A photographic tour of the entire walk:
2 of the many snake encounters I had whilst walking the trail:
Return to Video Gallery for all blog videos
⇒ Planning for the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage
⇒ Blogging from the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage
⇒ Gear List
⇒ Expenses – how much did it actually cost?
⇒ Elevation Profiles
followingthearrows 
Oh wow! I have about a billion questions for you about this. I had no idea there was a pilgrimage in Japan, and it looks amazing. So, it looks like you have something like a “passport” and they write caligraphy it? And you had places to stay along the way, but also had to use a tent… and there is a “compostella” at the end. 🙂 Very cool. Do you get stamps for all of the temples you visit? Did you need to learn Japanese or could you use your English? What is the route? How much did it cost you? How did you survive all of the snakes?! Yikes! … like I say, a billion questions…
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Hi Mormon Soprano,
The Shikoku Pilgrimage is celebrating its 1200th Anniversary this year but it still quite unknown outside of Japan. There is a stamp book that you can buy from Temple 1 and have stamped at each temple (for 300 yen), but it’s not mandatory to get these stamps. There’s accommodation for all budgets from camping to staying in hits, free temple accommodation or paid B&B style accommodation. I speak Japanese but I know people who have walked it with no Japanese and they were fine. I still need to work out exactly how much it cost me and I’ll add a page to the blog detailing this as soon as I add it all up 🙂
Hopefully I’ve answered a few of your questions in my blog, there’s a page on the accommodation and flora & fauna and the route etc 🙂
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Thanks for replying. I think that is just fascinating. I wonder why I’d never heard about it… Wow, How do you know Japanese? I’m very impressed. I will look for your other page.
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It’s definitely a very special walk and challenging. I studied Japanese at school and university (Australia), then lived in Tokyo for 7 years…
This is the link to my blog about the pilgrimage:
https://followingthearrows.com/shikoku-88-temple-pilgrimage-oct-2013/
I’m actually thinking about possibly walking it again!
Kat
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hi kat, my name is ivan. i have read your pages about shikoku. i have received plenty of information concerning this pilgrimage,which is important for me because i’m going to start mine on the eleventh of march. my last day is the 26th of may. i hope this will be enough. would you answer me if i had some questions concening this challenge? waiting your kind respons,regards ivan
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Hi Ivan,
Absolutely. Send me an email to followingthearrows@hotmail.com with any questions 🙂
Kat
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Hi there I am looking to do this next summer. How would you say I can train for this as I live in London and there ain’t no hills for me to train for
I am thinking towards the time before I travel I should be walking 20 miles a day with a backpack 10 KG on my back
Also I am trying to buy the 88 guide book but on amazon it only has the 2014 book, is that ok ?
Lastly do the other 20 Bangai temples have stamps ?
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Hi Abhi,
I think the best way of training for Shikoku is to start climbing stairs – in the tube, up tall buildings, anywhere you can in London, and wear your pack while doing it.
You could try to walk some long distances on the weekends but I wouldn’t worry too much about that, more just getting used to climbing steps 😉
I haven’t walked this trail since 2013 so I’m not sure how much it’s changed – I would guess the waymarks are even better and an old guidebook is definitely better than nothing. I bought mine from the Japanese Amazon site.
As far as I’m aware, all temples have stamps you just need to be there when they’re open so someone can do it for you – its calligraphy then stamps on top.
Have a great time!
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I’m so grateful to have found your blog. I’m planning on doing this next year 2023 after I quit my job. I wanted to find someone who provided a step by step guide and this blog is the most useful. I definitely am gonna start training. My body isn’t in great shape and I feel the Shikoku 88 is a part of my healing journey.
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