Japan Walking & Hiking: Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage with Airfare

The fourth-largest of Japan's islands, Shikoku is home to the 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail. Fascinating aspects of this deeply spiritual route include how little is known of its origins, and its mysterious connection with Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism. Pilgrims have walked the trails for 1200 years and even today we will see pilgrims in their distinctive attire and white cloaks throughout the island. The full pilgrimage route encircles Shikoku and connects 88 Buddhist temples, covering more than a thousand kilometers. Pilgrims, known in Japanese as Ohenro, traditionally did the journey from temple to temple on foot over many weeks. However, we do not have a couple free months to make the trek, so we will visit fewer temples at this time, which is called kugiri-uchi.

We will also visit historic Hiroshima and witness the iconic floating torii gate…