Shikoku pilgrimage route

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap

Course of the pilgrimage

The Shikoku pilgrimage route ( Japanese 四 国 八 十八 箇 所 , shikoku hachijū hakkasho ; in German for example: "88 Shikoku places") with its 88 holy places is an important Buddhist pilgrimage ( Junrei ) on the Japanese island of Shikoku . He is one of the most important elements of the Daishi belief ( 大師 信仰 , Daishi shinkō ), in which the Buddhist monk and founder of the Shingon-shū , Kūkai (774-835), is venerated.

history

According to popular legends, Kūkai himself is said to have founded the pilgrimage, but there is no historical evidence for this. In fact, today's pilgrimage route is likely to have developed through the pilgrimages of ascetic monks from Kōya-san in the footsteps of their master from the 12th to the middle of the 17th century. The first written records of the pilgrimage in the form of travel diaries, guides and collections of legends date from the late 17th century.

procedure

In order to complete the pilgrimage one does not have to visit the temples in order, in some cases it is even considered lucky to visit the temples in reverse order. In addition, the pilgrimage does not have to end in a pilgrimage. You can walk it in several sections.

The pilgrimage traditionally takes place on foot, but modern pilgrims also use trains and buses, cars and other means of transport, especially for the longer sections.

The walk is around 1,200 km and can take 30 to 60 days. This pilgrimage is often referred to as Henro ( 遍 路 ), roughly complete circling . The pilgrims are respectfully called o-henro-san ( お 遍 路 さ ん ) by the locals and can usually be recognized by their white clothes, sedge hats and walking sticks. Many Henro-san begin and end their pilgrimage with a visit to the Kōya-san in Wakayama Prefecture on the Japanese main island, a monastery founded by Kūkai and the headquarters of the Buddhist Shingon-shū . Often the Henro-san have the temple visits confirmed by a Shuin ( 朱 印 ) in their nōkyō-chō ( 納 経 帳 ). The 21 km long pilgrimage route to the Kōya-san still exists, but most Henro-san use the train to get to the temple.

There are also 20 Bangai ( 番外 ), i.e. H. “Extra”, meaning temple without a number.

In addition to the main path on Shikoku Island, there is a "miniature pilgrimage route" on Shōdoshima Island north of Takamatsu . Many such miniature Shikoku pilgrimage routes exist in Japan, some of them are simply a stone with images of the main deities of each temple, others are quite large and take a few hours to walk.

The 88 temples

Pilgrim on Iwamoto-ji (37)

02 Gokuraku-ji

03 consensus-ji

51 Ishiteji-ji Pagoda

51 Ishiteji-ji Niōmon (entrance gate)

52 Taisan-ji Hon-do (main building)

70 Motoyama-ji

88 Ōkubo-ji, Kūkai statue

71 Iyadani-ji

75 Zentsū-ji

76 Konzō-ji

88 Ōkubo-ji

No.	temple	city	prefecture	Coordinates
01	Ryōzen-ji ( 霊 山寺 )	Naruto	Tokushima	34 ° 09 '35.3 "  N , 134 ° 30' 09.3"  O
02	Gokuraku-ji ( 極 楽 寺 )	Naruto	Tokushima	34 ° 09 ′ 20.3 "  N , 134 ° 29 ′ 25.3"  E
03	Konsen-ji ( 金泉 寺 )	Itano	Tokushima	34 ° 08 ′ 50.8 "  N , 134 ° 28 ′ 06.8"  E
04th	Dainichi-ji ( 大 日 寺 )	Itano	Tokushima	34 ° 09 ′ 04.7 "  N , 134 ° 25 ′ 51.2"  E
05	Jizō-ji ( 地 蔵 寺 )	Itano	Tokushima	34 ° 08 '14.0 "  N , 134 ° 25' 54.9"  E
06th	Anraku-ji ( 安 楽 寺 )	Kamiita	Tokushima	34 ° 07'05.0 "  N , 134 ° 23'18.2"  E
07th	Jūraku-ji ( 十 楽 寺 )	Awa	Tokushima	34 ° 07 ′ 14.7 "  N , 134 ° 22 ′ 40.6"  E
08th	Kumadani-ji ( 熊 谷 寺 )	Awa	Tokushima	34 ° 07 ′ 21.9 "  N , 134 ° 20 ′ 24.1"  E
09	Hōrin-ji ( 法輪 寺 )	Awa	Tokushima	34 ° 06'15.8 "  N , 134 ° 20'01.7"  E
10	Kirihata-ji ( 切 幡 寺 )	Awa	Tokushima	34 ° 06 ′ 28.0 "  N , 134 ° 18 ′ 13.9"  E
11	Fujii-dera ( 藤井 寺 )	Yoshinogawa	Tokushima	34 ° 03 '07.1 "  N , 134 ° 20' 54.9"  E
12	Shōzan-ji ( 焼 山寺 )	Kamiyama	Tokushima	33 ° 59 ′ 06.1 "  N , 134 ° 18 ′ 36.9"  E
13	Dainichi-ji ( 大 日 寺 )	Tokushima	Tokushima	34 ° 02 '17.3 "  N , 134 ° 27' 45.6"  E
14th	Jōraku-ji ( 常 楽 寺 )	Tokushima	Tokushima	34 ° 03 ′ 01.3 "  N , 134 ° 28 ′ 32.3"  E
15th	Kokubun-ji ( 国 分 寺 )	Tokushima	Tokushima	34 ° 03 ′ 20.3 "  N , 134 ° 28 ′ 25.0"  E
16	Kan'on-ji ( 観 音 寺 )	Tokushima	Tokushima	34 ° 04 ′ 06.6 "  N , 134 ° 28 ′ 27.6"  E
17th	Ido-ji ( 井 戸 寺 )	Tokushima	Tokushima	34 ° 05 ′ 06.6 "  N , 134 ° 29 ′ 07.7"  E
18th	Onzan-ji ( 恩 山寺 )	Komatsushima	Tokushima	33 ° 59 '09.3 "  N , 134 ° 34' 42.0"  O
19th	Tatsue-ji ( 立 江 寺 )	Komatsushima	Tokushima	33 ° 58 ′ 04.4 "  N , 134 ° 36 ′ 20.6"  E
20th	Kakurin-ji ( 鶴 林寺 )	Katsuura	Tokushima	33 ° 54 '49.0 "  N , 134 ° 30' 18.2"  E
21st	Tairyū-ji ( 太 竜 寺 )	Anan	Tokushima	33 ° 52 '57.1 "  N , 134 ° 31' 18.7"  E
22nd	Byōdō-ji ( 平等 寺 )	Anan	Tokushima	33 ° 51 '08.3 "  N , 134 ° 34' 55.7"  E
23	Yakuō-ji ( 薬 王 寺 )	Hiwasa	Tokushima	33 ° 43 '55.8 "  N , 134 ° 31' 39.3"  E
24	Hotsumisaki-ji ( 最 御 崎 寺 )	Muroto	Kochi	33 ° 14 '56.4 "  N , 134 ° 10' 32.7"  E
25th	Shinshō-ji ( 津 照 寺 )	Muroto	Kochi	33 ° 17 '17.6 "  N , 134 ° 08'54.3"  E
26th	Kongōchō-ji ( 金剛 頂 寺 )	Muroto	Kochi	33 ° 18'26.1 "  N , 134 ° 07'22.2"  E
27	Kōnomine-ji ( 神 峰 寺 )	Yasuda	Kochi	33 ° 28 '02.2 "  N , 133 ° 58' 28.5"  E
28	Dainichi-ji ( 大 日 寺 )	Konan	Kochi	33 ° 34 '39.3 "  N , 133 ° 42' 19.5"  E
29	Kokubun-ji ( 国 分 寺 )	Nankoku	Kochi	33 ° 35 '55.2 "  N , 133 ° 38' 25.6"  E
30th	Zenraku-ji ( 善 楽 寺 )	Kochi	Kochi	33 ° 35 '30.9 "  N , 133 ° 34' 39.0"  E
31	Chikurin-ji ( 竹林寺 )	Kochi	Kochi	33 ° 32 '47.7 "  N , 133 ° 34' 38.4"  E
32	Zenjibu-ji ( 禅師 峰 寺 )	Nankoku	Kochi	33 ° 31 '36.2 "  N , 133 ° 36' 41.0"  E
33	Sekkei-ji ( 雪 蹊 寺 )	Kochi	Kochi	33 ° 30 '03.0 "  N , 133 ° 32' 35.2"  E
34	Tanema-ji ( 種 間 寺 )	Haruno	Kochi	33 ° 29 '30.2 "  N , 133 ° 29' 15.3"  E
35	Kiyotaki-ji ( 清 滝 寺 )	Tosa	Kochi	33 ° 30 '45.1 "  N , 133 ° 24' 34.3"  E
36	Shōryū-ji ( 青 竜 寺 )	Tosa	Kochi	33 ° 25 ′ 33.5 "  N , 133 ° 27 ′ 07.6"  E
37	Iwamoto-ji ( 岩 本寺 )	Kubokawa	Kochi	33 ° 12 '29.3 "  N , 133 ° 08' 03.7"  O
38	Kongōfuku-ji ( 金剛福 寺 )	Tosashimizu	Kochi	32 ° 43 '33.8 "  N , 133 ° 01'07.9"  E
39	Enkō-ji ( 延光 寺 )	Sukumo	Kochi	32 ° 57 '42.5 "  N , 132 ° 46' 28.7"  E
40	Kanjizai-ji ( 観 自在 寺 )	Ainan	Ehime	32 ° 57 '53.3 "  N , 132 ° 33' 50.2"  E
41	Ryūkō-ji ( 竜 光寺 )	Uwajima	Ehime	33 ° 17 '42  .3 " N , 132 ° 35' 54.3"  E
42	Butsumoku-ji ( 佛 木 寺 )	Uwajima	Ehime	33 ° 18 '37.1 "  N , 132 ° 34' 55.7"  E
43	Meiseki-ji ( 明石 寺 )	Seiyo	Ehime	33 ° 22 '09.2 "  N , 132 ° 31' 08.2"  E
44	Taihō-ji ( 大 宝 寺 )	Kumakōgen	Ehime	33 ° 39 '39.3 "  N , 132 ° 54' 43.6"  E
45	Iwaya-ji ( 岩 屋 寺 )	Kumakōgen	Ehime	33 ° 39 '31.5 "  N , 132 ° 58' 50.9"  E
46	Jōruri-ji ( 浄 瑠 璃 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 45 '12.9 "  N , 132 ° 49' 08.9"  O
47	Yasaka-ji ( 八 坂 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 45 ′ 28.8 "  N , 132 ° 48 ′ 46.2"  E
48	Sairin-ji ( 西林 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 47 '37.4 "  N , 132 ° 48' 50.3"  E
49	Jōdo-ji ( 浄土 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 49 '00.2 "  N , 132 ° 48' 30.1"  E
50	Hanta-ji ( 繁多 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 49 ′ 41.3 "  N , 132 ° 48 ′ 16.1"  E
51	Ishite-ji ( 石 手 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 50 '52.6 "  N , 132 ° 47' 47.2"  E
52	Taisan-ji ( 太 山寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 53 '06.3 "  N , 132 ° 42' 54.0"  E
53	Enmyō-ji ( 円 明 寺 )	Matsuyama	Ehime	33 ° 53 '30.5 "  N , 132 ° 44' 22.7"  E
54	Enmei-ji ( 延命 寺 )	Imabari	Ehime	34 ° 04 '00.6 "  N , 132 ° 57' 50.3"  E
55	Nankō-bō ( 南 光 坊 )	Imabari	Ehime	34 ° 04'05.0 "  N , 132 ° 59'44.5"  E.
56	Taisan-ji ( 泰山 寺 )	Imabari	Ehime	34 ° 03 '01.2 "  N , 132 ° 58' 29.1"  E
57	Eifuku-ji ( 栄 福寺 )	Imabari	Ehime	34 ° 01 ′ 45.9 "  N , 132 ° 58 ′ 42.3"  E
58	Sen'yū-ji ( 仙遊 寺 )	Imabari	Ehime	34 ° 00 ′ 47.9 "  N , 132 ° 58 ′ 38.7"  E
59	Kokubun-ji ( 国 分 寺 )	Imabari	Ehime	34 ° 01 ′ 34.3 "  N , 133 ° 01 ′ 31.6"  E
60	Yokomine-ji ( 横峰 寺 )	Saijō	Ehime	33 ° 50 '16.3 "  N , 133 ° 06'40.1"  E
61	Kōon-ji ( 香 園 寺 )	Saijō	Ehime	33 ° 53 '37.2 "  N , 133 ° 06'11.8"  E
62	Hōju-ji ( 宝 寿 寺 )	Saijō	Ehime	33 ° 53 '50.0 "  N , 133 ° 06'53.6"  E
63	Kichijō-ji ( 吉祥寺 )	Saijō	Ehime	33 ° 53 '46.0 "  N , 133 ° 07'45.1"  E
64	Maegami-ji ( 前 神 寺 )	Saijō	Ehime	33 ° 53 '30.7 "  N , 133 ° 09'37.0"  E
65	Sankaku-ji ( 三角 寺 )	Shikokuchūō	Ehime	33 ° 58 '03.6 "  N , 133 ° 35' 11.4"  E
66	Unpen-ji ( 雲 辺 寺 )	Miyoshi	Tokushima	34 ° 02 ′ 06.8 "  N , 133 ° 43 ′ 25.4"  E
67	Daikō-ji ( 大興 寺 )	Mitoyo	Kagawa	34 ° 06 ′ 09.5 "  N , 133 ° 43 ′ 08.6"  E
68	Jinne-in ( 神 恵 院 )	Kan'onji	Kagawa	34 ° 08 ′ 02.4 "  N , 133 ° 38 ′ 50.5"  E
69	Kan'on-ji ( 観 音 寺 )	Kan'onji	Kagawa	34 ° 08 ′ 04.2 "  N , 133 ° 38 ′ 51.2"  E
70	Motoyama-ji ( 本 山寺 )	Mitoyo	Kagawa	34 ° 08 ′ 22.9 "  N , 133 ° 41 ′ 38.8"  E
71	Iyadani-ji ( 弥 谷 寺 )	Mitoyo	Kagawa	34 ° 13 '47.0 "  N , 133 ° 43' 27.4"  E
72	Mandara-ji ( 曼荼羅 寺 )	Zentsūji	Kagawa	34 ° 13 '23.9 "  N , 133 ° 45' 00.8"  E
73	Shusshaka-ji ( 出 釈 迦 寺 )	Zentsūji	Kagawa	34 ° 13 '10.1 "  N , 133 ° 45' 00,7"  O
74	Kōyama-ji ( 甲 山寺 )	Zentsūji	Kagawa	34 ° 13 '59.6 "  N , 133 ° 45' 56.7"  E
75	Zentsū-ji ( 善 通 寺 )	Zentsūji	Kagawa	34 ° 13 '30.1 "  N , 133 ° 46' 26.3"  E
76	Konzō-ji ( 金 倉 寺 )	Zentsūji	Kagawa	34 ° 15 '00.2 "  N , 133 ° 46' 51.5"  E
77	Dōryū-ji ( 道 隆 寺 )	Tadotsu	Kagawa	34 ° 16 ′ 36.5 "  N , 133 ° 45 ′ 45.8"  E
78	Gōshō-ji ( 郷 照 寺 )	Utazu	Kagawa	34 ° 18 '24.1 "  N , 133 ° 49' 28.4"  E
79	Tennō-ji ( 天皇 寺 )	Sakaide	Kagawa	34 ° 18 '41.1 "  N , 133 ° 52' 57.8"  E
80	Kokubun-ji ( 国 分 寺 )	Takamatsu	Kagawa	34 ° 18 ′ 11.5 "  N , 133 ° 56 ′ 38.9"  E
81	Shiromine-ji ( 白 峯 寺 )	Sakaide	Kagawa	34 ° 20 '00.5 "  N , 133 ° 55' 36.4"  E
82	Negoro-ji ( 根 香 寺 )	Takamatsu	Kagawa	34 ° 20 '40.0 "  N , 133 ° 57' 38.3"  E
83	Ichinomiya-ji ( 一 宮 寺 )	Takamatsu	Kagawa	34 ° 17 '11.9 "  N , 134 ° 01'35.8"  E
84	Yashima-ji ( 屋 島 寺 )	Takamatsu	Kagawa	34 ° 21 '28.6 "  N , 134 ° 06'04.5"  E
85	Yakuri-ji ( 八 栗 寺 )	Takamatsu	Kagawa	34 ° 21 '30.6 "  N , 134 ° 08'28.2"  E
86	Shido-ji ( 志 度 寺 )	Sanuki	Kagawa	34 ° 19 '24.8 "  N , 134 ° 10' 45.9"  E
87	Nagao-ji ( 長尾 寺 )	Sanuki	Kagawa	34 ° 16 '00.1 "  N , 134 ° 10' 18.2"  E
88	Ōkubo-ji ( 大窪 寺 )	Sanuki	Kagawa	34 ° 11 '29.1 "  N , 134 ° 12' 24.3"  E

literature

• Ian Reader: Legends Miracles, and Faith in Kōbō Daishi and the Shikoku Pilgrimage . In: George J. Tanabe, Jr. (Ed.): Religions of Japan in Practice . Princeton Readings in Religions , Princeton University Press, Princeton 1999. pp. 360-369.
• Ian Reader, Making Pilgrimages: Meaning and Practice in Shikoku, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press 2005
• Ryofu Pussel: Buddha-Café, Lovehotel and 88 temples. My pilgrimage in Japan . Theseus Verlag, Bielefeld 2009, ISBN 978-3-89901-213-2 .
• Gerald Koll : henro boke - pilgrims in Japanese . Edition Korrespondenzen, Vienna 2011, ISBN 978-3-902113-76-4 .
• Henromichi Hozon Kyoryokukai Tateki Miyazaki (Eng. Translation by David C. Moreton): Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide . Buyudo Co. Ltd., June 10, 2013 (3rd edition), ISBN 978-4-8297-1058-6 , detailed map and route book (English)
• Tateki Miyazaki (Eng. Translation by David C. Moreton): Visiting the Sacred Sites of Kūkai . Buyudo Co. Ltd., December 19, 2011, ISBN 978-4-8297-1055-5 , Guide (English)
• Hoshino Eiki: " Pilgrimage and peregrination: Contextualizing the Saikoku junrei and the Shikoku henro. “, In: Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1997 24 / 3–4. Pp. 271-99.
• Kouamé, Nathalie: “ Shikoku's local authorities and henro during the golden age of the pilgrimage. “, In: Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1997 24 / 3–4. Pp. 413-25.

Documentaries

• Gerald Koll: 88 - Pilgrims in Japanese . Germany 2008, broadcast on ZDFkultur , December 20, 2011 (87 minutes)
• Tommi Mendel: ARUKIHENRO - Walking Pilgrims . Japan 2006, [1] (73 minutes)

Web links

Commons : Shikoku Pilgrimage  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Reijoukai - Official Website
• kushima.com/henro/ - Comprehensive website on the pilgrimage in Japanese and English with additional links
• GPS MAP - map of pilgrimage route
• Arukihenro - website for the Swiss documentary about the pilgrimage
• Japanpilger - Website with pictures, information and FAQs about the Shikoku pilgrimage