As I made my way up the steep road to Kakurin Temple — aka Temple No. 20, I realized how foolish I had been to have bought a bicycle. Rising at dawn, I had ticked off temples 18 and 19 of the 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage on foot. I was hoping to make it to Temple 34 over the next few days. However, I was limping by No. 19 (Tatsue Temple), so I searched for bicycle shops on my smartphone. There was a Yamaha shop just 2 kilometers away. Now I had wheels!
The Shikoku 88 is the granddaddy of Japanese pilgrimages. Traversing all of the island's four prefectures — Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime and Kagawa — the route is packed with dramatic scenery, specialty foods and miracle stories going back more than 1,000 years. While in those days pilgrims set out seeking enlightenment, cures for disease and even a passage to the afterlife, today's pilgrim heads to Shikoku seeking answers to the big questions of modern life. The lengthy walking time allows you to sort through whatever is weighing on your mind.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.