Welcome to the Shodoshima 88 Guide
I started this journal as a way to encourage others to visit Shodoshima and see some of these amazing temples. I wanted to provide a source of information for non- Japanese speakers.
The basic information is at the end of the guide - transport, accommodation list , costs etc. The main part is a day by day guide. This is finished now, but in a basic form. It still needs some work. In particular please feel free to comment and add extra information on accommodation, route finding etc.... I will incorporate comments into the guide as soon as I can.
Here's the view that inspired me to do the pilgrimage
I hope you will be inspired by the pictures on this page and by the idea of visiting this beautiful island.
Many people have heard of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage and find the idea of the trip attractive but its a daunting prospect: 8 weeks off work, hiking 1,000k, the expense involved and so on. Also there are lots of books and websites that discuss the misery of walking in the rain, blisters, loneliness etc.
I don't pretend that you won't have any problems on the Shodoshima 88, but the island is renowned for its fine weather and mild climate, you can fit the whole trip into a two week vacation, the island is small so you can always get back to the main town and a comfy hotel easily - either by bus or taxi - and if you live In Japan already, its very accessible for a "remote" place with ferry connections to places like Kobe, Osaka, Himeji and Okayama.
If you have completed the Shikoku 88, or visited some of the more famous Temples there as a tourist, you will find that this pilgrimage has a very different "flavor". It's very quiet. There's a real pilgrimage season in the spring when you will see some small bus / taxi pilgrim groups. The whole time I was there I saw ONE other walking pilgrim and found myself at a temple at the same time as a bus group once or twice. It's pleasantly uncommercial. The temples are a mixture of styles, sizes and locations but they all have great atmosphere and some are truly awe inspiring.
While you walk you will see wonderful scenery, you are never far from the sea, and if you decide that pilgrimage is not for you, there are some fun "tourist" things to do.
Happy Trails
Jenni