I am travelling alone around the 88 temples of Shikoku, following the 34 routes presented in my guidebook.
I sometimes lose my way, take unexpected detours or rely on public transport. These stories record not only the temples, but also the roads I walked, the scenery, the meals and the small encounters along the way.
The episode numbers follow the order in which I travelled, but I did not visit the temples in numerical order. Therefore, the articles on this page are arranged by the course numbers in the guidebook.
The Beginning of the Journey
Episode 0｜Before My Solo Shikoku Pilgrimage Began
Why did I decide to travel alone around the 88 temples of Shikoku? This introductory episode looks back at the reasons behind the journey and how I prepared for it.
▶︎ Read Episode 0
Solo Pilgrimage Articles by Course Number
Tokushima
| Course | Temples and Prefecture | Journey Record |
|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | Temples 1–3 | Episode 1｜Read the article |
| Course 2 | Temples 4–7 | Episode 1 | Episode 2|Read the article |
| Course 3 | Temples 8–10 | Episode 2｜Read the article |
| Course 4 | Temples 11–12 | Article in preparation |
| Course 5 | Temples 13–17 | Episode 3｜Read the article |
| Course 6 | Temples 18–19 | Episode 5｜Read the article |
| Course 7 | Temples 20–21 | Article in preparation |
| Course 8 | Temples 22–23 | Episode 4｜Read the article |
Kochi
| Course | Temples and Prefecture | Journey Record |
|---|---|---|
| Course 9-16 | Temples 24–39 | Article in preparation |
Ehime
| Course | Temples and Prefecture | Journey Record |
|---|---|---|
| Course 17-19 | Temples 40–43 | Article in preparation |
| Course 20 | Temples 44–45 | Not yet travelled |
| Course 21-23 | Temples 46–53 | Article in preparation |
| Course 24 | Temples 54–55 | Episode 6｜Read the article |
- Episode ○｜Read the article: Published
- Article in preparation: The course has been completed, but the article has not yet been published
- Not yet travelled: A course I have not visited yet
The Journey Is Not Over
For now, I am turning the journeys I have already completed into stories, one at a time.
When the articles finally catch up with the journey, I may return to Shikoku and continue along the routes I have left unfinished.
But when that time comes, I will have to watch out for Shikoku-byō—the irresistible urge to complete the pilgrimage again and again.