After seven hours of trekking through sleepy rural villages, past five Buddhist temples, and into bamboo forests peppered with massive sugi cedar trees and ancient stone shrines, sitting feels really good. Even better, there are no fewer than 10 dishes spread out before me, from a spectrum of sashimi to golden shrimp and sweet potato tempura—and I’ve earned every morsel of them.
I’m cross-legged on a floor cushion at one of my ryokan’s traditional low-lying chabudai tables, which serves as a canvas for an enticing Japanese culinary mosaic, otherwise known as kaiseki. This traditional multi-course meal is the first of many to come on my eight-day self-guided solo pilgrimage trek on Japan’s smallest main island of Shikoku. The feast quickly became everyday motivation and fuel for my trek.
Here’s what to know about hiking the Shikoku Temple Pilgrimage and the quintessential Japanese foods to eat along the way.
How to hike the Shikoku Temple Pilgrimage
Halfway through my hiking adventure in Shikoku, I’d become spoiled with dazzling mountains and rugged coastal cliffs, daily hot onsen soaks for my aching feet, and bountiful feasts of seafood and noodles, fit for a king. I was on a self-guided, shortened version of the famous 88-temple circular pilgrimage route, curated by Walk Japan, which also offers guided custom private and group versions.
Spanning 746 miles, the full trek typically takes between six weeks and two months to complete on foot, crossing diverse terrain through all four of Shikoku’s prefectures: Tokushima, Kōchi, Ehime, and Kagawa. Pilgrims (referred to as henros) retrace the footsteps of Kukai, the 9th-century founder of the Shingon Buddhist faith. It’s meant to be a meditative journey of reflection, enlightenment, awakening, healing, and eventually nirvana. Although my eight-day tour covered 8–10 miles per day and two of the four prefectures, I gained a healthy taste of Shikoku’s landscape, culture, and cuisine—my version of enlightenment.
As a solo hiker, I found Walk Japan’s logistics (detailed booklets with instructions for each day’s itinerary) and on-the-ground support (taxi rides when necessary and luggage transfers between ryokans) ran smoothly. This package can be done as a five-night, six-day trip (starting and ending in Tokushima) or a seven-night, eight-day journey (ending in Kotohira).
Best Japanese food to eat along the trail
Tokushima is known for regional ramen, Sudachi lime, and sea bream sashimi.
Photo by Tuan P./Unsplash (L); photo by Lauren Breedlove (R)
My motto on this trek quickly became “will hike for good food,” and Shikoku delivered. From the Kagawa prefecture’s mountain-grown buckwheat to Tokushima’s fresh catches of the day, Shikoku’s gastronomy is undeniably tied to the landscape, making this pilgrimage an all-out immersion course and feast for the senses. Local specialties such as the Sanuki udon, Naruto sea bream, root vegetables, and the Sudachi lime filled my belly each day.
“Many of Shikoku’s temples are found in the countryside, and pilgrims will walk past rice paddies, arable fields, and citrus groves,” said Walk Japan tour leader Tom Orsman. “These provide the fresh ingredients that are turned into shojin-ryori, a very nutritious vegetarian cuisine that is served to walkers spending the night in temple lodgings.”
Since I typically passed through at least one town a day as I hiked, I stopped at convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Family Mart, and Lawson for picnic lunches, which included treats like onigiri, karaage (fried chicken), gyoza, and the simple-yet-perfect egg salad sandwich.
Every accommodation provided luxurious breakfasts and dinners. My first taste of Shikoku began at Otorii-en, a traditional Japanese ryokan located in Bando, where premium red sea bream sashimi from the nearby Naruto Strait’s whirlpools knocked my pilgrim socks right off. The slices of light yet satisfying white fish practically melted in my mouth, ruining me for any future sashimi.
Sea bream is a classic autumn kaiseki dish, also served as taimeshi (sea bream rice) or simply grilled. Since it was late November, the inn served a seasonal hot pot course with locally grown vegetables like daikon and pumpkin. This, paired with seafood and a bowl of udon noodles, was a fresh, filling, and comforting meal to kick off the pilgrimage.
Tokushima Prefecture is also home to the Sudachi lime, a tiny but tangy sidekick to many dishes, including soba (buckwheat) noodles. Hikers will encounter the bright yellow Naruto Kintoki sweet potatoes in this region too, and slightly sticky, sweet white rice from the lush Yoshino River basin.
In the city of Tokushima on day five, I sought out a bowl of sweet and savory Tokushima ramen. Mission accomplished at Inotani Ramen Shop, where I slurped the short-noodle ramen in a rich brown soy sauce and tonkotsu (pork bone) broth, topped with pork belly, spring onion, bean sprouts, and a raw egg.
Food vendor stalls near the Iya Vine Bridge sell grilled skewers known as Iya no dekomawasi.
Photo by Tanya Jones/Shutterstock
In the remote Iya Valley, the deep gorges flanked by fiery foliage and vine bridges over the vibrant blue Iya River were as much a treat as the local snack, Iya no dekomawasi. These grilled skewers sold at vendor stalls contain small chunks of goshuiimo potato, buckwheat dumplings, firm tofu, and a miso sauce.
The star of Shikoku is undoubtedly its udon noodles, crafted from mountain-grown wheat. “Legend has it that udon was first brought to Japan from China by Kukai, the monk who established the Shingon Buddhist sect in the 9th Century,” Orsman explained. “Perhaps this is the reason udon is served across the width and breadth of Shikoku, as it is a fortifying meal for anyone on a long walk.”
My eight-day venture wrapped up at Zentsu-ji, the final temple of the Shikoku pilgrimage, located in the Kagawa prefecture, where Sanuki udon reigns supreme. According to Orsman, “It is eaten seemingly religiously three times a day by the locals, who serve themselves from a wide range of toppings and side dishes to create a multitude of variations on a noodle theme.”
I tucked into the thick wheat noodles in a savory dashi fish broth at Kotohira Kadan. Also on the menu was the prefecture’s local meat trifecta: Sanuki beef, deep-fried pork from olive-fed pigs, and Sanuki cochin (a local breed of chicken).
On the full 88-temple journey, pilgrims visit the Kochi prefecture, known for katsuo no tataki, a seared bonito (skipjack tuna) that’s raw on the inside, served with spring onions, garlic, and ginger. Paired with crisp, dry sakes, it’s a well-earned post-hike duo. Henro pilgrims will also trek into Ehime Prefecture, which is a citrus hot spot, with blood oranges, mikan (Japanese mandarin), slightly bitter iyokan fruit, and hassaku (a hybrid orange between mandarin and pomelo).
Tips for the trek
You can get your noukyo pilgrimage book signed at different temples along the journey.
Photo by Amehime/Shutterstock (L); photo by Hendrik Morkel/Shutterstock (R)
Much of the pilgrimage route passes through rural villages and remote areas, so it’s wise to have some Japanese yen on hand.
There’s a great pilgrim shop at the first temple, Ryozen-ji (located around the corner from the lodging, Otorii-en). Here, you can purchase some classic henro items for your journey, such as walking sticks, prayer beads for the temples, and the traditional hakui white jacket. Keep in mind there’s no strict dress code, and I found my hiking boots, backpack, and raincoat to be the most useful items that I packed (other than my camera).
At the shop, you can also buy the noukyo, a special book that is signed with the official calligraphy script of each temple as proof that you visited. It’s an incredible souvenir and impressive to watch the artists expertly paint.
Where to stay
Hotel Kazura-bashi is one of many ryokans that provide a multi-course kaiseki meal.
Photo by Lauren Breedlove
With Walk Japan, all pilgrimage accommodations are organized for you, including a mix of traditional and modern Japanese inns (ryokans) with hot spring baths (onsens) and one Western-style hotel.
Otorii-en in Bando is near temple number one, which is convenient for the first night’s lodging. Here you’ll find a nourishing kaiseki meal and traditional tatami mats in each room.
A stay within Anrakuji Temple offers rich cultural immersion. A variety of room styles are available, with tatami mats or beds, communal onsen baths, an on-site restaurant, and the opportunity to participate in the daily evening prayer ritual.
Hotel Shiki no Sato at Kamiyama Onsen is perched on the Uetsunotani River, with both traditional Japanese and Western-style rooms, as well as an ancient hot spring pool and restaurant.
My favorite stays were at the end of the trip. Hotel Kazura-bashi in the Iya Valley has an onsen soaking experience like none other, accessed by the property’s mountain cable car. The hot spring pools are tucked high in the forest, with dazzling views of the mountains, particularly in autumn.
Kotohira Kadan was the most luxurious hotel of the trip. The mountainside ryokan has views of the 400-year-old Kotohira shrine, a variety of room styles, private open-air and communal onsens, and a fantastic restaurant where I savored my last fix of udon.
