88 Sacred Temple Trek of Shikoku
(八十八ヶ所巡り
I have always wanted to visit Japan and go hiking there, so when I first heard about the 88 Temple Pilgrimage, It was an instant, Sign me up, put me on a plane, and I will be there
The trek is approximately 1,200 km (1000 miles) long and circumambulates the island of Shikoku, the smallest and least populated of the 4 main islands that make up modern Japan. Most of the Modern Day Pilgrims (an estimated 100,000 yearly) travel by tour bus, however there there are some that set out the old fashioned way on foot. Most pilgrims walk the route in a clockwise direction which can take from 2 to 3 months to complete. Some of the temples on the pilgrimage route are very difficult to reach and require hiking through rugged mountains and to remote villages. Of the 88 templates, 46 have their own lodges for pilgrims. There are also youth hostels near most of the templates. It is also customary for local villagers to invite pilgrims, who wear traditional white clothing, to stay in their homes – a Japanese form of Trail Magic.
Over the course of the two to three months walking up and down the hills of shikoku, venturing from temple to temple in the burning sun and the pouring rain, one would think, as a hiker, i would want to fashion my long distance hiking gear, but the pilgrims have their tradition clothing:
- hakui — the white coat of a pilgrim
- wagesa — scarf worn around the neck, usually purple, to indicate that you are on a religious pilgrimage
- sugegasa — conical straw hat
- kongōtsue — walking stick, and the one indispensable sign that identifies you as a pilgrim
Each pilgrim carries a signature book, called a nokyo-cho. This is a special book in which one collects the seals of each temple visited and signatures of their priests. In addition, pilgrims bring name cards, color coded by the number of pilgrimages that they have completed, that are hung from the temple walls and ceilings to commemorate their visit.
it should be noted that many pilgrims who begin the pilgrimage on foot do not finish it. It is common to hear people giving up in Kochi, traditionally known as "Devils Land" because of its hot temperature, intense rain, and infrequent contact with civilization. You may consider yourself rugged for hiking the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, but keep in mind that those trails had established infrastructure to cater to your needs. Shikoku has infrastructure, but there are points where you should precisely time your journey to hit towns and villages to resupply. Other locations leave you within a day or two of an exit plan if you reach your breaking point.
I don't know if I will ever hike this Trek, but I do plan on visiting Japan, and most likely doing some hiking there, as it is absolutely beautiful there
Have you hiked in Japan Before? or even attempted the 88 temple trek of Shikoku?