Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage Trail

A numbered circuit of 88 temples circling Shikoku in Japan, usually walked over weeks to months.

Time to Hike: 30-60 days on foot to cover about 1200 km if you walk the full route; many hikers break it into weeks or sections.

Best Time to Go: Spring and autumn offer the mildest weather and longest daylight; avoid the hottest months and peak typhoon season for safer walking.

Getting there: Start points cluster in Tokushima Prefecture with good rail and bus links; regional airports in Takamatsu, Matsuyama and Kochi provide alternative gateways and transfers to local buses.

Costs: No permit is required; budget depends on accommodation choices from guesthouses to business hotels and occasional temple lodgings, with small donations or fees at temples for stamps and services.

Difficulty: Long daily distances, frequent road walking and some steep mountain sections make the route physically demanding; expect heat and humidity in summer and heavy rain risks during typhoon season.

Shikokus pilgrimage links 88 temples historically associated with the monk Kukai and runs a rough loop around the island, threading coastal stretches, river valleys and forested interior passes. Highlights range from crowded seaside temples to silent rural sanctuaries where you can collect stamps in a nokyocho and observe daily rituals.

Accommodation along the way is a mix of small guesthouses, minshuku, business hotels and the occasional temple that offers simple overnight stays; wild camping is uncommon and often restricted. The route is notable for its living ritual element - many walkers travel as pilgrims, wearing white and following the numbered sequence rather than just hiking for scenery.

Tokushima is the most common gateway for walkers who want to begin near Temple 1, while ferries and regional flights connect other access points around the island. Trains and intercity buses link the main cities to smaller towns close to the numbered temples, letting you start at any segment rather than completing the full loop in one trip.

Most people begin at Ryozenji in the Tokushima area and follow the temples in numeric order, though sections can be walked independently and both clockwise and counterclockwise directions are used by different pilgrims.

Shikoku is best walked in spring and autumn when temperatures are moderate and rain is less frequent; late March to early June and late September to November are popular windows. Summer brings intense heat and humidity, and July to September carries the highest risk of typhoons that can disrupt ferry and bus services.

No special permits are required, but book accommodation during busy holidays such as Golden Week and autumn festival periods. Be prepared for muddy mountain trails after heavy rain and for long stretches of road walking where traffic and heat are the main hazards.