do hope to see more foreign o-henro san and if you do decide to walk the pilgrimage please come by sen guesthouse on you way through Matsuyama, to either stay or to merely recount you stories over a beer or cup of coffee! Any other questions or comments please drop us a line at info@senguesthouse-matsuyama.com.

Matthew Iannarone

 

[Muresco]

Hi !
My wife & I will be walking the Pilgrimage in October this year . We have previously walked to Temple 27. This year we will begin our walk at temple 28 in early October hoping to complete the pilgrimage.

How easy is it the find your guesthouse ?

What tour service do you offer ?

Thanks, Bryan & Jo :mrgreen:

 

[sen88]

Hey guys!!
Glad to hear it, we need more folks who have walked the camino to cross over to Japan and experience the 88 temple pilgrimage.

So, our guesthouse is located in Matsuyama (biggest city in Shikoku) about 5 mins from Dogo Onsen (Japan's oldest) and near the tram stop. We are about 1 min from the onhenro michi so very very easy to find. If you bought the Shikoku Japan 88 route guide before April of this year, we are not in the guide book, if you bought it after, we are in it.

We offer a self-guided tour (2-10 days) which includes a pre-start class on the pilgrimage (at our guesthouse in Matsuyama)-both the practical and historical/cultural topics are discussed. We provide either the route guide book or detailed maps/instructions plus the route in detail which will be walked. We also do the booking for the accommodation (walker will pay the accommodation staff themselves), transportation and offer support through the duration of the walk.

Not sure if this would be quite right for you because you've already walked the 1st 27 temples already, but if you'd like a more in-depth experience of the pilgrimage, it could be beneficial. As stated before, both my wife (Japanese) and I (American) have both walked the pilgrimage and we are always trying to expand our knowledge base to share with others.

For more info check out http://www.senguesthouse-matsuyama.com for either access or to book room or inquire about a self-guided tour.

Matthew Iannarone
Sen Guesthouse