88 Temple Pilgrimage Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
multi-site pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) on the island of Shikoku, Japan
About 88 Temple Pilgrimage
Many of the temples are said to have been founded or restored by the revered monk and scholarKūkai(空海), better known by his posthumous titleKōbō Daishi(弘法大師). Among his many achievements, he is said to have created thekanasyllabary, brought the tantric teachings of Esoteric Buddhism from China, developed it into the uniquely Japanese Shingon sect, and founded Shingon's headquarters onMount KoyanearOsaka. While most modern-day pilgrims (an estimated 100,000 yearly) travel by tour bus, a small minority still set out the old-fashioned way on foot, a journey which takes about six weeks to complete. Pilgrims, known aso-henro-san(お遍路さん), can be spotted in the temples and roadsides of Shikoku clad in a white jacket emblazoned with the charactersDōgyō Ninin(同行二人), meaning "two traveling together"
88 Temple Pilgrimage Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 8 sections including: