Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail
- The highlights of Japan’s 88 Temple Pilgrimage route
- Beautiful trails and scenery of the island of Shikoku
- Stay in traditional Ryokan guesthouses and a Shukubo temple
- Fresh and beautifully presented Japanese cuisine
- The city of Kyoto, the former imperial capital and a UNESCO heritage site
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive KyotoArrive in Kyoto and check-in to your hotel or ryokan in central Kyoto. Kyoto is one of the world’s most culturally rich cities scattered with hundreds, if not thousands, of pockets of incredible beauty. The city has 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 1600 Buddhist temples, over 400 Shinto shrines and 24 museums.
As home to the Japanese Imperial family from 794 to 1868 it has been central to Japanese history and is a city that must be on your list.
On a busy tree-lined main road among shops and eateries, this polished hotel with views of Kyoto Gyoen park is a 13-minute walk from the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Decorated with individual artwork, the understated rooms feature flat-screen TVs, and tea and coffeemaking facilities, plus free Wi-Fi and minibars.
One of Kyoto's most popular hotels, as the location is second to none. Rooms are comfortable and modern, with western beds and bathrooms. Breakfast is served buffet style in the cafe on the 1st floor, while those wanting a traditional Japanese course meal are welcome to try the "hamatoku" restaurant on the 2nd floor.
This comfortable and highly regarded hotel is in an ideal location for visitors. High-speed internet access is available in all guest rooms and there is a handy self-service laundry facility.
Explore the city today at your leisure. Discover the secret gardens, hidden courtyards and floating temples of Kyoto. We suggest visiting Kiyomizu Temple, Sanjusangendo Temple, and a walk along the Philosophers Path. Whatever you choose to visit today, you can’t go wrong in a city like Kyoto!

This modern hotel is 3 km from both the Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple and Nijō Castle. The air-conditioned rooms boast smooth colours, stylish lamps and a flat-screen TV. Each private bathroom features a spacious shower area with a bathtub. A fridge and an electric kettle with green tea are provided.
The hotel is ideally positioned for exploration of this unique city and the beautiful natural surroundings. It's well connected as it's just a few minutes’ walk from Karasuma Oike subway station where the two subway lines of Kyoto converge. It's also on the edge of the busy main business and shopping districts of Shijo.
This comfortable and highly regarded hotel is in an ideal location for visitors. High-speed internet access is available in all guest rooms and there is a handy self-service laundry facility.
Travel by long-distance bus to Tokushima Prefecture. Begin your pilgrimage with a gentle introduction to the walks on Shikoku through quiet neighbourhoods of Tokushima. Visit three of the most eye-catching temples on whole trail - Temple 1 Ryozen-ji, Temple 2 Gokuraku-ji and Temple 3 Konsen-ji. Spend your first night as all pilgrims should - with a stay in a Shukubo Temple Lodging.
Travel south from your Shukubo pilgrim's lodging by pre-booked and pre-paid taxi to Temple 11 Fujii-dera, located at the bottom of a fascinating hillside temple complex. From Fujii-dera undertake a challenging hike to Temple 12 Shosan-ji. The full walk is one of the longest and most strenuous on the tour, but very rewarding with beautiful scenery. Walk onwards to Yorii and board a bus to the small Onsen village of Kamiyama and your inn for the evening.
You can reduce the walk to 5-6 hours (14.1km / 8.8 miles) and avoid the first half of the strenuous ascent up Mt. Shosan-ji. Simply pay locally to extend the taxi ride on the day - no need to decide in advance.
Ascent: 1330m / Descent: 1210m
Travel by pre-paid taxi to one of the most beautiful and varied hikes on the entire 88 Pilgrimage route. From Temple 20 Kakurin-ji the trail descends to the hamlet of Anan, crosses the Nakagawa River and climbs again to Temple 21 Tairyu-ji. End the day with a cable car ride with wonderful views over a cedar forest and the small town below. Travel by bus to your accommodation for the evening.
Ascent: 460m / Descent: 470m
Leave Tokushima behind today and travel by bus, train and pre-booked taxi to Kagawa Prefecture. A fine selection of temples to visit today through lovely scenery. Temple 82– Negoro-ji, Temple 81—Shiromine-ji and finally Temple 80– Kokubun-ji. Then travel by train to the old hot spring town of Kotohira Spa for your overnight stay.
Ascent: 335m / Descent: 655m
Take the morning to explore Kotohira spa. Visit the Shinto shrine of Konpira-dai-gongen. Located at an altitude of 521m, there are 785 steps to the main shrine and 1368 steps to the inner shrine. If you’d rather take it easy today, relax in the town and perhaps sample the local delicacy– thick, handmade Udon noodles. Board an afternoon train (1.5 hours) to the port city of Osaka where you will be spending the night

Hotel Vischio Osaka by Granvia is a newly opened hotel in the heart of Umeda Osaka. Located just 5 minutes’ walk from JR Osaka Station. Connecting you to the pulse of the city.
Your tour ends today following breakfast. Spend the day exploring the city of Osaka; visit its famous aquarium, the Kaiyukan, one of the biggest in the world. Or browse the flashy shops in the Shinsaibashi shopping district before your onward travel. Alternatively, if you wish to extend your stay in Osaka we can book extra nights here for you.
Other Information
Is it for me?Perfect for those wanting to experience the quiet and contemplation of a pilgrimage route through the Japanese countryside. There are some significant ascents meaning this tour is best suited to those with a good level of fitness. Stays in rural guesthouses and time in the cities of Kyoto and Osaka complete the experience.
Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers
This tour is graded moderate with walks as long as 14km (with some longer options on most days) with some strenuous ascents and descents. You should be a regular walker in good shape to get the most from the trip. Terrain is varied with a mix of paved paths, woodland trails, stone steps and trails alongside paddy fields.
On this tour, you will stay in a mixture of Ryokan, Minshuku, Shukubo temples and western-style 3-star hotels. Ryokan and Minshuku are traditional family-run Japanese style inns with an emphasis on personalised service and homemade food. They tend to be furnished with ‘tatami’ (straw mat) floors and you will sleep on a futon (which are surprisingly comfortable!)
Shukubo are pilgrim’s lodgings attached to the temples. They are similar to Ryokan and Minshuku but are a bit simpler and bathroom facilities are shared. There are several shared toilets and washbasins, and two rooms for communal bathing in natural thermal water, segregated by gender. The food is prepared in a similar style to Buddhist Shojin cuisine, but do include some meat and fish. It is a wonderful experience to stay in a shukubo and there is also the opportunity to join the early morning religious service.
In large cities like Kyoto, Tokushima, and Osaka, we use western-style hotels of a 3* standard. Please see below for an example of the accommodation we use.
Solo Walkers & Single Rooms
This trip is available to solo walkers and a limited number of single rooms are available, although a single/solo supplement is payable.
Meals
Japanese cuisine is the highlight of many people’s visit to Japan and this is especially the case on the Shikoku trail. Your trip includes all breakfasts and 5 evening meals whilst on the trail, Most meals will be Japanese cuisine, though breakfast in western-style hotels usually includes more familiar choices. Dinner and breakfast in ryokan and minshuku are set meals, usually with a whole succession of different dishes which will delight you. Alcoholic and soft drinks are not included with meals. Tipping is not customary at hotels and restaurants in Japan.
The route is partly waymarked (in English and Japanese) and we provide detailed route notes and topographic maps so you should have no problem following the trail.
- 4 nights accommodation in Ryokan
- 3 nights in 3* standard hotels
- 1 night in a Shukubu pilgrim's lodging
- 8 breakfasts
- 5 dinners
- Bus/train tickets to and from Shikoku
- Tickets for journeys on the trail
- Private transfers on days 4 & 7
- Local travel information, route notes, topographical maps and hints and tips
- Telephone support from our local, English speaking, representative.
- International flights and travel to Kyoto/from Osaka
- Drinks with meals
- Lunches
- Evening meals in Kyoto & Osaka
- Local buses on Shikoku (paid locally)
- Baggage forwarding
- Travel insurance
- Additional nights on the trail or in Kyoto, Tokyo or Osaka (prices on request for Kyoto and Osaka)
- Daily Luggage Transfers (Takijiri to Nachi-San)
This trip is available from early April until the end of October. Accommodations are busy and may charge extra during the following Japanese holiday periods: New Year (29 December - 04 January), Golden Week (29 April - 05 May), and O-bon (13-15 August)
Time of Year
It is tough to beat the spring months of April and May but the autumn colours in October is also lovely. It can get quite hot and humid in July and August. Overall, the best months to travel are either April-June or September-October.
The best airport to arrive at is Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights from international destinations. You can also fly into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto (3h30).
The West Japan Rail Company operates services between Kansai Airport and Osaka/Kyoto. For timetable information please visit http://www.westjr.co.jp/global.en/travel-information/timetable. The Airport Express HARUKA (Kansai Airport Line) takes approx 75 mins to Kyoto.
The best airport to depart from is Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights to international destinations. You can also take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet train) from Kyoto (3h30) to Tokyo and fly out of Tokyo Narita (NRT).
The West Japan Rail Company operates services between Kansai Airport and Osaka/Kyoto. For timetable information please visit http://www.westjr.co.jp/global.en/travel-information/timetable. The Airport Express HARUKA (Kansai Airport Line) takes approx 75 mins to Kyoto.
Luggage transfer is not included during your walk as standard. The easiest option here is to arrange luggage transfers by a service called Takkyubin which is a courier service in Japan and can only be booked in Japan. This is cheap, reliable and costs approx £12 per day. With this service, your bags will not be moved each day but instead will be waiting for you at your accommodation a couple of nights later. Our information pack has full details on how to use this service, which is really easy.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.
Getting around
Your package includes train tickets from/to Kyoto or Osaka. The public transport system in Japan is world-class and your pre-departure information pack has detailed information on tickets, trains and how to use public transport easily.
Our specialist Laura travelled to Japan in 2014 and you can read her experience of using public transport, on the blog.
Visas
Please check your visa requirements with the foreign office or the embassy in your country of residence before travelling to Japan.
British nationals wishing to visit Japan for three months or less for business, tourism or family purposes, etc (but not to work for a local employer) may do so without a visa. You must have a valid passport and an onward/return ticket. Please visit www.fco.gov.uk for up to date information.
Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, lightweight clothes, waterproofs and a day pack. lease be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes, and lightweight clothing for summer.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
The walk is graded moderate but it does involve some days with fairly steep ascents and descents.The terrain can also be quite tricky underfoot as wet tree roots can be quite slippy at times. Most days have a shorter and longer option to choose from so you can usually makes things a bit easier if you feel like an easy-going day.
The best airport to arrive at is Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights from international destinations. You can also fly into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto (3h30).
Luggage transfer is not included during your walk as standard and you have a couple of options here. The first option is to arrange luggage transfers by a service called Takkyubin which is a courier service in Japan and can only be booked in Japan. This is cheap, reliable and costs approx £12 per day. With this service your bags will not be moved each day but instead will be waiting for you at your accommodation a couple of nights later. Our information pack has full details of how to use this service, which is really easy. Please contact us if you have any questions about this at all.
Yes, please just let us know at the time of booking. Most food during the walk is Japanese style. It is worth mentioning however that many dishes do contain the ubiquitous Japanese fish stock called dashi which is an ingredient in many soups and sauces so it is helpful if you are able to accept dishes containing this.
No, our detailed info pack and a little bit of effort on your part will get you by. Most signs are also in English. Our specialist Laura travelled to Japan in 2014 and you can read her experience of travelling in Japan with little language skills on the blog.
You will need good walking shoes/boots, comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack, warm clothing in the early/late part of the year and hats etc during the summer. We supply a detailed packing list with your information pack.
It is tough to beat the spring months of April and May but the autumn colours in October are also lovely. It can get quite hot and humid in July and August.Overall, the best months to travel are either April-June or September-October.
-
HikingWhy Walk in Japan?Read More4 Min Read04 February 2020
-
HikingWhy Shikoku Island Was My Ultimate Japanese HighlightRead More2 Min Read02 July 2019
-
5 Things I loved about Japan (and 5 foods I will not forget!)Read More2 Min Read09 November 2017
-
Food & DrinkTry Matcha Tea in JapanRead More1 Min Read03 October 2022
-
Experiencing Japan for the First TimeRead More5 Min Read16 May 2017
-
HikingWalking to Japan's Unique AccommodationRead More2 Min Read07 June 2018
-
HikingMinshuku and Ryokan - Traditional Japanese accommodationsRead More2 Min Read14 February 2018
-
HikingAdventure of the Week: Nakasendo Trail, Tokyo, Kyoto, Mount Koya & NaraRead More4 Min Read31 May 2018
-
HikingTop things to see in Kyoto and TokyoRead More1 Min Read04 October 2022
-
HikingCamino Guide Part 4: How to travel to the Camino de SantiagoRead More3 Min Read31 March 2014
-
CaminoCamino Guide Part 3: Which Pilgrimage Route? – Camino Del Norte & Camino PrimitivoRead More1 Min Read18 March 2014
-
CaminoCamino Guide Part 2: The Culture of the CaminoRead More1 Min Read10 February 2014
-
HikingCamino Guide Part 3: Which Pilgrimage Route? - Camino FrancesRead More2 Min Read13 February 2014
-
WalkingHow fit do I need to be to walk the Camino?Read More3 Min Read05 December 2017
-
What is a pilgrimage?Read More2 Min Read25 May 2023
-
Save %9 Days 8 Nights
Kumano Kodo Trail - Kyoto to Osaka
Combine Kyoto with the 11th century Kumano Kodo pilgrim's trail.Highlights- Imperial Kyoto, heart of Japan’s culture.
- Follow in the footsteps of Japan's Imperial family
- Overnight in traditional minshuku and ryokan.
-
Save %10 Days 9 Nights
Nakasendo Trail - Kyoto to Tokyo
Combine Kyoto and Tokyo with a walk on the ancient Nakasendo Trail.Highlights- Walk on an ancient highway, the Nakasendo Trail.
- Kyoto, the heart of Japan's traditional culture.
- The bright lights of bustling Tokyo.
-
Save %5 Days 4 Nights
Ancient Capitals: Nara & Asuka
Visit the historic capitals of culturally rich Nara and rural Asuka on a 5 day extensionHighlights- The terraced ricefields of small village Asuka
- Walk a pretty forested trail to Tanzan Shrine
- Explore Todaiji temple in Nara, a 16m tall buddha