Shikoku Pilgrimage

The Shikoku Pilgrimage (四国遍路, Shikoku Henro) or Shikoku Junrei (四国巡礼) is a multi-site pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) on the island of Shikoku, Japan. In addition to the 88 "official" temples of the pilgrimage, there are over 20 bangai — temples not considered part of the official 88.

Henro (遍路) is the Japanese word for pilgrim, and the inhabitants of Shikoku call the pilgrims o-henro-san (お遍路さん), the o (お) being an honorific and the san (さん) a title similar to "Mr." or "Mrs.". They are often recognizable by their white clothing, sedge hats, and kongō-zue or walking sticks. Alms or osettai are frequently given. Many pilgrims begin and complete the journey by visiting Mount Kōya in Wakayama Prefecture, which was settled by Kūkai and remains the headquarters of Shingon Buddhism.

If we travel across globe and look for unique travel experience, for sure, this is one of it, that you need to experience it yourself, buy the set of the cloth (you can buy it online ship to you), or you can do your very last minutes while visit the first temple (but at risk for will not get the complete set).

The nature of the pilgrimage

The pilgrimage is voluntary, in that there are no religious obligations on anyone to participate. This voluntary nature extends also to the manner in which it is performed: although there is a form and uniform which are considered standard for the pilgrimage, they are not compulsory, and every pilgrim who wishes to do the pilgrimage is free to determine how and in what style she will perform it.

I think this free style and by will of this nature is the one that attracts so many foreigners (include me) to visit Shikoku to take this spiritual journey and at the same time slow down and walk, and enjoy the not so tourist nature for the scene we saw along the journey that make it unique. The old fashioned stuff, bell and the hat have the purpose, if you like me walk in the rain (you will know how useful it is for cover the rain and hot sun), and up hill in the mountain and forest road (you will know how useful the stuff to help and load the weight and serve as your useful "third leg"), and the bell is make you when travel alone to make it no loneliness. The white cloth behind text which means travel in two, reminds you that the journey despite it is hard, but once you know you are accompanied by honorable Kukai, you found the energy and motivation to keep going, even in the middle of ending in nowhere, whether to keep walking or turn back.