What may surprise even experienced pilgrims, though, is that the Shikoku 88 is not the only Henro–in fact most of the Seto Inland Sea’s islands, large and small, are home to Shima-Henro, “Island Pilgrimages,” the most famous of these being the one on Shodoshima. While seasoned pilgrims will notice many similarities to the Shikoku Pilgrimage, the Shodoshima Henro is an entity unto itself, with its own unique majesty and potency.

The rainstorm beating Mt. Koya had turned the trail to Shimbessho, the venue for the annual Precepts Ceremony, into a gushing stream of mud. A priest ahead of me splashed his way along the brook in toothed sandals called geta , while I found myself regretting my decision to come in sneakers, which were soaked. In spite of the rain, someone had taken the trouble to come and light a thick candle before a stone statue of Jizo, seated on a lotus. After a slippery climb, the clus

Bishamonten (Sanskrit"Vaiśravaṇa") has been one of Japan's most popular deities since Buddhism's arrival in the 6th century. Dressed in a warrior's armor, he holds a spear in his right hand and a Stupa or "Treasure Tower" in his left.

An image of Kannon from the Chichibu Kannon Pilgrimage Route Kanzeon (more commonly Kannon), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, is the most-represented Buddha on the Henro, enshrined as the main deity at 29 of the pilgrimage's 88 main temples (over a third!). The Bodhisattva's name as rendered into Sino-Japanese means "The Perceiver of the World's Sounds," referring to the way the Bodhisattva lends a compassionate ear to us suffering in samsara. Whenever I hear this, I think of