Travel Companion/s

Hi,

I have been inspired by Shikoku pilgrimage and would want to do it by walking.
Am residing in India and would want to know if anyone could join me. We could sync up and do this trail together.

This is is the first time that i will be travelling to Japan and am not familiar with the language

I am open for any travel dates. Please let me know if anyone is interested.

Thanks and Regards,
Shyam.

I'm heading to Shikoku on 7th july and start walk on 10th but bit inconvenient for you I'll be starting on from shortly after temple 36 from Susaki town(where I had to stop last year) and planning to end around temple 61 after bit over 3 weeks. So if you would like to start from #1 which is most common way this is obviously not feasible. You would have to start within few days if you would want to even catch up with me when I get there!

Also july isn't all that recommendable season as it's hot and humid though maybe for Indian it's not that bad? I would do on other seasons if I could but boss didn't give holiday on other times

Alternatively if you have just questions feel free to ask.

Oh and it's possible to do it without Japanese though bit harder so don't let that discourage from you.

Thank you for replying. So nice to hear from you.

As it will be my first time, I would want to start from Temple#1. However, July is too near and I haven't planned. Likewise, even i will have tough time convincing my Boss .

I definitely want to go to Shikoku, i am still gathering a lot of information about it.
I will drop a message incase i need help.
All the very best for your Travel.
God Bless!

Well starting from others is also OK. Historically #43 was popular for those coming from Kyushu while these days #54 and #75 are common enough for those coming from main island as well. Though albeit #1 is most popular

And yeah ~20 days would be bit of a quick drop off! Didn't think it would really be feasible. You would have had japanese speaking fellow with you at least but this short notice not much you can do.

Hopefully you'll get boss agree. Or can do it in parts(acceptable way anyway and for japanese even the standard). Will be memorable experience one way or another!

My plan is to finish the entire journey at once. I will not get intermittent leaves to do it in parts .
I am training myself by walking and running. Increasing my mileage day by day. Once I am confident will start looking more serious into hotel accomodation/camping/food/backpack.
Also need to get VISA and book tickets.

Its a long journey for me. But atleast, i got an expert who can help me out with some things .

For me full would have been virtually impossible. 7-8 weeks off from work was pipe dream so more feasible to split in in parts(3 as it turned out is current plan). Since I don't need excuses to go to Japan anyway works out anyway

Am hoping to finish the entire journey in 4 weeks. May use cycling as a last resort in-order to achieve the goal.

I hope we can rent cycles enroute the piligrimage and drop by at a different location.?

What? 4 weeks? Holy smokey what sort of super walker you are? Well guess about same as the old Japanese guy I met last year who walks the thing twice a year in a month. You just need 45km a day or so including mountains. Seeing most invest 7-8 weeks you are aiming for pretty ambitious schedule...

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2210.html

Seems cycling renting what you plan might be hard...Seems not even overday renting is that usual. I have heard one source renting bikes for pilgrims but that's on Tokushima and thus you would need to get back there thus being feasible only those who plan to cycle whole thing.

I plan to start solo walking the full 88 temple pilgrimage in Shikoku on the 8th or 9th of September. Does anyone else plan to be there at the same time? I speak no Japanese.

For bike rental, https://www.facebook.com/cycleshikoku/?eid=ARBnuZN9aA4-HI2mO2xjb9USxIyvkcI81jTbgqLk4H6Nl9cqGFSepJTJO1KgGTM0ILTmCP2yf5URkOMq&timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=1401244726&fref=tag

Another option for you would be to take buses for the half dozen long stretches without temples. This is fairly common and cuts the usual pilgrimage time down to four weeks -- the amount of time you have.