The Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage

The Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage is a circular walking route linking 88 Buddhist temples across all four prefectures of Shikoku. It suits travelers who want sustained walking, Buddhist culture, and rural Japan rather than a quick temple stop.¹²

Confirm current details with official sources

Fees, rules, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the Tourism Shikoku HENRO site and the SHIKOKU HENRO association site.

Overview

The circuit is known in Japanese as 四国遍路 (Shikoku Henro, "Shikoku pilgrimage"). It connects 88 official temples plus many other sacred places across Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime, and Kagawa.¹²

The full walked route is about 1,200 km. Exact distance varies with roads, mountain paths, detours, and where you sleep.²³

Motives vary widely. Some pilgrims walk for religious practice, healing prayers, or remembrance. Others walk for time away from daily life, recreation, or self-reflection.¹

Origin and What the Circuit Covers

The pilgrimage is associated with Kukai, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi. Official sources describe the temples as places where he is believed to have trained in the 9th century.¹²

This is a cultural and religious tradition, not a single founder-built project. The distinction matters because some popular summaries credit Kukai with designing all 88 stops himself.

The Kukai connection

Kukai (774 to 835) studied esoteric Buddhism in Tang China and later founded the Shingon sect in Japan.⁴ His posthumous name is 弘法大師 (Kobo Daishi, "Great Teacher Who Spread the Dharma").¹

The tradition claims about 1,200 years of history. The first textual reference appears around the 12th century without naming specific temples.¹

The present 88-temple set is thought to have formed between the late 16th and 17th centuries.¹ The association site dates the selection to the Edo period (1603 to 1867).⁵

The 88 temples across four prefectures

Temples 1 to 23 stand in Tokushima, 24 to 39 in Kochi, 40 to 65 in Ehime, and 66 to 88 in Kagawa.² Each prefecture gives its section a traditional spiritual theme.

Section	Temples	Approx. distance	Traditional theme	As of	Source
Tokushima	1 to 23	About 220 km	Place of Spiritual Awakening	2026-09-07	2
Kochi	24 to 39	About 380 km	Place of Ascetic Training	2026-09-07	2
Ehime	40 to 65	About 350 km	Place of Enlightenment	2026-09-07	2
Kagawa	66 to 88	About 250 km	Place of Nirvana	2026-09-07	2

Distances above are rough guides (as of 2026-09-07).² Your actual walked total shifts with the exact roads, mountain paths, detours, and lodging access you use.

Zentsuji, Temple 75, is traditionally regarded as Kukai birthplace.² The circuit concludes at Okuboji, Temple 88, in Kagawa.²

The common order is 順打ち (jun-uchi, "forward pilgrimage in numerical order"), usually Temple 1 to Temple 88 clockwise.¹² Reverse order is 逆打ち (gyaku-uchi, "reverse-order pilgrimage").¹² You may also start at any temple.

Full-Route Reality: Distance, Time, and Effort

A full circuit on foot commonly takes 40 to 50 days at 20 to 30 km per day.²³ Wider official guidance gives 40 to 60 days depending on pace, season, fitness, lodging points, and side visits.²³

JNTO frames the full walk as taking over 40 days.⁴ That figure is the honest baseline for deciding whether a full walk fits your trip.

Walking the full circuit

Daily planning often assumes 20 to 30 km per day, active from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. including lunch, rest, temple visits, and the walk to lodging.³ One temple guide cites a typical 15 to 25 km day.²

Walking speed in the official model is about 3.5 km per hour on roads and about 2.0 km per hour on mountain trails (as of 2026-09-07).³ Mountain legs therefore consume far more time than their kilometer count suggests.

March to May and October to November offer the best balance of weather and temperature.¹ The Seto Inland Sea side has the least rainfall, while the Pacific side has the most.¹

A Tourism Shikoku overview estimates about 6 weeks at an average of 30 km per day.¹ It also estimates about 400,000 yen for lodging, food, and transport while in Shikoku (as of 2026-09-07; confirm current figures with Tourism Shikoku).¹

Why the full route is not a casual add-on

Tokushima soon enters mountain country, including the demanding approach to Temple 12, Shosanji.² Kochi adds long coastal distances and wide Pacific exposure that test both legs and resolve.²

Ehime mixes mountain temples with historic towns and larger elevation changes.² Extra distance to lodging, detours, and side visits can extend the total well beyond the temple-to-temple line.³

Do not treat the full circuit as a side trip

The full route demands multi-week fitness, daily logistics, and seasonal planning. A traveler who enjoys a Kyoto temple day will still find a full Henro leg physically and organizationally different in kind. If the time commitment is the sticking point, see How Long Should Your Trip to Japan Be? before deciding between a full walk and a section.

Partial Routes and Assisted Approaches

You do not need a month to experience the pilgrimage. Official sources explicitly accept section walks, short trails, and motor-assisted circuits.²³

The choice looks like this:

Section walks by prefecture

Many pilgrims in Japan divide the course into sections and return over separate trips.¹³ Some repeat 1 to 2 week trips, while others complete one prefecture at a time.³

This style is called 区切り打ち (kugiri-uchi, "section-by-section completion over separate trips").²³ There is no requirement to finish all temples in one trip.²

Short historic sub-circuits also exist. Temples 13 to 17 and Temples 71 to 77 are commonly walked as mini-pilgrimages.¹ In Kagawa, Temples 71 to 78 form a 7-temple round and Temples 84 to 88 form a 5-temple round, each taking one or two days.³

Ten recommended Shikoku Trails courses each take about 3 to 5 days, selected for scenery, walking challenge, access, and nearby sightseeing.³ JNTO also presents a 2-day Tokushima model covering the first nine temples as a first taste.⁶

Bus, car, and public transport assisted circuits

Chartered bus circuits take 9 to 12 days with an accompanying guide (as of 2026-09-07; confirm current figures with Tourism Shikoku).¹ Each bus plan includes an official guide called a sendatsu.¹

Chartered bus tours currently need Japanese ability

No foreign-language bus tours are currently available, so foreign visitors joining a bus plan need sufficient Japanese ability (as of 2026-09-07).¹

Car circuits take about 10 days (as of 2026-09-07).¹ Rental can start at the nearest station or airport, and English audio navigation may be available on request (as of 2026-09-07).¹

Method	Time	Cost estimate in Shikoku	As of	Source
Walking	About 6 weeks	About 400,000 yen	2026-09-07	1
Chartered bus	9 to 12 days	About 250,000 yen	2026-09-07	1
Car	About 10 days	About 140,000 yen	2026-09-07	1

Estimates above cover lodging, food, and transport while in Shikoku and vary by individual and plan (as of 2026-09-07).¹ For the wider choice between rail passes and a car once you leave the walking trail, see Planning a Regional Japan Trip: Rail Passes, Cars, and Realistic Pacing. Mountain temples reached on foot use different approach routes when you travel by vehicle.

Mixed public transport plus walking is also accepted.¹ Foreign visitors can buy an All Shikoku Rail Pass for 2 to 5 days after arriving in Shikoku (as of 2026-09-07).¹

Pilgrim Traditions and Respectful Observation

Traditional pilgrim gear is sold at temples and shops along the route.¹ You do not need the full set. At minimum, a white vest and staff signal that you are a pilgrim and invite local help.¹

White clothing, hat, and staff

The 白衣 (hakui, "white pilgrim vest") represents purity and innocence.¹ Historically it also carried the meaning of a death shroud, symbolizing readiness to die at any time.¹

The 金剛杖 (kongo-zue, "pilgrim staff embodying Kobo Daishi") is said to embody Kobo Daishi guiding pilgrims around the route.¹ It formerly served as a grave marker for pilgrims who died during the journey.¹

Other standard items include the 菅笠 (sugegasa, "sedge hat"), 数珠 (juzu, "rosary"), 輪袈裟 (wagesa, "stole symbolizing the full Buddhist robe"), 頭陀袋 (zuda-bukuro, "pilgrim bag"), 納札 (osame-fuda, "name slip"), and 納経帳 (nokyocho, "pilgrimage book").¹ The hat need not be removed when worshipping or speaking with temple staff.¹

Start with white vest and staff only

Full gear is optional for a short section. A vest and staff plus name slips and a stamp book are enough to join the custom without overbuying.

What visiting non-pilgrims should know

Temples are active places of Buddhist worship.² Hours, stamp office hours, photography rules, parking, and access can change, so check current information before visiting (as of 2026-09-07).²

The basic visit sequence is fixed in outline but flexible in depth:

Bow from the side of the gate, purify hands and mouth quietly, and ring the bell only once before worship.¹² Do not ring it again when leaving.¹

At each hall, place a name slip in the box and offer candle, incense, and a quiet donation where appropriate.¹² Full sutra recitation is not required; quiet prayer without blocking others is acceptable.²

Photograph only where permitted.² The stamp is a record of worship, not a souvenir stamp.²

The stamp office is open 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. year round (as of 2026-09-07; confirm current hours with the temple or association).¹ Allow extra time in busy seasons (as of 2026-09-07).¹

Stamp fees differ between official pages. Tourism Shikoku lists 300 yen per temple in the book (as of 2026-09-07).¹ The pilgrimage association cost page lists 500 yen per temple in the book, 200 yen on the jacket back, and 500 yen on a hanging scroll (as of 2026-09-07).⁷ Treat the per-temple fee as certain and the exact amount as worth rechecking locally.

Lodging Along the Route

Paid lodging along the course includes minshuku, ryokan, temple lodging, business hotels, and hotels.⁸ Each type follows its own reservation and meal rules, so read the inn scope rather than assuming city-hotel norms; for the tradeoffs in town stays, see Ryokan vs. Minshuku vs. Hotel: Choosing the Right Type for Your Trip.

A 民宿 (minshuku, "family-run guesthouse") offers Japanese rooms with futon, shared baths and toilets, and home-cooked meals, often farm or fishery dishes.⁸ For what that inn style means in practice, see Minshuku and Family-Run Guest Inns. A 宿坊 (shukubo, "temple lodging") is operated by a temple and may offer morning chanting or a monk talk.⁸

Type	Rate band	Meals	As of	Source
Minshuku	5,500 to 7,500 yen	Two meals, some room-only	2026-09-07	8
Pilgrim ryokan	5,500 to 7,500 yen	Two meals	2026-09-07	8
Shukubo	6,000 to 8,500 yen	Two meals	2026-09-07	8
Business hotel	3,000 to 8,000 yen	With or without breakfast	2026-09-07	8
Hotel	6,500 to 40,000 yen	With or without breakfast	2026-09-07	8

Rates above come from the pilgrimage association lodging guide (as of 2026-09-07; confirm current rates with each inn).⁸ Tourist-grade ryokan within the same guide run 7,500 to 20,000 yen with two meals by grade (as of 2026-09-07).⁸

Temple lodging and pilgrim minshuku

Shukubo rooms may be Japanese or western style, often with shared facilities.⁸ Participation in chanting or talks is optional.⁸ Many shukubo close over the New Year holidays.⁸

Minshuku keep a domestic rhythm. Dinner starts around 6:30 p.m. at most inns, so arrival by 5:00 p.m. is advised.⁸ The fixed meal rhythm will feel familiar if you have read Your First Ryokan Stay: A Step-by-Step Guide. Newer guesthouses may offer beds, but shared toilets and baths remain common.⁸

Arrive early enough for dinner service

Meal-included inns prepare food for your arrival. Late arrival without warning disrupts the kitchen and worries the host, so call ahead the moment your walking plan slips.

Booking rhythm on the trail

Larger hotels, business hotels, larger ryokan, and temple lodgings can be booked on major travel sites; see Booking Platforms in Japan and Their Quirks for how those channels differ.⁸ Smaller ryokan and minshuku usually need direct phone or email via guidebooks or maps.⁸

Few small inns have English speakers, and many do not accept credit cards.⁸ This is one establishment policy, not a regional rule, so confirm payment with each inn before assuming.

Reserve meal-included inns at least one day ahead so the kitchen can prepare.⁸ Weekends, pre-holiday days in high season, and festival periods fill early, so book early or accept a more remote backup.⁸

Some stretches have scarce lodging, and some inns close seasonally, irregularly, or without meals.⁸ Gather current information before fixing daily stages.

Free options such as tsuyado hall space, zenkonyado hospitality lodging, and rest huts are last-resort or permission-based shelter, not reliable planned lodging.⁸ Camping outside campgrounds is prohibited by law, and sleeping in stations, parks, schoolyards, or shrine and temple precincts is unwelcome or barred.⁸

Private minshuku and small restaurants mostly accept cash only (as of 2026-09-07; confirm current payment practice with each inn).⁷ For why cash still matters on rural legs, see Is Japan Still a Cash-Only Country?. Check ATM points in advance because rural and mountain stretches have few machines (as of 2026-09-07).⁷

Good to know

Even a partial route needs real fitness and planning

A short section still involves mountain trails, long gaps between temples, and full-day walking math. The official planning model assumes 20 to 30 km days within a 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. window including visits.³

Kochi tests distance tolerance, while Ehime tests elevation tolerance.² Choose by fitness and available days, not by temple count alone.³

Temple stamp office hours gate your day

Stamp offices close at 5:00 p.m. year round (as of 2026-09-07).¹ Grounds may feel open later, but the stamp itself stops at the office hour.

Plan the last temple of each day backward from that cutoff. Busy seasons need extra buffer because queues form at popular offices.¹

Mountain and coastal gaps have thin services

Lodging-scarce stretches, seasonal closures, cash-only inns, and few ATMs cluster on mountain and coastal legs.⁸⁷ Do not assume the next town will have a bed, a meal, or a machine.

Check lodging, meals, and cash points before each remote stage. Carry enough cash for inns and small eateries that do not take cards (as of 2026-09-07).⁷

See also

• Planning a Shikoku Trip: What It Takes and What It's Not
• Shikoku Orientation: Getting to and Around Japan's Smallest Main Island
• What You Gain and Give Up Beyond the Big Five: An Honest Guide
• Onsen Etiquette for First-Timers
• ATMs That Accept Foreign Cards in Japan
• Ryokan Cost Tiers: What You Actually Get at Each Price Point

References

Footnotes

1. Organization for Promotion of Tourism in Shikoku. HENRO, Shikoku Pilgrimage. https://shikoku-tourism.com/en/shikoku-henro/shikoku-henro ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³ ↩³⁴ ↩³⁵ ↩³⁶ ↩³⁷ ↩³⁸ ↩³⁹ ↩⁴⁰ ↩⁴¹ ↩⁴²

2. NPO Network for Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage and Hospitality. Guide to the 88 Temples. https://www.omotenashi88.net/en_henro_fudasho.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹

3. SHIKOKU HENRO, Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center. Planning, How to Walk the Shikoku Pilgrimage. https://shikokuhenro.jp/en/join-en/planning/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

4. Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Experience an Authentic Pilgrimage in Shikoku. https://www.japan.travel/en/japans-local-treasures/experience-authentic-pilgrimage-shikoku-2024/ ↩ ↩²

5. SHIKOKU HENRO, Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center. What is The Shikoku Pilgrimage. https://shikokuhenro.jp/en/home-en/ ↩

6. Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). A 2-Day Pilgrimage in Shikoku. https://www.japan.travel/en/itineraries/a-pilgrimage-in-shikoku/ ↩

7. SHIKOKU HENRO, Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center. Cost. https://shikokuhenro.jp/en/join-en/cost/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

8. SHIKOKU HENRO, Shikoku Pilgrimage Information Center. Lodging. https://shikokuhenro.jp/en/join-en/lodging/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴