
~SHIKOKU: A WELL-WALKED PATH, 2017~
The colour & beauty of Spring in Shikoku on my second 88-Temple Pilgrimage.
This Henro was conventional in direction (clockwise) but rather than starting at temple #1, I began & finished at #51, Ishite-ji, in Matsuyama. I also lengthened my journey by a week or so with a side-trip to follow the Shimanto River (see SHIMANTO, SOURCE TO SEA). Spring was a good choice: chilly nights while camping out but glorious walking temperatures & of course cherry blossoms.

Distant Pilgrim Heading Out on the Road, Naruto
As I moved between the closely clustered temples of Naruto City, Tokushima (where temple #1 is located), I got this glimpse of a fellow henro moving the opposite way, probably on his first day.

Tulips to Infinity, Ehime
Roadside planting points like an arrow down the road, soon after I departed Butsumoku-ji, temple #42.

Aiming at the Kochi Coast in Bad Weather
Foggy mountain scenery on the road out of Tosa City on a wet afternoon.

A Fellow Traveller on a Rural Road
A speeding local train at a road crossing in rural Tokushima Prefecture just before dark.

Canola Blossoms on the Descent from Yashima-ji, Kagawa
Beautiful scenery after leaving temple #84, shortly before climbing again to Yakuri-ji, 5.4km further down the road.

Jizo Statue in the Rain, Oki Beach, Kochi
On a day when my sandalled feet began to deteriorate in the prolonged damp, a statue of O-Jizo-sama (protector of children & travellers) stands by the roadside above a surfing beach. I ended up missing a turn, getting lost, negotiating treacherous, muddy paths in the darkness, & sneaking into a fishing-village shrine to lie down beneath the eaves.

Sakaide Sunset: Dusk on the Pilgrim Road, Kagawa
One of the characteristic mini-Fujis that characterise Kagawa Prefecture is glimpsed through a train overpass illuminated with golden light.

Pre-Dawn Rain & Fog on a Tokushima Mountain Road
After sleeping on the roadside uncomfortably close to (thankfully rare) passing trucks, I started early, enjoying the fog & glorious mountain scenery.

Headlights at Dusk on the Ascent to Kuma-Kogen
After a few days' rest in Matsuyama with damaged feet, I returned for my final section of this, my 2nd Henro. I was camped by the road here on the long road up to the Kuma-Kogen highlands, making use of a brand-new shelter for bicycle tourists.

A Fellow Goat Early on an Ehime Morning
A friendly local tethered on a canal bank on a chilly morning in Ehime, Day 4.

A Long Haul to the First Kochi Temple
It's important not to be discouraged between some of the more widely spaced temples - this is shortly after departing Yakuo-ji, temple #23, for the journey down the east coast of Cape Muroto & into Kochi Prefecture.

A Hot Afternoon on the Southern Tokushima Coast
On the approach to the hot-spring area of Shishikui, not far north of the border with Kochi Prefecture, on Day 23.

A Golden Dawn in Shikokuchuo, Ehime
A frosty morning as I moved on following a night camping at the back of a bangai (subsidiary) temple.

Dawn on the Ehime Coast, Day 2
Tetrapods line the shore beneath a spectacular sky after a cold first night camped here on the beach north of Matsuyama.

The Lonesome Coke Machine on the Yokonami Peninsula
This is a quiet stretch of coastal road with occasional lovely views & a lot of up & down. I've now walked it in both directions & made use of that vending machine each time!

A Break in the Monotony of an Endless Mountain Crossing, Kochi
On the long, steep mountain road after leaving the coast at Tosa-Shimizu, a farm dog comes out to wish me safe travels.

Pre-Dawn from My Niyodo River Campsite, Kochi
Two road bridges stretch across the Niyodo River, on the outskirts of Kochi City, not long before dawn. I'd camped under the one on the left after resuming the Shikoku Pilgrimage with a long, slow walk from the city.

A Very Long & Very Welcome Pedestrian Tunnel, Rt 56, Ehime
A mosaic on the wall of an exceptionally long walker's underpass on the coast of Ehime, Shikoku.

Pilgrims on a Wet Day Near Temple #39, Kochi
A pair of women pilgrims walk along a busy road on a rainy day after departing temple #39, Enko-ji.

Windblown Grass on the Road to Eifuku-ji, Ehime
Nearing temple #57, the "Temple of Good Luck", after a chilly night near here in a roadside Henro shelter.

Tonbi (Black Kites) Awaiting Breakfast, Shishikui, Tokushima
One of my favourite moments & pictures from my 2nd pilgrimage. The tonbi is my favourite Japanese animal - these were closely monitoring as a fishing boat’s haul was sorted on the docks below, the birds taking turns to swoop down & grab a snack right off the tables.

Gold-Bathed Outcrops: The View from "Medicine King Temple", Tokushima
Yakuo-ji, temple #23, is the final Tokushima temple when hiking in the standard clockwise direction. This was taken with a telephoto from the hillside temple, early in the day after stealth-camping at a nearby erst area. A 75.4km trek to temple #24 looms…

Peaceful Tokushima Farmland at Day's End
After a long day including a climb & descent of Shosan-ji, temple #12, I passed this gently beautiful scene as I searched for somewhere to crash. I ended up camping in a roadside bamboo grove.

View of a Frosty Hillside from Dainichi-ji, Tokushima
After a night freezing in a free roadside shelter, the dawn & the scenery as I moved closer to temple #1 were lovely. Dainichi-ji (“Temple of the Great Sun”) is #4 on the Henro.

A Mejiro, Harbinger of Spring, Tokushima
Mejiro or white-eyes are tiny but readily observed feeding in cherry blossoms. This was early in the day following a rainy night by the road - I’d visited temple #88 early the previous evening.

Stone Lantern in Farmland Near "Front God Temple" (#64), Ehime
That was a beautiful afternoon’s walking, a great beginning to the 45.2km journey from Meigami-ji (temple #64) to Sankaku-ji.

Kōryūji Temple Dog, Ehime
A loyal resident awaits the return of its human to bangai (subsidiary) temple #10, one of the few bangai I visited & one of the most beautifully situated temples in all of Shikoku.

A Forest Path Near Meiseki-ji, Temple #43, Ehime
A beautiful stretch of pilgrim trail, one option after leaving “Brilliant Stone Temple” for the 61.9km slog to temple #44.

Pilgrims on the Nagahama Ferry, Kochi
On the journey out of Kochi City, this short, free ferry ride is an option on the way to temple #33. A few fellow pilgrims were aboard, include the woman in traditional garb posing for a picture here. We ran into one another several times on the road in that period.


















































































































