# The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage #
The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, known in Japanese as Shikoku Hachijūhakkasho Reijō Meguri, is a spiritual journey that takes pilgrims around 88 sacred Buddhist temples scattered across the island of Shikoku. These temples, called fudasho, are deeply connected with Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism, who established the pilgrimage route about 1,200 years ago.
Traditionally, the pilgrimage does not end at the last temple in Shikoku. Instead, pilgrims continue on to Mount Kōya in Wakayama prefecture, the sacred center of Shingon Buddhism, where Kōbō Daishi rests in eternal meditation at Okunoin. It is believed that he entered final deep meditation (nyūjō) in 853 at the age of 62 and remains there even today, guiding and protecting all who walk the path.
* Covering about 1,200 kilometers, the full route takes roughly 40–60 days on foot.
* Pilgrims often wear the traditional attire: a white robe (byakue), a pilgrim’s stole (wagesa), and carry a wooden staff (kongōzue).
* While many undertake the pilgrimage for ascetic practice, ancestor memorials, or to fulfill personal vows, in modern times it has also become a journey of healing, reflection, and self-discovery.
# The Nokyocho (Temple Stamp Book) #
A central feature of the pilgrimage is the nokyocho, a special book in which pilgrims collect beautiful calligraphy and red stamps (alike goshuin) from each temple as proof of their visit.
* At each temple, monks inscribe the name of the temple and its principal deity with elegant brushwork, then mark it with the official red seal.
* More than just a keepsake, the nokyocho is treasured as both a “testament of faith” and a “lifelong spiritual treasure.”
* Instead of a book, some pilgrims choose to collect stamps on a scroll or even on their white pilgrim robe.
* Pilgrims may also request repeated stamps (kasane-in) at temples they revisit, layering new seals on the same page each time.
# Mangan – The Fulfillment of the Pilgrimage #
* Visiting all 88 temples in Shikoku is called kechigan (“completion of the pilgrimage”).
* Throughout the journey, pilgrims walk in the spirit of dōgyō ninin—“two traveling together”—believing that Kōbō Daishi himself is always by their side.
* After kechigan, pilgrims traditionally continue to Okunoin at Mount Kōya to express gratitude and report their journey to Kōbō Daishi. This final act is known as mangan (“fulfillment”), the true spiritual conclusion of the pilgrimage.
The photo shows the Nokyocho was achieved two-time Mangan.
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