Overview
Shikoku is Japan’s fourth-largest island, home to some of the country’s most spectacular and undeveloped scenery. The island is also the setting for an ancient walking trail, the challenging Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage. The trail connects 88 Buddhist temples and the full walk covers more than a thousand kilometres. For our Shikoku Pilgrim Trail itinerary we have selected the best walks and accommodations, including Shukubo pilgrims’ lodgings and fine inns in cities such as Tokushima and Dogo Onsen near Matsuyama, which offer convenient transport to the trailheads.
- Walk on the loveliest parts of the Shikoku Pilgrim trail in Tokushima, Kagawa and Ehime
- Visit some of the most atmospheric temples on the trail
- Bathe in natural thermal waters at historic Dogo Onsen
- Climb the iconic ladder to the meditation spot used by Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism
Itinerary
Day 1: Tokushima Walk 1 (Temples 1 to 3) | 6km
Start from Kyoto or Osaka and travel by long-distance bus to Tokushima Prefecture. Begin your pilgrimage with a gentle introduction to the walks on Shikoku through the 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.
- Accommodation: Shukubo (Pilgrims lodging) or Ryokan
- Walking for the day: 6km, 2h, almost flat (An optional additional walk along paved roads to Temple 7 Juraku-ji can extend the day by 3km and around 45min)
Day 2: Tokushima Walk 2 (Temple 11 to Temple 12) | 10.4km
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 delivers you to Ryusuian Temple, part-way up Mount Shosan-ji. From there you hike 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.
- Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run Japanese Inn) or Onsen Ryokan
- Walking for the day: 10.4km, 4-5h, ↑550m ↓1,070m (a longer walk of 6-7h and 13.2km is required if staying at the nearby Onsen Ryokan)
Day 3: Tokushima Walk 4 (Temples 20 to 21) | 8.2km
Travel by pre-paid taxi to one of the most beautiful and varied hikes on the entire 88 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.
- Accommodation: Ryokan (Travellers Inn) or Hotel
- Walking for the day: 8.2km, 3-4h, ↑460m ↓470m
Day 4: Kagawa Walk 1 (Temples 82 to 80) | 13.5km
Leaving Tokushima, travel by train, bus and finally 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.
- Accommodation: Ryokan (Travellers Inn)
- Walking for the day: 13.5km, 5h, ↑335m ↓655m (shorter option: 6km, 2-3h)
- The walk can be extended by 1.5h (5km) by walking the first section instead of travelling by taxi. The section climbs 290m along a paved road with some traffic, but offering good views too.
- The walk can be shortened by 1.5h (5.4km) by omitting the round-trip diversion to Temple 81 Shiromine-ji.
Day 5: Explore Kotohira (Temple 75)
A full day to explore Kotohira Onsen. Visit the Shinto shrine Konpira-dai-gongen, located halfway up Mount Zōzu at an elevation of 521m. Try the famous local delicacy of handmade thick udon noodles. You may also wish to visit the Konpira Grand Theatre, Kanamaruza Kabuki Hall, the oldest kabuki theatre in Japan, and Temple 75, Zentsū-ji, birthplace of Kōbō Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism. Overnight in Kotohira Onsen.
- Accommodation: Ryokan (Travellers Inn)
- Walking for the day: 4.5km, 2-2.5h ↑250m, negligible descent
Day 6: Sightseeing in Dogo Onsen | 4.4km
After breakfast, travel by train from Kotohira to Dogo Onsen, Japan’s oldest hot spring town, Dogo Onsen, which is said to have 3,000 years of history. Visit one of the myriad of cafés and restaurants in the old-fashioned Dogo Onsen shopping arcade, the famous Dogo bathhouse, Dogo Park, or Matsuyama Castle. We highly recommend a visit to Temple 51, Ishite-ji, which hosts several buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties. Overnight in Matsuyama.
- Accommodation: Western-style hotel
- Walking for the day: 4.4km, 1.5h ↓250m, negligible ascent
Day 7: Ehime (Temples 45 to 44) | 12km
Head south by bus and pre-paid taxi from Matsuyama 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 to Matsuyama in the evening.
- Accommodation: Western-style hotel
- Walking for the day: 12km, 4h, ↑650m ↓580m
Day 8: Ehime (Temples 60 to 62). Departure | 14km
The tour ends with a rewarding hike in the east of Ehime Prefecture. Travel by bus and pre-paid taxi from Matsuyama to reach the trail and 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 hike, travel onwards by train (included) to the Kansai area, arriving mid-evening.
- Accommodation: no overnight included
- Walking for the day: 14km, 4-5h ↑620m ↓870m (You can reduce the hike by about one hour to 11.3km, avoiding the first uphill section. Simply pay locally to extend the taxi ride to Temple 60 Yokomine-ji. Choose on the day – no need to decide in advance)
What to expect
Accommodation
- Ryokan (Nabeiwasō, Tokushima, Kotohira Spa, Dogo Onsen)
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 multi-course meals. Many ryokan have both en suite bathrooms (with the exception of some older buildings) and communal hot spring style baths (segregated by gender). They are the classic Japanese experience. Please note that, in Japan, it is common for accommodations to have twin rooms rather than double. If you prefer a double bed, we will happily request this at time of booking, however it can’t always be guaranteed.
- Shukubo (Higashihara, Mount Senyū-ji)
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 beautiful experience to stay in a Shukubo, and there is often the opportunity to join the early morning religious service.
*Accommodations are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will give you the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Seven breakfasts and seven dinners are included. 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 in Japan.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is suitable for fit and active walkers who do regular full-day walking or hiking and is comfortable with walking for extended periods on consecutive days, with most of each day involving ascent and descent. (read more about difficulty grades). Some of the walks can be optionally shortened (or completely skipped) using the excellent local public transportation system. Routes are well signposted in most parts; there are some significant ascents and descents. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain.
We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
The tour is arranged from April to November. The best time to visit is the end of April – May and September – October when the weather is pleasant and warm. June is within the rainy season and in July and August, it gets very warm. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your holiday on any date in the season – so please indicate desired beginning date when booking.
Please note that travel during Golden Week, O-Bon, or the End of Year holidays may incur supplements of up to 20%. We will only pass along to you the actual supplement charged to us by the accommodation, and we do not mark these up. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Japan.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Kyoto/Osaka.
By train or bus
- Individual arrival and departure train tickets from Kyoto/Osaka to Shikoku and from Shikoku to Kyoto/Osaka are included in your package. You have to make your own airport transfer arrangements. For timetables and routes, visit Navitime or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- Accommodation in hotels, Japanese-style inns (ryokan, minshuku). Japanese-style accommodation will generally be in tatami-mat rooms
- 7 breakfasts and 7 dinners
- Individual return train tickets from Kyoto/Osaka to Shikoku
- Individual train tickets for intermediate train journeys along the Shikoku 88 trail
- Luggage transfer from day 1 to day 4 (1 piece of luggage per person)
- A pre-booked and pre-paid taxi on Day 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8
- Detailed day-to-day itinerary and walking directions along with Topographical maps
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare to and from Japan
- Airport transfers
- Lunches, drinks and snacks
- Luggage transfers
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Entrance fees to museums, temples etc.
- Local bus journeys on Day 2, 3 and 7
- Tram journey on Day 6
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
