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Shikoku Pilgrimage Henro Ishiteji Matsuyama

Shikoku Pilgrimage: A Henro’s Photo Essay

July 16, 2016March 3, 2019 Categories: Shikoku Pilgrimage / OhenroTags: hiking shikoku · japan budget travel · japan pilgrimage walk · photo essay · Shikoku pilgrimage · solo female travel11 Comments

A photo essay of a 1000+ kilometre pilgrimage through Shikoku, Japan, to the 88 Buddhist temples. Personal backpacking perspectives.

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Most people can name someone who's made a mark in our lives. But not everyone has a place that lodges into your psyche. Mount Ishizuchi 石鎚山, or rather the idea the Stone Hammer Mountain, called from behind a veil of clouds at Yokomine-ji 横峰寺, one of the highest mountain temples on Shikoku. Though I turned my back on it that day, the mountain and its famous vertical climbing chains haunted me until I finally returned to Shikoku two years later, just to climb it.⠀ ⠀ Mount Ishizuchi is the tallest mountain in Western Japan, but it is not particularly high (under 2000m), remote (buses and a cable car), nor challenging (no Himalayan treks), nor even wild (no bears, wolf packs or poisonous snakes). But there is a reason this place is marked as holy. There is a reason that Shugendo monks chose this as a site of ascetic training. But you will have to sit on the razor peak, Tengudake 天狗岳, stare down into the abyss of clouds sweeping up the cliff face, then peer deep into the sea of mountains to get a sense of this particular mountain.⠀ ⠀ Though I have thoroughly enjoyed scaling Ishizuchi, it is as if the mountain has swallowed me. Rather than checking it off, it has remain fixed in my memory since, a place and friend I would be happy to visit again and again in for the rest of my life.⠀ ⠀ You can get to Ishizuchi's famous peak at a leisurely stroll from the cable car in about 3 hours. Or, you could do an overnight trek and stay on one of the free cabins or paid ryokans. I've included all the possible transit routes via the JR train as well as the bus from Matsuyama in my new website: Found in Shikoku. #discoverjapan #japantravel #visitjapan #explorejpn #wanderlust #welivetoexplore #passionpassport #traveltheworld #femaletravelcommunity #shikoku #foundinshikoku

Did you know that Japan now not only has Tabelog (their own Yelp / Openrice), but specialty apps for cafes and ramen? Yep. Venture beyond the main English travel media, and you will find an incredible amount of local Japan travel information at your fingertips. Many of Japan's most popular transit apps, such as Jorudan and Navitime, now have English versions. For that matter, the Retty, the foodie social platform, also has an English version now. For activities, tap into China-based apps with English versions, such as @klooktravel and @kkdayjp . ⠀ ⠀ Check out the 50+ apps I've compiled for your next trip! Link on my profile!⠀ Travel Hack Apps & WiFi Services⠀ Apps for Planning your Travel to Japan⠀ Apps for Booking Accommodation⠀ Apps for Transit and Getting Around⠀ Food Guide Apps for Japan⠀ Apps for Admin, Communication & Other Things⠀ ⠀ In case you're wondering, the photos are from Ginza, one of Tokyo's main train stations, Kappabashi close to Asakusa, and the source for the statistics is #JNTO⠀ ⠀ #japantravel #discoverjapan #tokyo #visitjapan #explorejpn #tokyocameraclub #tokyo_grapher #wanderlust #tokyotravels #welivetoexplore #passionpassport #holidayexpert #traveltheworld #travelcommunity #femaletravelcommunity⠀ https://buff.ly/2FDSkyr

Whether it’s taking a day out of the cities and visiting the Japanese countryside, planning some natural sightseeing when staying in mountain towns, or making a whole trip out of the trekking rural Japan, there’s something for everyone. Hiking in Japan is quite accessible thanks to public transit, sightseeing buses, and rides to mountain tops.⠀ ⠀ This first photo is us watching sunset over Mount Fuji. This mountain is a day hike for people in Tokyo!⠀ ⠀ I compiled a list of cultural tips. Head over to my blog and look for the post: "Hiking Japan — An Overview" https://buff.ly/2DuOg2o⠀ ⠀ #hiking #explorecreate #mountfuji #japantravel #japantrip #sunset #mountains #greatoutdoors #blue

Rural Japan is nothing like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, or any other city in Japan. The countryside of any place always has customs distinct from any urban centre. The sense of time, frequency of trains and buses, and the tell-tale signs of restaurants amid venerable tiled roof homes are a few of the frequent things to familiarise yourself before heading over. ⠀ ⠀ I'm not suggesting you shouldn't have an adventure. If you have time, by all means! But if you want to avoid a bit of stress about catching trains or awkward moments with the ryokan owner, click on the link in my profile and search for my post "16 tips for travelling rural Japan". ⠀ #japanlife #ruraljapan #japantravel #discoverjapan #visitjapan #explorejapan #japanrevealed #japantrip #japaneseculture #jinja

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