Shikoku A Walk in search of the Essential

While walking across the Japanese island of Shikoku over a two month period, I became quite convinced by one thing: I had found the one place where my spirit felt at home. From that moment, whenever I need peace and quiet, I mentally retrace my steps across the island. This is why I decided to write Shikoku A Walk in search of the Essential: I thought I'd invite readers to explore this magical place, in the hope that someone, somewhere might discover that it is their spiritual home, too.

The Shikoku pilgrimage is a fascinating walk: eighty-eight Buddhist temples to visit, following a circuit of over one thousand, two hundred kilometres; forty-five days of walking; with more than one thousand, two hundred years of history behind it. They call it O-henro-san.

Shikoku is an otherwordly and ambivalent land: in Shikoku A Walk in search of the Essential, I try to explain why go there, how and when the pilgrimage was created and developed, who the pilgrims were and are, and how they feel during the walk and at the end of it. Useful information are provided, together with a list of free and cheap lodgings.

Shikoku A Walk in search of the Essential is available on Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1070144

and on most ebook retailers

If you are going to walk the Shikoku Henro Trail (the Pilgrimage to the 88 Buddhist Temples), free or very cheap lodging is available; a tent (suitable to concrete surfaces) and a sleeping bag are, of course, required.

The List “Pilgrimage to the 88 Sacred Places of Shikoku – Lodging List”, May 2010 edition, can be obtained at the shop next to Temple 1 (in front of the parking lot).

Most common accomodations are:

Tsūyadō = Free lodging for pilgrims provided by temples, usually huts or other buildings in temple compounds; water and toilet always available, sometimes with other equipment such as power supply, heating, futon and blankets.

Zenkonyadō/ Zennin-yadō = Free or cheap lodging provided by locals.

Michi-no-eki = Road Station for tourists, usually with grocer's shop and washroom, sometimes with a roof good for camping.

Please note that nojoku henro (camping pilgrimgs) can camp with their tent under any Rest Hut (kyūkeisho) and in most of city parks.

The Rest Huts followed by a circled number on the “Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide” are usually good places for an overnight stay.

The places where I stopped at in April-May 2011 are listed below:

Temple 1	“Naruto Ashram”, 2000¥ including picking up from Temple 1, kitchen available, free tea, coffee and vegetables. Shō-san 090-5717-9096/080-1271-4300.
Temple 6	Tsūyadō. Bell tower (Main gate), 2nd floor.
# 10 - # 11	Rest Hut with Accomodation, 1 bed, at Kawashimabashi Bridge.
# 11 - # 12	Rest Hut with Accomodation, just after Ryūsui-an, 4 tatami, water, toilet, power supply.
# 12 - # 13	Karuizawa Camping, 600¥ per person + 200¥ per shower, ramen available 500¥. If deserted, ask the lady living in the house before the campsite.
# 19 - # 20	Rest Hut #11 with futon in Katsuura, in front of a new Michi-no-eki, water and toilet. New Rest Hut, 2,5 km before Temple 20, NO water, NO toilet.
# 21 - # 22	Asebi: Rest Hut # 3, NO water, NO toilet (available at Michi-no-eki Wajiki, 200 m).
# 22 - # 23	Refurbished bus (Zennin-yadō Hashimoto) about 1km before #23 on Route 55. Futon, power supply, tea, coffee provided.
# 23 - # 24	Asakawa: Maze-no-Oka Campsite, 1000¥ per tent + 800¥ per person + 100¥ per shower, coin laundry but NO restaurant. Shishikui: Rest Hut #6. Tsūyadō at Meitokuji, 3 places, power supply, water and toilet.
Temple 24	Henro-yadō (former Youth Hostel), only stay 3000¥, dinner 1000¥, breakfast 800¥.
Temple 27	Can camp 500 m before the temple, next to the washroom. NO Tsūyadō in the temple compound.
# 27 - # 28	Zenkonyadō near Nishibun Station. Hagimori-san 0887-33-3762 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            0887-33-3762      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Kagami: Rest Hut # 8, blankets, water, NO toilet.
# 29 - # 30	Kamohara: Rest Hut # 5, power supply, water, NO toilet.
Temple 33	Tsūyadō (must stamp book).
# 35 - # 36	Rest Hut on Route 39 before Tsukajizaka Tunnel, washroom, Vending Machine, 5 benches (the Chinese Restaurant is closed).
# 36 - # 37	Susaki: Rest Hut # 17, water and toilet . Tosa-kure: Rest Hut, water and toilet, good for camping.
# 37 - # 38	Kobushinokawa: Rest Hut # 13, Vending Machine, washroom in the hotel next to the hut. Saga-kōen: Rest Hut, washroom, good for camping. Nada Port: Rest Hut, washroom, good for camping. Umi-no-omukae: Rest Hut # 22, Vending Machine, washroom on the beach 500 m before the hut. Rest Hut next to Drive in Suisha (Tosa-Shimizu City), Vending Machine, washroom. Zenkonyadō 6 km before Temple 38, water and toilet, fruits, 4 beds (tatami), 500¥.
# 38 - # 39	Tatsukushi Campground, washroom, showers, 300¥. Umenoki-kōen (Mihara Village): Rest Hut, washroom, good for camping.
# 39 - # 40	Matsuo-daishi: Rest Hut, blanket, toilet, NO water. Roof and washrooms in front of the soccer field next to Ipponmatsu Onsen (Route 56).
# 40 - # 41	Sunokawa kōen: Rest Hut, washroom, good for camping. Walled Hut just before Matsuo Tunnel, water, toilet. Uwajima Youth Hostel, 2100¥, breakfast 600¥. Uwajima City: Rest Hut # 22, water and toilet a few meters ahead.
# 42 - # 43	Michibiki Daishido (room for one person only), water, NO toilet.
# 43 - # 44	Tsūyadō at Toyogahashi (Bangai 8), supermarket and internet cafe nearby. Uchiko Town: Sennin-yadō Daishidō, ask permission at the shop in front of the Daishidō, room for 6 people, futon, power supply, toilet behind the shop. Kuma kōen in Kuma-kōgen Town: Rest Hut, washroom, good for camping, Vending Machine, udon restaurant (until 5 pm).
# 44 - # 45	Rest Hut next to Furuiwaya-so (onsen 350¥, restaurant), washroom, Vending Machine.
# 45 - # 46	Misaka-tōge: Tsūyadō on Route 33, next to the Vending Machines, 5 beds, NO water, NO toilet .
Temple 51	Tsūyadō. Matsuyama Youth Hostel, 2100¥, breakfast 600¥.
# 53 - # 54	Hōjō: Roof and washroom at Bunka-no-Mori kōen, Family Mart on Route 196. Kama-daishi: Rest Hut # 27, water and toilet. Ōnishi: Campground on Route 196, water and toilet.
Temple 58	Tsūyadō.
# 59 - # 60	Iyo-Miyoshi: Tsūyadō in front of Higiri-daishi (follow the markers on the left). Rest Hut at start of mountain path to Temple 60, water and toilet.
Temple 64	Rest Hut in the parking lot, washroom in the Temple compund.
# 64 - # 65	Hagio-an Zenkonyadō (Takahashi-san), about 12.5 km from Temple 64. Enmeiji (Bangai 12): Rest Hut, washroom, Vending Machine, shops, restaurant. Togawa kōen: Rest Hut, washroom, Vending Machine.
# 65 - # 66	Zenkonyadō about 1,5 km before Bangai 14, 1 bed, free tea, coffe and cold drinks. Rest Hut about 2 km after Bangai 14.
# 66 - # 67	Campground with washroom at Hagi-no-oka kōen, 1 km after Bangai 16.
Temple 68 and 69	Can camp in front of the souvenir shop after 5 pm, washroom in the Temple compound. Roof and washroom at the Zenigata Observation Deck above Temple 68 and 69 and Kotohiki kōen.
Bangai 17	Rest Hut and washroom on Route 197, good for camping.
Temple 78	Zenkonyadō Utangura, 300 m east from the Temple gate, 1000¥, shower, laundry, breakfast, onigiri for lunch.
# 81 - # 82	Rest Hut and washroom about 1,5 km before Temple 82, good for camping, Vending Machine after 50 m.
Temple 84	Can camp next to the Main Gate (ask permission at the Temple), washroom. Hut and washroom 100 m left of the Temple, great view on Takamatsu City. Cheapest Accomodation in Takamatsu City: “Kyassuru Hotel”, 3500¥, ask the Tourist Information Office in front of the train station.
# 87 - # 88	Roof and washroom at Michi-no-eki Nagao.
Temple 88	Roof and washroom at the bus stop in front of the temple gate. There is NO Tsūyadō in the temple compound.