Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage

1200km pilgrimage route in Japan

Distance

1200km

Duration

45 days

Difficulty

hard

Certification

Nōkyō-chō (納経帳)

Start → End

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Planning Snapshot

Distance

1200km

Typical duration

45 days

Average day

~27km/day

Difficulty

Hard

Best months

March–May, September–November

Lodging density

Medium

Resupply

Moderate

Access

Fly into Matsuyama (MYJ) or Takamatsu (TAK). Ferries from Osaka/Kobe also reach Shikoku. Temple 1 (Ryōzen-ji) is near Tokushima.

Is this route a good fit?

Best for

Full pilgrimage circuit

Time commitment

45 walking days at about 27km/day

Lodging and resupply

Medium lodging · Moderate resupply

Why use Sacred Trails

Offline stages, waypoint stories, lodging notes, and route context stay available when mobile signal drops.

Rough Distance Planner

Use this as a rough distance sketch before detailed planning: 45 walking days across 1200km, averaging about 27km per day. Adjust for real stages, terrain, rest days, weather, opening seasons, and lodging availability before booking.

Walking days

Rest days

Daily target

26.7km

Route style

Medium lodging · Moderate resupply

Day		Distance	Total	Route / lodging reference
1	Walk	26.7km	26.7km	Verify lodging directly
2	Walk	26.7km	53.4km	Verify lodging directly
3	Walk	26.7km	80.1km	Verify lodging directly
4	Walk	26.7km	106.8km	Verify lodging directly
5	Walk	26.7km	133.5km	Verify lodging directly
6	Walk	26.7km	160.2km	Verify lodging directly
7	Walk	26.7km	186.9km	Verify lodging directly
8	Walk	26.7km	213.6km	Verify lodging directly
9	Walk	26.7km	240.3km	Verify lodging directly
10	Walk	26.7km	267km	Verify lodging directly
11	Walk	26.7km	293.7km	Verify lodging directly
12	Walk	26.7km	320.4km	Verify lodging directly
13	Walk	26.7km	347.1km	Verify lodging directly
14	Walk	26.7km	373.8km	Verify lodging directly
15	Walk	26.7km	400.5km	Verify lodging directly
16	Walk	26.7km	427.2km	Verify lodging directly
17	Walk	26.7km	453.9km	Verify lodging directly
18	Walk	26.7km	480.6km	Verify lodging directly
19	Walk	26.7km	507.3km	Verify lodging directly
20	Walk	26.7km	534km	Verify lodging directly
21	Walk	26.7km	560.7km	Verify lodging directly
22	Walk	26.7km	587.4km	Verify lodging directly
23	Walk	26.7km	614.1km	Verify lodging directly
24	Walk	26.7km	640.8km	Verify lodging directly
25	Walk	26.7km	667.5km	Verify lodging directly
26	Walk	26.7km	694.2km	Verify lodging directly
27	Walk	26.7km	720.9km	Verify lodging directly
28	Walk	26.7km	747.6km	Verify lodging directly
29	Walk	26.7km	774.3km	Verify lodging directly
30	Walk	26.7km	801km	Verify lodging directly
31	Walk	26.7km	827.7km	Verify lodging directly
32	Walk	26.7km	854.4km	Verify lodging directly
33	Walk	26.7km	881.1km	Verify lodging directly
34	Walk	26.7km	907.8km	Verify lodging directly
35	Walk	26.7km	934.5km	Verify lodging directly
36	Walk	26.7km	961.2km	Verify lodging directly
37	Walk	26.7km	987.9km	Verify lodging directly
38	Walk	26.7km	1014.6km	Verify lodging directly
39	Walk	26.7km	1041.3km	Verify lodging directly
40	Walk	26.7km	1068km	Verify lodging directly
41	Walk	26.7km	1094.7km	Verify lodging directly
42	Walk	26.7km	1121.4km	Verify lodging directly
43	Walk	26.7km	1148.1km	Verify lodging directly
44	Walk	26.7km	1174.8km	Verify lodging directly
45	Walk	25.2km	1200km	Verify lodging directly
Total days		1200km	45

Distances are averaged. Route markers use the nearest ordered waypoint to each rough segment; lodging references are supporting town data, not recommended overnight stops or confirmed availability.

Four Prefectures, Four Dōjō

The 88-temple circuit is divided into four sections — one per prefecture — each with a distinct character and spiritual theme.

Awa (阿波)

Temples 1–23

Tokushima · Difficulty ★★★★☆

“Where mountains swallow the path and silence becomes the teacher”

·Dawn bells at Temple 1 drift in with sea breeze from Naruto Strait
·Ancient cedar forests canopy the trail between temples 11–12
·Night walking by lantern light to Temple 21 on Mt. Tairyu

Tosa (土佐)

Temples 24–39

Kochi · Difficulty ★★★☆☆

“The Pacific opens to your left and the sky has no ceiling”

·Temple 24 perches on a cliff where the Pacific stretches to the horizon
·Katsurahama beach — black sand, crashing waves, and solitude between temples
·Ryugado cave near temple 31: limestone stalactites formed over 100,000 years

Iyo (伊予)

Temples 40–65

Ehime · Difficulty ★★☆☆☆

“Citrus groves and thermal springs — the body heals while the mind wanders”

·Dōgo Onsen, 3,000 years old, reportedly where the gods bathe
·Mt. Ishizuchi (1,982m) — Shikoku's highest peak, visible from the trail
·Temple 45: cedar trees over 800 years old line the stone-paved approach

Sanuki (讃岐)

Temples 66–88

Kagawa · Difficulty ★★☆☆☆

“The end of the circle is also its beginning — Kōbō Daishi was born here”

·Zentsūji (Temple 75): pilgrims walk a pitch-black corridor holding a golden rope to Daishi's hand
·Naoshima island — contemporary art pavilions hidden among traditional fishing villages
·Final bell at Ōkubo-ji (Temple 88): many pilgrims weep as the circle closes

About the Route

The Shikoku Henro is a 1,200-kilometer circuit of 88 temples encircling the island of Shikoku, birthplace of Kōbō Daishi — the monk who carried Buddhism's esoteric flame from Tang-dynasty China and founded Shingon, reshaping the spiritual landscape of Japan forever. Pilgrims dress in white, the color of death and rebirth, and carry a wooden staff said to embody Kōbō Daishi himself, for the ancient teaching of Dōgyō Ninin — "two walking together" — holds that the great master never abandons those who walk his path. The four prefectures of the island form a sacred geography of the soul: Awakening, Discipline, Enlightenment, and Nirvana, each stage unfolding across cliffs above the Pacific, cedar-shadowed mountain passes, and quiet riverside temples where incense has burned for a thousand years. Pilgrims complete the circuit in many ways — some in white linen on foot over 60 days, others by bus in a fortnight — yet all arrive at the same truth: that to walk Shikoku is to walk in the footsteps of eternity.

Points of Interest

Ryōzen-ji (Temple 1)

· temple

Starting point of the Shikoku Henro. Pilgrimage supplies (white coat, walking staff, sedge hat) can be purchased here. Open 6:00–17:00.

Naruto Whirlpools

· viewpoint

World-class whirlpools in the Naruto Strait. Close to Temple 1 Ryozenji. Viewable from the Uzuno-michi walkway below the Onaruto Bridge. Best viewed at spring tides.

Cape Muroto (Kobo Daishi Enlightenment Site)

· monument

Site of the Mikurodo cave where young Kukai (Kobo Daishi) meditated and attained enlightenment. Cape Muroto is Shikoku's southeastern tip with spectacular ocean views.

Cape Muroto Lighthouse

· landmark

White lighthouse built in 1899, standing at the very tip of Cape Muroto. Offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. A short walk from the henro trail near Temple 24 Higashidera.

Katsurahama Beach

· viewpoint

Kochi's most famous scenic beach, renowned for moon-viewing. A large bronze statue of Sakamoto Ryoma gazes out to sea. Scenic stop near Temple 30. Known for its pine-lined crescent shore.

Kochi Castle

· monument

One of Japan's 12 original surviving castles. Close to Temple 30 Zenrakuji and a major Kochi sightseeing spot. Retains its original Edo-period appearance.

Accommodation