Japan's Smallest and Least-Populated Major Island Is a World of Pilgrimages, Delicious Food and Plenty of Forest Bathing

I had just arrived at Konsen-ji, the third temple on Japan’s Shikoku Pilgrimage route, when a young Japanese girl presented me with two origami cranes. These tiny gifts, I would later learn, symbolized wishes for a safe and smooth journey along the 750-mile circuit connecting 88 Buddhist temples, as well as other sacred sites, on Shikoku, the smallest and least populated of Japan’s four main islands. On my week-long visit to Shikoku, I encountered many acts of kindness, from the innkeeper at Sudachi-an, a local guesthouse in the village of Nabeiwa, driving me to my lodging when I ended up lost in the rain, to a taxi driver insisting that I take a couple of sweet, kiyomi oranges to help sustain me on my day’s trek.

This rural Japanese island is a place where history, hospitality and natural beauty converge. The 7,063-square-mile island is the most rustic and remote. In fact, the first bridge connecting Shikoku to the main island of Honshu, where you’ll find big cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, wasn’t built until 1988.

Even today, only three routes connect the two islands. Shikoku is a quiet rural slice of Japan where Westerners remain a rarity, though that’s slowly changing. The Shikoku Pilgrimage is one of the island’s top draws for travelers.

Between 100,000 and 150,000 people undertake at least part of the route annually, with the best times of year for walking the circular trail being spring and fall. All its sites are associated with Kobo Daishi, a Japanese monk who lived during the ninth century and founded Shingon, a major school of Buddhism that focuses on the attainment of enlightenment during a practitioner’s lifetime. While the individual temples and sacred sites span a variety of dates, mostly from the eighth century onward, the circuit itself wasn’t fully established until the late 16th to early 17th century.

About 80 percent of the route is paved asphalt and concrete, often passing through small towns and farmlands. However, the rest of the pathway winds along dirt trails and ascends steep mountainsides and ancient stone steps through sections of remote wilderness. Along the way, pilgrims tend to stay in a mix of traditional ryokan (Japanese-style hotels), shukubo (temple stays) and local family inns.

Most provide food, and some have onsens for bathing. While some Shikoku Henro (the Japanese word for “pilgrim”) set out to complete the entire 750 miles, many—like myself—choose to tackle only portions of it. Some people do it for spiritual reasons.