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Temples and Trails of Shikoku SMALL-GROUP GUIDED TOUR

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Temples and Trails of Shikoku SMALL-GROUP GUIDED TOUR Temples and Trails of Shikoku SMALL-GROUP GUIDED TOUR 四国の寺と山道 he fourth-largest of Japan’s islands, Shikoku Each region has its own distinctive character, foods and is home to the 88 Temple Pilgrimage Trail. scenery. In addition to the pilgrimage trail, our journey Fascinating aspects of this deeply spiritual route includes the remote Iya Valley, deep in the heart of include how little is known of its origins, and Shikoku. Tits mysterious connection with Kobo Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism. Pilgrims have walked the trails for We begin our journey with a stay on Mount Koya, the 1200 years and even today we will see pilgrims in their hilltop temple complex on Honshu established by Kobo distinctive attire and white cloaks throughout the island. Daishi, and an important location for Shikoku 88 Temple The full pilgrimage route encircles Shikoku and connects Pilgrimage devotees. Public transport in the rural areas 88 Buddhist temples, covering more than a thousand of Shikoku is limited and we will travel mainly by private kilometers. Pilgrims, known in Japanese as Ohenro, chartered vehicle, but we will still enjoy walking along the traditionally did the journey from temple to temple on ancient route from temple to temple through countryside foot over many weeks. Our tour selects the best of the and forest. We will stay in traditional country inns walking trails through lovely landscapes. We visit all four enjoying regional cuisine prepared from local ingredients of Shikoku’s prefectures - Tokushima in the east, Kagawa from the island, soak in natural hot springs, and enjoy in the north, Ehime in the west, and Kochi in the south. the exceptional hospitality of our hosts. DETAILS DATES & PRICES TYPE AND LEVEL OF TRIP WHAT’S INCLUDED Please see website Active - 7 days of walking and Transport, accommodation, English- hiking from 1.5 to 5 hours per day speaking tour guide, entrance fees, TOUR LENGTH on quiet town and country roads, luggage forwarding, daily breakfast & 9 and unpaved forest trails. This tour dinners. 13 days is suitable for those who are fit and The tour starts in Osaka and finishes in can walk over rough ground for up Kotohira Spa. to 5 hours. While on the trails you Not included are international flights, carry a small to medium daypack. drinks with meals, lunches and airport transfers. 1 HIGHLIGHTS Follow in Kodo Daishi’s footsteps from Mount Koya to Shikoku - walk on the loveliest sections of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage - bathe in thermal waters at historic hot spring towns - enjoy delicious traditional food - visit Kochi market with 1 its mouthwatering local products - gaze down on Matsuyama from the castle precints 2 3 5 4 1 Iwaya-ji Temple where Kobo Daishi meditated in a cave 2 Making Sanuki Udon noodles, a Shikoku speciality 3 Temple Bell 4 O-henro pilgrims offer incense at a temple 5 Votive paper lantern at Ryozen-ji Temple 6 6 Sunset from Senyu-ji Temple 57 7 Jizo statue on the trail 2 ITINERARY Osaka DAY 1 ➤ Meet in Osaka Meet your guide and other group members at the hotel in Kotohira Onsen Mount Koya Osaka in the evening. There will be a Welcome Dinner at a local Matsuyama Tokushima restaurant. Iya Onsen Accommodation: Hotel Kochi DAY 2 ➤ Travel to Mount Koya Temples and Trails of Shikoku and sightseeing We travel by train along the scenic Visited Train or Road Travel Nankai Railway Line to Mount Overnight Stop Ferry Koya, a bowl-shaped valley filled with cedars high in the mountains temple of the Kii Peninsula. Mount Koya is the headquarters Today we will travel by private vehicle to Temple 11 of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism, founded Fujiidera, Temple of the Wisteria Well, situated at the in 9th centurey by the monk Kobo Daishi, father of the foot of Mount Shosan-ji and surrounded by three Shikoku pilgrimage. Pilgrims on the Shikoku 88 Temple mountains. We will walk a challenging trail known as route traditionally visit Mount Koya to pray and ask ‘henro-korogashi’ through forests and over three peaks, Kobo Daishi to bless their journey; we will follow the one of the finest walks on the whole pilgrimage. The tradition. We stay in one of the elegant temples and route takes us to an elevation of 900 metre (almost dine on shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine). We 3,000 feet), the highest point on the whole of our tour. walk through the Okuno-in cemetery and see Kobo Completing the three ascents is highly rewarding, Daishi’s mausoleum. and our goal, Shosanji, is a dramatic temple with spectacular valley views. For those preferring a shorter Accommodation: Shukubo (Pilgrims lodging) walk, the vehicle will deliver you half way along the trail to meet the rest of the group.The accommodation DAY 3 ➤ Travel to Tokushima and walk Ryozenji tonight is a small and comfortable Japanese inn nearby Temple to Kosenji Temple serviing lovely meals. We travel by private vehicle this morning to Wakayama port for the ferry to Tokushima Prefecture, the old Walking distance: 11.9km / 7.4 miles Awa province, located in eastern Shikoku. We will walk Elevation gain: 1230m /4035 feet ascent; 560m / 1870 through quiet suburban neighborhoods and visit the feet descent first three temples on the pilgrimage route - some Time required: 5 hours of the prettiest on the whole island. The first temple, Accommodation: Minshuku (Family-run guesthouse) Ryozen-ji or Vulture Mountain Temple, was built in 8th century. Next comes Gokuraku-ji or Celestial Temple DAY 5 ➤ Walk from Kakurinji temple to Tairyuji where Kobo Daishi completed 37 days of esoteric ritual temple at his age of 42. The atmospheric Konsen-ji, or Golden Our private vehicle journey this morning brings us Fountain Temple, is home to a blood-red pagoda and to Temple 20 Kakurin-ji or Crane Forest Temple on bridge. After the walk, we will take a private vehicle to the 550 metre summit of Washigao. The temple’s our Shukubo temple lodgings for the evening. Sando or main approach is surrounded by tall pine and Hinoki cypress trees. Under an edict of Emperor Walking distance: 6km / 3.7 miles Kanmu, Kobo Daishi founded Kakurin-ji in 799. From Elevation gain: negligible ascent and descent here we head up to Temple 21 Tairyu-ji, temple of Accommodation: Shukubo (Pilgrims lodging) the Mystical Dragon, close to the mountain peak of the same name at 618 metres. Kobo Daishi practised DAY 4 ➤ Walk from Fujiidera temple to Shosanji ascetic training here at his age of 19 and founded the 3 temple in 793. Our walk ends with a cable car ride througout Japan for its beauty. We will stay overnight in offering breathtaking views over a cedar forest and a comfortable hotel in Kochi city. out towards the sea. We continue by vehicle to the central mountains. Tonight’s accommodation is in the Accommodation: Hotel wonderful hot-spring location of Iya Onsen, deep in a hidden valley. DAY 8 ➤ Half day sightseeing in Kochi-shi and travel to Matsuyama Walking distance: 7.1km / 4.4 miles This morning, we visit Kochi Castle and have a few Elevation gain: 460m / 1510 feet ascent; 470m / 1540 hours free to stroll around the well-known Sunday feet descent market which has 300 years of history and 500 outdoor Time required: 2.5 hours stalls. This amazing lively market stretches for over a Accommodation: Onsen Ryokan (Hot-spring Travellers kilometre (more than half a mile) from the entrance of Inn) Kochi Castle and offers local products at reasonable prices. After lunch we travel to Ehime Prefecture, DAY 6 ➤ Walking Mount Tsurugi previously known as Iyo Province, and stop en-route at After breakfast, we board our private vehicle to visit the historic and beautiful town of Uchiko, which once the valley’s unique kazura-bashi vine bridge stretching flourished as a centre for traditional wax and paper. 45 meters across the Iya River and suspended 15 Our accommodation tonight is a hotel in appealing metres above the flowing water. It is said the bridge Matsuyama city, not far from Japan’s oldest hot spring was made by refugees of Heike Clan hiding in the Dogo Onsen, said to have 3,000 years history. We are area after their war defeat. We head to Tsrugi-san, based here for the next three nights. In the evening the second highest peak in Shikoku with a height of your tour guide will be on hand to offer suggestions for 1,955 metres, nearly 6,500 feet. The peak is a centre of restaurants for dinner. Shugendo, a Japanese folk religion based on mountain worship. We will take a chairlift to the start of a walk Accommodation: Hotel which will bring us to within an hour of the summit. From there, wooden boardwalks will lead us to various DAY 9 ➤ Walk from Daijoji Temple to Iwayaji Temple viewpoints with panoramic views over the surrounding Our journey today starts with the journey by private mountains. We will return to our inn at Iya Onsen in the vehicle to the Kumakogen Highlands in central Ehime, late afternoon for another soak in the thermal waters near the border of Kochi Prefecture. We start our hike and our dinner of delightful local cuisine. from Temple 44 Daihoji, Great Treasure Temple, a fitting halfway point on the Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage. Walking distance: 4km / 2.5 miles Elevation gain: 330m / 1320 feet ascent; 330m / 1320 We enjoy a beautiful forest hike to Temple 45, Rock feet descent Cavern-Housed Temple, a fascinating location on Time required: 1.5 hours the mountain with hundreds of Jizo statues.
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