Shikoku — Japan’s smallest main island — is the country’s most undervisited and most spiritually distinctive region. The 88-temple pilgrimage (お遍路, ohenro) that circuits the island defines its cultural identity; beyond the pilgrimage, Shikoku offers dramatic gorge scenery, Japan’s most powerful tidal currents, and a quality of unhurried authenticity increasingly rare in over-touristed Japan.
The 88-Temple Pilgrimage (お遍路)
The Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage circuits the island following in the footsteps of the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi (Kukai, 774–835 AD), founder of Shingon Buddhism. The full circuit spans approximately 1,200 km. Pilgrims (お遍路さん, ohenrō-san) traditionally walk in white clothing carrying a staff and visiting 88 temples associated with Kobo Daishi’s life and enlightenment. Completing the circuit typically takes 30–60 days on foot, 10–15 days by bicycle, or 7–10 days by car.
Foreign residents who complete even a portion of the pilgrimage find it one of Japan’s most profound experiences — not necessarily as religious practice but as a walking meditation through rural Japan’s extraordinary landscape, traditional hospitality (お接待, osettai — gifts of food and money freely given to pilgrims), and the quiet discipline of daily travel on foot. Many residents do sections over multiple visits.
Kochi Prefecture: Pacific Coast and Rough Terrain
Kochi Castle (高知城) is one of Japan’s 12 surviving original castles — intact from the Edo period. Kochi city’s Hirome Ichiba covered market is a bustling food and drink hall particularly lively in evenings. Cape Ashizuri (足摺岬) — Shikoku’s southernmost point — offers Pacific cliff scenery and camellia forests. The Niyodogawa River (仁淀川) consistently ranks as Japan’s clearest river — its “Niyodo Blue” is otherworldly; swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling in summer.
Yoshino River (吉野川, Tokushima) is Japan’s premier whitewater rafting destination — Class III–IV rapids through a limestone gorge, with rafting operations from March–November.
Matsuyama: Dogo Onsen and the City
Dogo Onsen (道後温泉, Ehime) is Japan’s oldest known hot spring, mentioned in 8th-century texts and widely cited as the inspiration for the bathhouse in Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. The main bathhouse (本館) is a 1894 wooden structure currently undergoing phased renovation; portions remain open. Dogo Onsen Annex provides full facility access. Matsuyama Castle is one of Japan’s original 12 castles, perched on a central hill accessible by ropeway. Matsuyama is also the birthplace of haiku master Masaoka Shiki — the Shiki Memorial Museum honors his legacy.
Tokushima and Naruto
Naruto Whirlpools (鳴門の渦潮) — the tidal strait between Shikoku and Awaji Island creates enormous whirlpools (up to 20 meters diameter) during tidal changes. Observation boats and a glass-floored bridge walkway (渦の道) provide dramatic views. Best at spring and autumn tidal peaks. The Awa Odori (阿波おどり) — held in Tokushima during Obon (August 12–15) — is Japan’s largest dance festival, drawing over one million spectators to the city’s streets for four days of mass folk dancing.
Getting to and Around Shikoku
Shikoku is connected to Honshu by the Seto Ohashi Bridge (by train and road), Nishiseto Expressway (Shimanami Kaido, cyclists’ paradise), and Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (from Kobe to Awaji Island, then ferry or road to Tokushima). No Shinkansen serves Shikoku directly — limited express trains connect major cities. Renting a car is strongly recommended for exploring Shikoku beyond the main cities; rural roads are well-maintained and low-traffic.