The Biggest Adventure Yet: Walking Japan’s Shikoku Pilgrimage

For years I’ve been walking pilgrimage as a spiritual practice. It started in 2016 when I walked the French Route of the Camino de Santiago, a wonderful entry point as far as pilgrimage goes. Since then, I’ve walked other routes of the Camino including the Camino del Norte and the Camino Primitivo. They’ve been equally as special and challenging. Yet I’ve been feeling the pull to walk a pilgrimage route outside of my beloved Camino de Santiago. For one, I’m Buddhist and feel compelled to walk a Buddhist pilgrimage, and second, I’m ready to test myself on the road once again.

You see, the Camino has become somewhat of a comfort zone for me. I speak the language, I know the routes. The yellow arrows are like an encouraging wise friend, showing me the way.

Japan’s Shikoku Pilgrimage, also known as the 88 Temples Pilgrimage, is the equivalent of stepping into the unknown in many ways. For instance:

• I don’t speak Japanese (though I’ve been taking a beginner Japanese class for a month or so).

• I have never been to Asia.

• The route is more logistically challenging.

• There are way less Westerners who walk this route.

In fact, this stepping into the unknown on pilgrimage brings to mind a Zen Koan:

Dizang asked Fayan, “Where are you going from here?”
Fayan said, “I’m on pilgrimage.”
“What sort of thing is pilgrimage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Not knowing is most intimate.”
Fayan suddenly had a great awakening.

—PZI Miscellaneous Koans Case 62 & Book of Serenity Case 20

Now let’s take a quick dive into the history and an overview of the route:

History

The origins of the Shikoku Pilgrimage date back to the 6th century AD when Kukai, also known as Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism in Japan, spent much time meditating and eventually became enlightened on the island of Shikoku. One of the key elements of Shingon Buddhism is the belief that human beings have the opportunity to become enlightened in their current lifetime through esoteric practice.

It took roughly 900 years until in 1687, a student named Shinnen described this pilgrimage path across 88 temples, and he advocated for other pilgrims to walk the route by organizing sign posts, rest huts, and a pilgrimage guide. This started a pilgrimage movement, and often a village would collect enough funds to send only one person from their village to walk the route on the village’s behalf. Upon until the 20th century, undertaking this journey meant putting your life at risk as the path was extremely challenging with minimal infrastructure and sickness like malaria or leprosy.

Nowadays, the 88 Temples pilgrimage is popular to do by car or tour bus for locals, and there are a number of pilgrims who walk the route by foot, either all in one go (~7-8 weeks total), or incrementally.

The Route

The entire route is 1,200 kilometers (~750 miles), and the route encircles the entire island of Shikoku. The landscape includes rugged mountains, serene coastal landscapes, and quaint rural villages. From what I’ve read, it’s like stepping into a Japan from long ago, as much of the island hasn’t quite adapted to the fast pace and modernity seen in much of Japan.

Shikoku Pilgrimage 88 Temples Map

Pilgrims walk through four prefectures, each with their own significance: Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime, and Kagawa, representing Awakening, Aseptic Training, Enlightenment, and finally Nirvana.

There’s honestly so much more to add but that covers a basic overview of this ancient, fascinating pilgrimage!

My Intention

Upon preparing for the Shikoku Pilgrimage, I’ve been training and tuning into the spirit of the pilgrimage, which is an important part of the inner journey of pilgrimage. In a sacred journey like pilgrimage, we must step aside and co-create what needs to come forth, like singing a duet with the song of the universe. During my hours of training (ie walking in the redwood forest), my intention has slowly revealed itself.

I aspire to let go into awareness each step of the way. Much like my 2016 Camino Frances intention, which was to try to be present each step of the way, not getting caught in reminiscing on the past or fantasizing about the future. Just be here, step by step. This time around, the intention feels similar but with a wider aperture. Be here, let go. Let go of expectations and wanting it to be a certain way. Let go of my limiting beliefs and fears. Let go of my sense of self importance. The list could go on and on. Letting go of it all. Through the ups and downs and the various mind states and emotionally states, the physical pain, noticing the space that is also available. Letting go again and again into the emptiness.

One of my meditation teachers used to say, “Meditation is just strengthening your ‘letting go’ muscle.” Ajahn Chah wrote: “If you let go a little, you will find a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will find a lot of peace. If you let go absolutely, you will find absolute peace.”

Only in the moments when we truly are able to let go of our compulsion to try to control everything can we see the nature of reality: impermanent, always shifting. Only until we practice letting go can we truly dance with reality.

My hope is that the practice of letting go doesn’t have to be forceful or rigid. It can be a relief, a resting, a joyful buoyancy. Flowing with the current of life, accepting what is instead of endlessly spinning around on the racetrack of wanting and needing to control. What a gift! May it be so.

Upon further contemplating how I would mark my visit to each temple, I decided that I will “give it away” to the temple, “it” being whatever I’m working with at the time - be it joy, fear, frustration, grief, love, humor. The land, the sacred temples, the wise ones who came before us, Kuan Yin, and Kobo Daishi, they are able to hold whatever I surrender.

Conclusion

The 88 Temples Shikoku Pilgrimage is more than just a journey; it is a sacred rite of passage. Whatever arises will be material for me to work with, whoever I meet with be the exact person I need to meet at the exact right time. My Personal Legend is already in the works. So friends, here I go. Trusting my intuition and stepping into the unknown with an open heart. To follow along and learn more about my journey, sign up for the Lotus Compass newsletter.

Hasta pronto, amigos.