Walking 1,300km Around Shikoku.

After years of exploring Japan through sake, food, and culture, I'm setting out on a different journey: walking the 1,300km Shikoku Henro, Japan's famous 88-temple pilgrimage.

COVID threw a cog into the works of life. My son missed out on a lot growing up, so for the last three summers we've gone on adventures around Japan.

First we cycled and camped around Sado Island off the coast of Niigata. The following year we flew our bicycles to the remote island of Yakushima and spent three weeks riding, trekking in the mountains, and swimming with turtles. Last year we crossed part of the Japanese Alps with tents, glaciers, helicopters buzzing overhead, and more granola bars and freeze dried food than should be legal for anyone to eat. Safe to say, we both dislike the granola bar as a food source now.

This year is different.

My son is entering his final year of junior high school and, according to my wife, should probably spend the summer studying rather than disappearing on some crazy adventure with his unfit father.

Fair enough.

The problem is that I've become accustomed to having a summer adventure.

So I searched the internet for: "solo hike or bike in Japan for summer with no bears."

Up popped the Shikoku Henro.

Now don't get me wrong—temples are pretty cool. But 88 of them?

A little more research revealed the real attraction, or perhaps the real problem: roughly 1,300km (800 miles) of walking around the entire island of Shikoku. Depending on my legs, somewhere between 45 and 60 days on the road.

That sounds like an adventure.

The Henro follows in the footsteps of the Buddhist monk Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), who travelled and trained at these sites around 1,250 years ago. Pilgrims often speak of Dōgyō Ninin—"two travelling together"—the idea that Kūkai's spirit accompanies you on the journey.

Some pilgrims walk. Some cycle. Some drive. Many wear the traditional white vest and sedge hat and carry a wooden staff. Sleeping spots range from campsites (not this time) and temples to guesthouses and hotels.

Many people walk the Henro in search of enlightenment. I'm hoping to achieve an enlightenment of a slightly different kind—the sort that's measured in kilograms.

As for me, I've bought a guidebook, downloaded an app, spent months "training"—aka doing laps of the local park—and am about to find out whether I've packed too much stuff.

The adventure begins on June 7.

Over the coming weeks I'll walk from temple to temple, crossing mountains, coastal roads, farming villages, and small towns while carrying everything 'I think' I need on my back.

Along the way I'll share:

• Dispatches from the trail
• Photographs and observations from the Japanese countryside (Inaka)
• Encounters with locals, especially the grandmas and grandpas who seem to keep rural Japan running
• Food, sake, and unexpected stories
• The odd photo of a snake
• The highs, lows, blisters, and lessons of long-distance walking through the fiery hellscape that is the Japanese summer

Whether you're interested in Japan, hiking, pilgrimage, or simply following an unusual journey with an unhealthy dose of humour, I'd be happy to have you join me for the adventure.

Dispatch #0: The Pilgrimage Has Not Yet Begun
Published: June 5, 2026
Temples visited: 0 / 88
Distance walked: 0 km
Current location: Osaka
Kilograms of enlightenment achieved: 0
Onigiri eaten: 0
Beers drunk: 0
Granola bars reluctantly consumed: 0
Blisters acquired: 0