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After no more than 2 hours of sleep, it was time to get up, shower and get to Melbourne Airport. Seven years of procrastination and planning had finally led me to this moment. It was surreal, it was scary. I had never travelled abroad by myself before, let alone be apart from my fiancé Gem for no more than a week, maybe two. But I was off to Shikoku for 7 weeks, Gemma was off to Nepal on her own exciting adventure, and afterwards we planned on meeting up in Osaka and continue our travels across Japan for another two weeks.
Saying goodbye was hard and emotional. I began to question my reasons for wanting to do the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage too. This wasn’t exactly a holiday, and I knew it would be tough. But I knew it would be one hell of an adventure.
Saying goodbye was hard and emotional. I began to question my reasons for wanting to do the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage too. This wasn’t exactly a holiday, and I knew it would be tough. But I knew it would be one hell of an adventure.
After a teary goodbye it was off to Cairns in sunny Queensland for a quick stop, and then the eight hour flight to Osaka, Japan. Being a pretty uneventful flight, I passed the time by going through the guide book, writing notes, and had a can (or two) of Canadian Club & Dry. I had gone through this guide book many, many times before, but for me it was never enough.
I had planned out the first week of the walk, taking into consideration that I had never done anything like this before, and my last mountain climb in NZ nearly ended in a medevac and a domestic. I was going to have to start slow with shorter distances, and hopefully by the 7th day I would be smashing out a 30km day without incident. Hopefully this would allow my body to get accustomed to walking with a 13kg pack. I had the first week of accommodation planned too, and after that I was going to do my best to wing it.
I had planned out the first week of the walk, taking into consideration that I had never done anything like this before, and my last mountain climb in NZ nearly ended in a medevac and a domestic. I was going to have to start slow with shorter distances, and hopefully by the 7th day I would be smashing out a 30km day without incident. Hopefully this would allow my body to get accustomed to walking with a 13kg pack. I had the first week of accommodation planned too, and after that I was going to do my best to wing it.
I arrived at Osaka at around seven o'clock that evening, and caught the train from the airport to Namba Station. After being denied a taxi by it's driver ("no, hotel over there, you walk!) and getting lost in back alleys for close to an hour, I finally found my lodging for the night, Hotel Kanade. This was the first of many business hotels that I would be staying at, with the entire room no bigger than a standard bedroom. But I didn't care and I knew that by the time I would start walking the pilgrimage, I'd eventually have to take what I could.
After a much needed shower, it was off to explore downtown Dōtonbori, a vibrant and lively strip along the Dōtonbori canal. Known for it's neon lights and nightlife, the area is incredible. Dinner was takoyaki - battered octopus balls covered in a variety of sauces and bonito flakes - a popular snack in Osaka. I had been craving it for a while.
On the way back to the hotel I stopped for a can of Asahi beer at a local 7-Eleven. I couldn't believe how cheap alcohol was in Japan! Little did I know, but convenience stores would eventually be my one-stop-shop for EVERYTHING. Drinking it on the way back to my room, the reality was kicking in. I was finally in Japan, the Shikoku Pilgrimage was happening. Tomorrow I would be off to Mount Kōya, pay my respects to Kūkai, and get this show on the road.
I've been reading your site as I'm interested in doing the Shikoku Henro. But I have no idea what it takes as I just discovered it and it sounds like something I'd want to do. I'm a woman in my 50s so I have no idea if I can do this myself. Walking seems like something I can do but if it's mountain hikes, steep rough terrain, it might not be possible. I'd love any book recommendation or tips, sites, information you can offer. I've been to Japan once on vacation for a week but not on my own. Also, can a person do this alone, or going with someone is beneficial because of it's easier? I don't mind doing it alone if it's possible, I don't need company, but for ease of the route/path safely. Thanks!
In relation to doing the pilgrimage in your 50s, I’d be confident in saying that most pilgrims are actually retirees - I was in my late 30s when I did it and I was one of the youngest I came across in my almost seven weeks of adventure. There are indeed a few steep climbs, but nothing too overwhelming. The hardest climbs without a doubt would be between T11 and T12 (usually day 3), and T60 and T66. In saying that, most of the pilgrimage is along roads and footpaths.
There is plenty of accommodation along the route, although it can be difficult to book well in advance, purely because it’s hard to gauge at first how far you can walk daily. Many ryokans require a booking, although some hotels will allow walk-ins. Weekends can be tricky to get a place to stay if not booked I’m advance however, and avoid Golden Week in Japan - it’s almost impossible to find a place to stay.
A standard level of fitness would be required - I would recommend doing some short pack hikes at home, maybe start small distances and then gradually push a little further every time you head out. I struggled the first few weeks (I did have a virus though), but towards the end my body adapted to my pack (around 15kg) and distance - in the end if I did less than 30km a day, I almost felt guilty.
There are many things to consider before walking, but it will be an adventure to remember for life.