Walking the Shodoshima 88: A Pilgrim's Guide
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Shodoshima, a cow-shaped island that stands rugged over the turquoise waters of the Seto Inland Sea, is one of the largest of the dozens of isles scattered across the placid strait between Honshu and the island of Shikoku.
Readers of this blog will probably be familiar with the Shikoku Henro, the 1,300-kilometer pilgrimage between 88 Sacred Sites of Kūkai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. 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.
I recently completed the pilgrimage on foot over the course of a week. Even with experience on the Shikoku Pilgrimage, the palpable depth of the Shodoshima Henro’s sacred power, and the warmth of its caretakers, both lay and ordained, caught me off guard. It is my pleasure to be able to share my experience in the hopes that more people can enjoy the fruits of pilgrimage on Shodoshima, and hopefully ensure that it persists to be enjoyed by future generations.
Table of Contents
Sacred Contours: Shodoshima Past and Present
If you time-traveled 13 million years back and convinced a passing Futabasaurus to give you a ride to Shodoshima, you probably wouldn’t recognize it based on modern photos. You’d see a series of volcanic cones towering over the sea, perhaps even still smoking from the calamitous eruptions that shaped the island. Over the intervening millions of years, rain slowly ate away at the softer types of rock produced in this cataclysm, leaving the rugged granite spires and shelves that now define Shodoshima’s landscape. As the layers melted away, they also revealed dozens of caves.
Some of these caverns served as dwellings for a prehistoric culture called the Jōmon several thousand years ago. The Jōmon didn’t write, so we can only speculate about their beliefs, but it’s hard to believe that they didn’t have some sacred regard for the compelling contours of the rugged landscape and life-giving sea that sustained them on Shodoshima. The agriculturalists that arrived in the early centuries BC, however, undoubtedly did. These ancestors of the modern Japanese, likely influenced by the Jōmon culture they encountered and absorbed, began to designate sacred groves as sites of communion with the Kami, conscious powers of nature, and with their ancestors.
Over the next centuries, waves of cultural influence lapped on Japan's shores, bringing with them Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and more. In Shodoshima, these continental traditions are like colored sand cast over the contoured landscape of that ancient stratum of nature veneration, shaken by time. At a distance the pilgrimage is an integrated entity, and even though on closer inspection you might pick out the various colors, separating them out is an impossibly intricate task.
By the 9th century, ascetics were walking around Shikoku, and probably other islands, in a practice called Henji, “circling the land.” It seems these practitioners were already operating on a framework with multiple influences–their urge toward the liminal space between sky and sea is undoubtedly an echo of something prehistoric, their practices of purification are anchored in a Shinto worldview, and their goal of attaining wisdom and potency to benefit self and other is squarely Buddhist. Variously motivated, these early pilgrims, Kōbō Daishi Kūkai among them, sought seclusion in caves suitable for meditation, and it seems likely that word of these practice places, as well as itinerant communities of practitioners, developed over time.
Many sites of the Shodoshima Henro date to far earlier than the pilgrimage's official organization in the late 17th century. 14 of these are caves in mountains, sites of Shugendō, a religious stream that developed from the blended practice of those early ascetics. We can assume, I think, that even though the number 88 is modeled on Shikoku (some sacred sites were even built specifically to be part of the pilgrimage), the practice of circling the island and practicing in its spectacular wilderness was present from long before.
Shodoshima's Sakata Port, on the southeast side of the island, was a popular place for boats going to and from Shikoku to wait for favorable winds. As such, people speculated that a young Kūkai, who traveled back and forth from Shikoku to Kyoto frequently for schooling, must have stopped here and practiced in its sacred sites.
Since legend holds that Kūkai founded the Shikoku Pilgrimage at age 42, this would make the Shodoshima its senior. Thus, while the Shikoku Henro is known as the Hon-shikoku, “the Main Pilgrimage,” Shodoshima Islanders refer to their pilgrimage as Gen-Shikoku, “the Original Pilgrimage.” While this doesn't say much about the reality of Kūkai's relationship to the Shodoshima Henro, it does speak volumes to the pride of place held by islanders and outsiders alike throughout the Edo Period and into the modern day.
At its peak after World War II, the island welcomed over 100,000 pilgrims a year. Pilgrims undertook the journey on foot or, more commonly, by bus as part of organized tours. Later, personal cars became the dominant mode of transport. During this affluent time, buildings were expanded, and roads and stairs appeared at sacred sites previously only accessible by climbing chains.
In the last 30 years, the pilgrimage has suffered heavy blows from rural depopulation, aging religious communities, and the COVID pandemic. The annual number of pilgrims has decreased dramatically; priests I talked to estimated that between just one and two thousand total pilgrims complete the journey every year. This means that many of the ambitious expansions of the 20th century are beginning to show their age, and there seems to be little hope of maintaining many of them.
But in spite of, or perhaps because of, this relative lack of pilgrims, I felt like I was still able to experience some of the route's ancient magic, the sense of expansive intensity, human warmth, and ancient continuity that makes pilgrimage a valuable practice and a true pleasure.
The 88 (but actually 95) Sacred Sites
A nōkyōchō stamp book for the Shodoshima Pilgrimage says “88 Sacred Sites of Shodoshima” on the cover, but if you count the pages you'll actually find 95! This is because the route traditionally also includes 6 okuno-in, “Inner Temples” which are some of the most spectacular places on the pilgrimage, and a required visit to Wakayama's Mt. Kōya, the resting place of Kōbō Daishi.
Unlike Shikoku, where all 88 Sites are somewhat large temples, Shodoshima's sacred sites are a combination of Temples (30 sites), Mountain Sacred Sites (14), and small, community-maintained chapels (50). I personally found this diversity to be one of the most delightful parts of the pilgrimage. Any day on the route includes all these types of sacred sites, meaning in a single day you get to experience the meditative grandeur of mountain caves, the restful warmth of neighborhood halls, and the traditional, welcoming atmosphere of large temples. The next step always felt like a surprise.
Prior to the separation of Buddhism and Shintō in the 19th century, many of the sacred sites were Shintō Shrines. Where feasible I tried to also visit these Shrines, which are often situated amidst beautiful groves, much as they must have been centuries ago when the pilgrimage began.
Below is a list of the sacred sites, their Gohonzon (main deity), a little info about them, and their coordinates. I've also included some relevant shrines and natural sacred sites, though they are no longer part of the “official” route. You can also see a map of the sacred sites here.
Chart: The Shodoshima Sacred Sites (=Oku-no-in, B=Bangai, K=Kechigan T=Temple, M=Mountain Sacred Site, H=Hall)
No. | Name | Type | Honzon | Location |
| Sōhon-in | T | Kobo Daishi | 34.48520165467456, 134.18015430569884 |
1 | Dounzan | M | Bishamon-ten | 34.46029160694567, 134.3354770807595 |
2 | Goishizan | M | Wave-Cutting Fudo | 34.46148933263283, 134.33399569292249 |
3 | Kannon-ji | T | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.458522730816995, 134.3242255316757 |
3(O) | Hayabusa-san | M | Sho-Kannon | 34.45783124088513, 134.33554133735814 |
4 | Furue-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.46031292539047, 134.31335073250696 |
5 | Horikoshi-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.457742954392344, 134.30054671955176 |
6 | Tanoura-an | H | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.45231943354606, 134.28780014754457 |
7 | Mukai-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.46723799423468, 134.32429164092466 |
8 | Joko-ji | T | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.468620000291246, 134.32495737494506 |
9 | Koshin-do | H | Fudo Myo-O | 34.46990168169677, 134.32201965981434 |
10 | Saisho-an | H | Aizen Myo-O | 34.46361813185109, 134.31844694951386 |
11 | Kannon-do | H | Sho Kannon | 34.4770996114245, 134.32039019423243 |
12 | Okano-bo | H | Jizo | 34.48448867031327, 134.32118343490723 |
13 | Eiko-ji | T | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.48552040625422, 134.31982391444149 |
14 | Kiyotaki-san | M | Fudo Myo-O, Jizo | 34.5058449199291, 134.31633578761785 |
15 | Daishi-do | H | Kobo Daishi | 34.48652045655486, 134.3143442150538 |
16 | Gokuraku-ji | T | Amida Nyorai | 34.48529492179839, 134.31038339776907 |
17 | Ichinotani-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.489408488365356, 134.3093013130071 |
18 | Sekimon-do | M | Shogun (Victorious General) Jizo | 34.51075180041124, 134.30618370397096 |
19 | Kinoshita-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.4874567552081, 134.30030461762868 |
20 | Hotoke-ga-taki | M | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.50362655630829, 134.30255329234055 |
21 | Seiken-ji | T | Fudo Myo-O | 34.48508286646049, 134.30671993630997 |
22 | Minenoyama-an | H | Senju Kannon | 34.48111062503821, 134.30180179122414 |
23 | Hon-do | H | Shaka Nyorai | 34.4812942062494, 134.3001680083842 |
24 | Anyo-ji | T | Nyoi-rin Kannon | 34.47624001488039, 134.286926558899 |
25 | Seiganji-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.47544399709474, 134.28356681769986 |
26 | Amida Nyorai-ji | T | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.472307113694974, 134.27801032384338 |
27 | Sakurano-an | H | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.47301946636015, 134.2791941636779 |
28 | Yakushi-do | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.44287258512687, 134.2529484281598 |
29 | Kaza-ana-an | H | Jizo | 34.438827503049886, 134.23979568021224 |
30 | Shoho-ji | T | Dainichi Nyorai | 34.45216788216599, 134.24276414339053 |
31 | Seigan-ji | T | Amida Nyorai | 34.46184888807346, 134.2435376456461 |
32 | Aizen-ji | T | Aizen Myo-O | 34.47262263708711, 134.23597106942913 |
33 | Chosho-ji | T | Dainichi Nyorai | 34.47705877027014, 134.2357554689158 |
34 | Hojuji-an | H | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.4696167811615, 134.2386333814062 |
35 | Hayashi-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.486328276412685, 134.23028640330165 |
36 | Shaka-do | H | Shaka Nyorai | 34.483895141093846, 134.24211108351565 |
37 | Myoo-ji | T | Fudo Myo-O | 34.484309867217746, 134.2409521541448 |
38 | Komyo-ji | T | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.48547497889613, 134.2389941145558 |
39 | Matsukaze-an | H | Jizo | 34.48725845128813, 134.2365202314426 |
40 | Houan-ji | T | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.485041867089606, 134.21403310654654 |
41 | Bukkoku-san | M | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.491475416650346, 134.21890022675817 |
42 | Nishi-no-taki | M | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.48942886569162, 134.22385486638422 |
43 | Jodo-ji | H | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.50278407686983, 134.24359810236942 |
44 | Yubune-san | M | Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyed Kannon | 34.505818528303614, 134.2426587252112 |
45 | Jizoji-do | H | Jizo | 34.50298634539247, 134.24354194437228 |
46 | Tamon-ji | T | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.50714187911925, 134.22828019167082 |
47 | Toganoo-san | M | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.508337438476985, 134.23282484603544 |
48 | Bishamon-do | M | Bishamonten | 34.50746483589695, 134.23205631392293 |
49 | Torin-an | H | Jizo | 34.4963929185341, 134.20636907178186 |
50 | Yuku-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.49413932789163, 134.20379000852205 |
51 | Hodo-bo | H | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.49338117608502, 134.19666801053796 |
52 | Kyu-hachiman-gu | H | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.49351507207195, 134.19750591718523 |
53 | Honkaku-ji | T | Five Great Myo-O (Fudo Myo-O) | 34.491761604337825, 134.17859441508918 |
54 | Hosho-in | T | Jizo | 34.49323138993608, 134.19713603238998 |
55 | Kannon-do | H | Horse-Headed Kannon | 34.49174497986137, 134.19284166879126 |
56 | Gyoja-do | H | Jinben Bosatsu (En no Gyoja) | 34.492024640878526, 134.1896488121164 |
57 | Jogen-bo | H | Child-Granting Jizo | 34.48960739323163, 134.18294483265578 |
58 | Saiko-ji | T | Thousand-Armed Kannon | 34.48327541820298, 134.1870090549848 |
58 (O) | Seigan-no-to | H | Kobo Daishi | 34.48293537578525, 134.18705215413695 |
59 | Kanro-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.47516472809102, 134.16842506491227 |
60 | Goto-kutsu | M | Benzaiten | 34.46240349800362, 134.15773973200115 |
61 | Jodo-an | H | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.47460990319733, 134.14426687098396 |
| Kasane-iwa | S |
| 34.47948458633509, 134.14922148191198 |
62 | Daijo-den | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.48437059585001, 134.17277148802975 |
63 | Renge-an | H | Thousand-Armed Kannon | 34.48439395820895, 134.17289861154558 |
64 | Shofu-an | H | Life-prolonging Jizo | 34.48388796766721, 134.1831399644899 |
65 | Komyo-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.49170658152305, 134.17879008034848 |
| Igisue Hachiman Jinja | S |
| 34.50882587602484, 134.16533915984803 |
66 | Toku-an | H | Amida Nyorai | 34.510110815800296, 134.167350606173 |
67 | Zuiun-do | H | Shaka Nyorai | 34.51342157647563, 134.16871431479433 |
68 | Shorin-ji | T | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.51138023589744, 134.16836842186342 |
69 | Ruri-do | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.51871162254125, 134.16769431322163 |
70 | Chosho-ji | T | Amida Nyorai | 34.51380876553688, 134.17873600382526 |
71 | Takinomiya-do | M | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.50636755717511, 134.20011153089055 |
72 | Ryoko-ji | H | Limitless Life Buddha (Amida Nyorai) | 34.50465928723087, 134.21075804025443 |
72 (O) | Kasa-ga-taki | T | Fudo Myo-O | 34.50791912894381, 134.20841376492098 |
73 | Guze-do | T | Sho Kannon | 34.50683141362456, 134.21317427915037 |
74 | Enman-ji | T | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.503007100887906, 134.21529303790126 |
75 | Daisho-ji | H | Fudo Myo-O | 34.5161905470568, 134.21653490253112 |
76 | Kongo-ji | T | Fudo Myo-O | 34.52674256331522, 134.2222525676962 |
76(O) | Sangyo-an | H | Kobo Daishi | 34.520962293485375, 134.21855660722724 |
77 | Kanki-ji | M | Nyoi-rin Kannon | 34.519948511369165, 134.2268188392083 |
B | Togen-ji | H | Wave-Cutting Fudo | 34.52544187353798, 134.22902181081068 |
78 | Unko-an | H | Sho Kannon | 34.53227338861443, 134.24828373957592 |
79 | Yakushi-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.54752870704823, 134.26890867298997 |
80 | Kannon-ji | T | Sho Kannon | 34.54536324636007, 134.2797479147935 |
81 | Emon-no-taki | M | Fudo Myo-O | 34.534193936158886, 134.29969891298805 |
82 | Yoshida-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.55602061017468, 134.34028197342695 |
| Fukuda Hachiman Jinja | S |
| 34.545274804885345, 134.3417760760674 |
83 | Fukuda-an | H | Yakushi Nyorai | 34.5442928867633, 134.33832341138464 |
84 | Unkai-ji | T | Nyoi-rin Kannon | 34.542199905210076, 134.34026372331127 |
85 | Honji-do | H | Benzaiten | 34.54195372125343, 134.3388095331602 |
86 | Atehama-an | H | Thousand-Armed Thousand-Eyed Kannon | 34.52243025894005, 134.35180023770894 |
87 | Kaitei-an | H | Eleven-Faced Kannon | 34.50194771899979, 134.34640383797333 |
88 | Nan-rei-an | H | Life-Extending Jizo | 34.491524403612345, 134.3434955479202 |
K | Koya-san Okuno-in | T | Kobo Daishi | 34.223398173835136, 135.60546559336424 |
My Shodoshima Itinerary: A Classic Challenge
The Shodoshima Pilgrimage is between 160 and 180 kilometers long, depending on the routes one takes. Japanese walking groups of the last century typically walked it in 6 nights and 7 days. I cribbed my itinerary, modeled on this pace, from the back of the standard Japanese guidebook, available here.
I'll say right off the bat that I wish I had stretched my itinerary out for another day. The 7-day course involves long days (almost 30km) over rolling and sometimes steep terrain, which was physically very challenging. There were many places where I wanted to pause and soak in the atmosphere, but didn't have time. I also just didn't eat lunch most days. A rookie pilgrim's mistake, but here we are. You can see my itinerary below. Traditionally the route is walked with efficiency, rather than temple order, in mind, which is why the order seems somewhat random.
Chart: My Itinerary
Day | Date | Route | Distance | Stay |
2/10 | 8:20 Ferry from Takamatsu to Tonosho Port Walk port→Sohon-in→64→58→58(O)→59→60→61→Kasane-Iwa→62→Hotel | ~18km | Stay in Tonosho 34.485831442958045, 134.1918620227274 | |
2 | 2/11 | Hotel→57→53→65→66→Igisue Hachiman Shrine→68→67→69→70→71→72 (O)→72→73→75→76(O)→77→76→B→78→Hotel | ~31km | Stay in Obe 34.54620707822001, 134.28163510907785 |
3 | 2/12 | Hotel→79→80→81→82→83→84→85→86→87→88→12→Hotel | ~3km | Stay in Yasuda 34.48342471231693, 134.32281213288917 |
4 | 2/13 | Hotel→11→9→8→7→2→1→3(O)→3→4→5→6→10→Hotel | ~21km | Stay in Yasuda 34.48342471231693, 134.32281213288917 |
5 | 2/14 | Hotel→14→20→18→17→16→15→21→19→22→23→24→25→27→26→Hotel | ~19 km | Stay in Shozu 34.470882238117284, 134.28015155372196 |
6 | 2/15 | Hotel→28→29→30→21→24→32→33→40→41→42→35→39→28→36→Hotel | ~23 km | Stay in Shodoshima 34.47275384669819, 134.22960035056317 |
7 | 2/16 | Inn→37→43→45→44→47→48→46→74→49→50→51→52→55→56→Sohon-in | ~15 km | Ferry back to Takamatsu |
Where to Start
Like the Shikoku Pilgrimage, the Shodoshima Henro is a circle, and you c
an start wherever you want. Site No. 1, on the southeast side of the island near the historically affluent Sakata Port, was designated as such mostly for practical purposes–that’s where most folks came in and out of the island. The route proceeds clockwise, with some jumps here and there for convenience (see my itinerary above).
Over time, the port of Tonosho on the opposite side of the island, close to Takamatsu, became the biggest population center. Tonosho is now home to the Sōhon-in, the Headquarters Temple, of the pilgrimage. This sanctuary was founded after the separation of Buddhism and Shintō (during which many sacred sites were moved from shrines to nearby or newly-constructed temples), as a Buddhist administrative center of the pilgrimage.
This is where you can buy your nōkyōchō stampbook, or kakejiku hanging scroll, should you want to do so. You can also pick up the English and Japanese guidebooks. The Sōhon-in does not carry very much in the way of pilgrimage gear (conical hats, hakue vests, etc). Since this gear is identical to that used in Shikoku, you'd be better off ordering these from Sumotoriya Asano, Shikoku's oldest pilgrimage supply store in Tokushima. The store's proprietor, Satoshi Asano, is fluent in English, and you can arrange to have supplies sent within Japan.
Unlike the Shikoku Pilgrimage, many of Shodoshima's sacred sites are unmanned, and the route's bigger temples are in charge of stamping for all their nearby sacred sites. As such, books and scrolls are sold with pre-written calligraphy, so you just have to receive the red stamps at each temple.
I, not knowing this, made the somewhat happy mistake of buying a blank kakejiku. Since some temples are responsible for up to 6 stamps, having them all hand written can take a very long time. This allowed for some lovely conversations with priests and temple staff, but also meant I had to sometimes rush. So pilgrim's choice on that one, but I would recommend buying the pre-written ones, particularly to those for whom it's likely Shodoshima will be a one-off pilgrimage.
One final note on the Sōhon-in is that it offers a jukai precepts ceremony by reservation. In this simple ceremony, pilgrims are guided through taking on the Ten Benevolent Precepts (jūzenkai), basic Buddhist moral guidelines to help pilgrims reflect on their habits of body, speech, and mind. This ceremony is available by reservation. You can see a list of the Ten Benevolent Precepts in the prayer manual I made here.
Getting to Shodoshima
Shodoshima is accessible by ferry from Takamatsu, Okayama, Himeji, and Kobe, although each of these will land you at a different port. You can check out the details on Japan Guide and adjust your start and end points accordingly.
Navigating the Route
As with the Shikoku Pilgrimage, an excellent English pilgrimage map is available due to the tremendous efforts of heroic locals. You can buy it here online, or at the Sōhon-in and a few other places along the route. Rather than a book, it is a detailed route with links to more detailed digital maps, a very helpful feature when navigating some of Shodoshima's twisty roads.
Those who have done the Shikoku Henro will recognize the same carved hands and red arrow stickers pointing the way. However, they are sparse in some areas, and I didn't find them sufficient for navigating the route as I have in Shikoku. I frequently looked at my paper maps and used Google Maps to get my bearings, so I suspect most others will also find this necessary.
I would estimate that about 80% of the pilgrimage trail is on paved roads, but many of these afford spectacular scenery, and very few are packed with cars like some of the roadside sections of the Shikoku Henro. They rarely felt like the chore some sections of Shikoku do.
The route's mountain sections are fairly straightforward, though sometimes challenging. The most daunting of these is, undoubtedly, Kasa-ga-taki, an otherworldly hall built against a cliff-side cave. This is the last temple still accessible only by a scramble up and down a cliff. Though chains and a metal hand-rail make this doable, it's worth taking your time and proceeding with care. At the other mountain sites, stairs added in the last decades mean the chains are optional (but recommended if, like me, you enjoy that kind of thing).
Some stretches along the route are totally without lunch options, so you should plan ahead carefully and have something to eat on hand just in case your plans fall through. Like many places in rural Japan, Shodoshima runs on cash, so make sure to have plenty on hand for temple stamps and incidentals as you go.
Where to Stay
I chose to walk to my accommodation each day, which gave a wonderful sense of continuity to the journey. All of my inns were lovely in their own way. Please find them, along with my comments on each, below.
Chart: My Inns
Name | Price (for 1) and Booking | Notes |
Oasis is a comfortable guesthouse behind a stylish, popular Italian restaurant. When I arrived, there was a line waiting out the door to eat there! It is within short walking distance of a convenience store and several dinner options. The room was clean, stylish, Japanese-style. Bath and bathrooms are shared, but very clean. | ||
A young couple from outside the island have renovated an old pilgrim guesthouse into a stylish, design-forward inn geared toward solo travelers. Quiet and cozy, Sai-nu-tsuno (meaning “Rhinoceros Horn”) is one of the few inns in the Obe area, making it ideal for walking pilgrims. There is a popular restaurant, Shokudo Taruya, about 5 minutes away on foot. The night I stayed it was full, so if you want to eat there you might ask the hotel owners to make a reservation when you correspond with them. Sainutsuno rice, pasta, and Shodoshima's famous sōmen noodles are available, along with a variety of retort sauces, to purchase and cook yourself, so I went to bed full anyway. A bar on the first floor serves as a space for customers connect with owners and each other. Breakfast was stylish and absolutely delicious. The shared bathrooms are clean, and the bathtub is an iron goemon-buro, a fun cultural experience but a tight fit for a long-legged Nebraskan like me! | ||
Hirokiya is a classic Henro Inn. Run by a kindly couple, the inn is a holdover from days with more pilgrims, with many of the rooms big enough for groups of six or more. The facilities are showing their age, but were clean and comfortable enough for my tastes. Whatever the facilities lacked in frills was compensated for by the absolutely delicious dinner, easily worth half the price of lodging on its own. Breakfasts were equally sumptuous, and on request the proprietor will give you plastic wrap to make your own onigiri for lunch on the trail. I stayed two nights in Hirokiya and it, along with Sai-nu-tsuno, were the most memorable inns of my stay. | ||
A stylish hotel with wonderful views of the sea framed by stylishly-decorated, spacious rooms. The hotel is basically unmanned, with automatic check-in and -out. There is a well-rated restaurant close by called Koyomi, but it is only available by reservation, so plan ahead. Other than that there aren't many food options in the area. Moriguchiya has solved this with a first floor “Frozen Food Restaurant”, featuring vending machines with a good variety of frozen options, and a bunch of microwaves. It was a bit hard to swallow after the delicious home cooking of Hirokiya, but was perfectly sufficient for a hungry pilgrim. The bathroom and shower/tub was in-room. | ||
A classic Kokumin Shukusha (National Lodge) featuring dated but comfortable rooms, equipped with in-room bathrooms and a very nice shared bathing area. The view of dusk over Shodoshima's main bay from my room was staggering. The first floor restaurant means dinner is easy, although I stocked up on supplies at a convenience store on my way back to the hotel. The only drawback of this lodge is that it required a bit of backtracking on my itinerary –and is at the top of a very big hill. A kind local gave me a lift the last couple kilometers, for which I was very grateful. |
As you can imagine, there are pretty slim pickings in some of Shodoshima's less populous areas. In two cases, I chose my inns because they were the only ones in my price range and target area. That also means there aren't plentiful dinner options or convenience stores nearby, so you have to be content with what's around, which may not be much.
For the price conscious, or those looking for a better balance of walk and play, I'd recommend making use of Shodoshima's bus system. For a small island, Shodoshima has pretty good bus service, which goes around the whole island about once every hour. I met two pilgrims using this strategy. They stayed three nights in Tonosho (near the Sōhon-in) and three nights in Yasuda (near-ish Temple 1), and used the bus to get back and forth to their accommodation each day. This strategy may be a necessity depending on availability in some areas.
As in Shikoku, wild-camping is officially discouraged in Shodoshima. However, a number of campsites near bus routes offer a tantalizing possibility for those interested in roughing it. This is, as they say, beyond the scope of the current article (but who knows, maybe I'll eventually post an update!)
Pilgrim Etiquette
Because of its close relationship to the Shikoku Pilgrimage, the dress and ritual behavior for the Shodoshima Pilgrimage is identical to its longer counterpart. You can find a free prayer
booklet and instructional videos on how to use it here. Many sanctuaries did not include a Daishi Hall, and I got the sense that one chanting service for the Gohonzon was generally enough for each site.
Osettai, generosity to pilgrims, is still a big part of Shodoshima's culture. I received many kilograms of citrus fruit, calendars, rides, candy, drinks, and more from kind passers by and temple staff as I walked. As in Shikoku, receiving these gifts is part of a pilgrim's role–you are a field of merit, a representative of the Buddhas, for local people. Keep this in mind as you walk, and do so with a sense of humility and responsibility.
A Pilgrimage for Pilgrims
I will be writing an article about my personal experience of the pilgrimage as a follow-up to this one, but I hope this guide gives you some taste of the precious treasure that lies hidden
in plain sight on the sleepy island of Shodoshima. In just 160 kilometers, a pilgrim can experience first-hand the sacred diversity of the mandalas, from hard-earned wisdom to healing compassion, their steps guarded by Kōbō Daishi.
The route's challenges make it a difficult prospect for a first-time pilgrim, but for those with experience in Shikoku, I think Shodoshima represents a natural companion to its longer counterpart, echoing without replicating it.
Shodoshima's greatest difference from Shikoku, however, is that it is truly in urgent need of pilgrims–not tourists, but pilgrims.
Part of this is, of course, completely mundane. More walking pilgrims means more people staying and shopping along the route, providing economic incentive to communities to preserve the sites and traditions from their end. Donations given for stamps at temples and sacred sites are a pittance when looked at one by one, but add up considerably when pilgrims come in numbers. In this sense, anyone who walks is a boon to the route.
But in my years of Shugendō and Buddhist practice I have seen a mysterious process play out again and again: when pilgrims are moving, things move with them. It sometimes feels as though the walking forms of pilgrims pull dangling karmic threads together in their wake, leading to wonderful outcomes for both them and the communities that support their practice. All a pilgrim has to do to enter this broader process is to travel a route with respect and openness to the connections that present themselves.
So please, go to Shodoshima. And please, message me here if I can answer any of your questions.
Namu Daishi Henjō Kongō
Inspirational _()_