Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail
Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail
Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail
11 Days Starting and ending in Osaka
Visiting: Kyoto, Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Osaka
Tour operator:
Tour code:
W10SH
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
8-99
Trip Styles:
Tour Overview
Shikoku is Japan’s fourth-largest island, home to some of the country’s most spectacular and undeveloped scenery. The island is also home to the ancient walking trail, Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage. The trail connects 88 Buddhist temples with the entire walk covering more than a thousand kilometres.
This spiritual journey follows in the footsteps of Kobo Daishi, also known as Kukai, who reached enlightenment in the isolated mountains and decided to devote his life to the Buddha. Following intense study of Buddhism in China and the creation of the temple complex on Mount Koya, he never forgot his home island of Shikoku and undertook a journey to visit all its 88 temples. Even today pilgrims from all over the world follow in his footsteps and visit the temples dressed in traditional garb, receiving blessings in the form of food and drinks from the locals.
We have selected the best walks and the best accommodations, including Shukubo pilgrims lodgings and fine inns in appealing cities such as Tokushima and Dogo Onsen near Matsuyama, which offer convenient transport to the trails.
Explore the fascinating city of Kyoto before beginning your Kumano Kodo journey and end with two nights in Osaka. Famous for its beautifully built Buddhist temples and traditional teahouses, Kyoto is a great introduction to your Japanese adventure. From here, you can visit the historical city of Nara, full of cultural treasures and tranquil gardens.
Osaka is known as the food capital of western Japan, inheriting its name in part from the fantastic Dotonbori area in the south of the city. Countless restaurants line the Dotonbori-gawa River offering dinner with views. The city is also home to Osaka-jo – a symbolic castle, re-built to its grand size after repeated fires.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive In Kyoto
Location: Kyoto
Take the express train from Osaka Kansai Int. Airport to Kyoto City (approx. 70mins), then a local taxi to your first hotel. (approx. 10mins).
Overnight Kyoto.
Day 2 : Explore Kyoto
Location: Kyoto
Meals Included: breakfast
Enjoy a rest day in the incredible city of Kyoto, famous for its Buddhist temples, tranquil gardens, and traditional teahouses. We recommend visiting the historical city of Nara, full of cultural treasures and expansive parks, located approx. 1hr from Kyoto city on the train.
Overnight Kyoto.
Day 3 : Tokushima: Temples 1 - 3
Location: Tokushima
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Travel by long distance bus to Tokushima Prefecture (included) where you’ll begin your pilgrimage with a gentle introduction to the walks on Shikoku through quiet neighbourhoods of Tokushima. Visit three of the most eye-catching temples on whole trail - Temple 1 Ryozen-ji, Temple 2 Gokuraku-ji and Temple 3 Konsen-ji. Spend your first night as all pilgrims should - with a stay in a Shukubo Temple Lodging. There is also the option of staying at a traditional Ryokan for this first night.
Overnight Shukubo Temple Lodging or Ryokan, Tokushima.
Day 4 : Tokushima: Temples 11 - 12
Location: Tokushima
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Travel south by pre-booked and pre-paid taxi to Temple 11 Fujii-dera, a fascinating hillside temple complex. After time to explore Fujii-dera, your taxi will bring you to Ryusuian Temple, part-way up the mountain en-route to Shosan-ji. From there you walk up the rest of the mountain to Temple 12 Shosan-ji, then finally descend to the east. The walk is fairly strenuous, 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.
Overnight Minshuku Guesthouse or Ryokan, Kamiyama.
Day 5 : Tokushima: Temples 20 - 21
Location: Tokushima
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Travel by pre-paid taxi to one of the most beautiful and varied hikes on the entire 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.
Overnight Minshuku Guesthouse or Ryokan, Tokushima.
Day 6 : Kagawa: Temples 82 - 80
Location: Kagawa
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Leaving Tokushima, you'll take the train, bus and a pre-booked and prepaid taxi to a rewarding hike in northern Kagawa Prefecture. Walk through lovely scenery and visit a fine collection of temples - Temple 82 Negoro-ji, Temple 81 Shiromine-ji and finally Temple 80 Kokubun-ji. Travel onwards by train for an overnight stay in the old hot-spring town of Kotohira Spa.
Overnight Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), Kotohira Spa.
Day 7 : Ehime: Temples 57 To 58
Location: Ehime
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Leaving Kagawa, travel by train and bus to Betsumyo in northern Ehime and begin your hike to Temple 57 Eifuku-ji. The walk gradually passes from urban townscape to rural farming communities before entering a forest with a steady climb to Temple 58 Senyū-ji. Visit Eifuku-ji and Senyū-ji and there is also an optional detour to Temple 56 Taisan-ji. Overnight at Senyū-ji in the Shukubo pilgrims' lodgings at the temple, or alternatively stay in a western-style hotel in Imabari City.
Overnight Shukubo Temple Lodging or hotel, Imabari.
Day 8 : Ehime: Temples 59 Onwards
Location: Ehime
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Your walk continues with a gentle walk down the mountain from Senyū-ji, with the opportunity to explore small village settlements on the way. Return to the town of Imabari, with an optional paved town hike on to Temple 59 Iyo Kokubun-ji. Take the train from the end of your walk in Iyo-Tomita to Matsuyama, followed by a tram to Dogo Onsen.
Overnight Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), Dogo Onsen.
Day 9 : Ehime: Temples 45 To 44
Location: Ehime
Meals Included: breakfast, dinner
Take a pre-paid taxi from your ryokan to Temple 45 Iwaya-ji, a temple closely linked to Kōbō Daishi - the priest who founded Shingon Buddhism and Mount Koya. Climb the iconic ladder to his meditation spot, with its spectacular views over the surrounding region. From Iwaya-ji, enjoy a lovely forest hike to Temple 44 Daiho-ji before returning by bus and tram to Dogo Onsen in the evening.
Overnight Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), Dogo Onsen.
Day 10 : Ehime: Temples 60 To 62
Location: Ehime
Meals Included: breakfast
Your pilgrimage ends with a rewarding hike in the east of Ehime Prefecture. Travel by tram and bus to Ooto, then take a pre-paid taxi to reach the starting point. 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 walk, travel onwards by train to Osaka, arriving mid-evening for your final evening.
Overnight Osaka.
Day 11 : Depart Osaka
Location: Osaka
Meals Included: breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before taking the train from Osaka Namba Nankai station to Osaka Kansai Airport (approx. 35mins).
What's Included
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10 nights’ accommodation in hotels and Japanese-style inns (ryokan/minshuku/shukobu)
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All breakfasts & 7 dinners
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Management by your local Headwater appointed agent
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Route directions and maps
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Bus tickets from Kyoto to start of trail and from end of trail to Osaka
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Pre booked and pre-paid taxis on days 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10
What's Not Included
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Lunches
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Luggage transfers
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Travel insurance
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Solo traveller supplement (where only one person is travelling on a departure date)
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Single supplements
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Visas and vaccinations
Food
Accommodation
Hotels: Modern western-style hotels are used. The rooms are generally smaller than equivalent hotels in the West. All have en-suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV, and fridges in rooms.
Shukubo: These are lodgings in Buddhist temples originally meant for pilgrims, but now open to anyone. The rooms are similar to Ryokan or Minshuku, though with fewer facilities. The food is excellent vegetarian Buddhist ‘Shojin-Ryori’ cuisine. It is a wonderful experience to stay in a Shukubo and there is often the opportunity to join the early morning religious service.
Ryokan: Ryokan are traditional Japanese-style inns. They may be in modern concrete or older wooden buildings, but the rooms are always in the Japanese style with tatami (straw) matting and futons laid out in the evening by the ryokan staff. Evening meals* are served together usually in the dining room and are exquisitely prepared multicourse meals. Many ryokans have both en-suite bathrooms (except for some older buildings) and communal hot spring style baths. They are the classic Japanese experience.
Minshuku: Minshuku are usually family-run traditional Japanese-style inns. They have tatami-mat rooms, with futons laid out in the evening for sleeping. Most minshuku do not have en-suite bathrooms as they are in older traditional wooden buildings. Compared with a ryokan, they are usually (but not always) slightly less formal, but the service and food* are just as good.
At these the inns and Shukubo, futon bedding on tatami mat is provided; toilet and bathing facilities may be shared.
*Most meals will be Japanese cuisine. Vegetarian options are available but limited. Strict vegetarian diets, vegan diets, or gluten free diets will be difficult to accommodate due to the pervasiveness of the fish-based stock dashi and the use of soy sauce and miso in Japanese cuisine. Tips are not required when dining in Japan.
Check out our Q&As
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
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