Well, we “officially” finished the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage. As far as the official pilgrimage goes, you only need to visit the 88 temples, but, of course, we’ve added some of the extra elements. We still have Bakekku Temple 20 to visit tomorrow which will complete the 20 Bekkaku Temples portion of the pilgrimage. We have also chosen to return to Temple 1 (Ryozenji). While it’s not a requirement, it’s become more popular as it “closes the circle” and gives the pilgrimage a sense of completeness. Walking out the same door you came in, but as a changed person.
We also need to visit Kobo Daishi in his mausoleum on Koya-san near Osaka on the main Japanese island of Honshu. You can visit Kobo Daishi either before or after you attempt the pilgrimage and it doesn’t have to be immediately before or after. Years can pass between the pilgrimage and the visitation.
The reason for attending to Kobo Daishi is to thank him for accompanying you along the pilgrimage, but it has also become more popular to give Kobo Daishi a trip report as well. What did you learn about yourself? What did you struggle with? Are you a better person? My trip report will remain between Kobo Daishi and myself.
So while the “official” 88 Temple pilgrimage is over, I still have a few more days ahead of blogging and pictures
Hondo – Nagaoji (Temple 87.- “Long Tail Temple”)Daishido – NagaojiNagaojiNagaojiNagaojiI thought their sink was cool.Visiting the Maeyama Ohenro Koryu Salon before heading to Temple 88. It’s a small museum and visitor center dedicated to the pilgrimage. The miniature Shikoku maps behind me has tiny temples which light up to show where the temples are located.Certificate of completion. I’m the 893rd walking pilgrim to register their completed pilgrimage this year.We were given a small tour of the museum by a translator who was going to working on updating the exhibits to include English translations. This list indicates the number of foreign henro completing the pilgrimage each year. The French have everyone beat, but there were 42 Americans in 2017, 34 in 2018, and 42 in 2019. Denmark, Holland and Taiwan helped round out the other top three spots of each year.Edo-period stamp booksA “permission to travel” block carried by monks on their pilgrimages.Lunch of tonkatsu at Hoshigoe no SatoAnother difficult climb over a mountain to get to Temple 88Continue climbingYes, you are expected to climb that. It doesn’t really show up in the picture, but that’s a steep incline.Maybe some handholds will help.We started out a few blocks from the inland ocean this morning. It’s there in the distance.Now the steep descent on the other side to get to Temple 88.Hondo.- Okuboji (Temple 88 – “Large Hollow Temple”). One of the earliest temples to allow women to climb the mountain paths leading up to the sacred site.Daishido – OkubojiOkubojiOkubojiA case for pilgrim staffs to be burned in a ceremony at the end of the year.Pilgrim staffsOkubojiOkubojiOkubojiOkubojiOkubojiDinner at Takeyashiki
Congratulations! I’m glad for the additional activities you have ahead. I imagine it would be quite a jarring end to just visit temple 88 and then, welp yer done!
That’s exactly what was described in one of the memoirs I read. The writer was walking with a younger Japanese man over the last few days of the pilgrimage. They reached Temple 88. The young man looked around and said, “Well, I guess I’ll go home then.” Went out to the nearby bus stop and got on the next bus.
Yayyyyyy Billiam! Congrats on technically completing the pilgrimage. We are all very excited to see the photos! We should borrow someone’s projector and do it in the backyard!!! With hamburgers and Brats 😂
2023 Shikoku Henro 
congratulations on finishing the pilgrimage !
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Thank you! “Technically” completed though. We still have a few more days of walking.
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You did it. I didn’t think you’d be able to walk 15 miles a day for several weeks, but you proved me wrong! Congratulations!
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Dude, you had the same expectation when R, Y, and I ran the half-marathon down in Indianapolis!
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Congratulations! I’m glad for the additional activities you have ahead. I imagine it would be quite a jarring end to just visit temple 88 and then, welp yer done!
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That’s exactly what was described in one of the memoirs I read. The writer was walking with a younger Japanese man over the last few days of the pilgrimage. They reached Temple 88. The young man looked around and said, “Well, I guess I’ll go home then.” Went out to the nearby bus stop and got on the next bus.
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Oh my god congrats‼️ We do expect a report though.
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Yayyyyyy Billiam! Congrats on technically completing the pilgrimage. We are all very excited to see the photos! We should borrow someone’s projector and do it in the backyard!!! With hamburgers and Brats 😂
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