Kannon Bosatsu and Kobo Daishi Kukai Statues
Shikoku Pilgrimage circuit consists of 88 Buddhist Temples in the Shikoku Region. Shikoku region, which is also called Shikoku island is the smallest of the four main Japanese Islands. Shikoku in Japanese literally means "Four Countries", contains four prefectures. They are Kagawa, Tokushima, Ehime and Kochi. The old names for these prefectures are Awa, Sanuki, Tosa and Oyo.
The Shikoku region is famously known as the birthplace of the revered Buddhist
Monk Kobo Daishi Kukai. It is believed that Monk Kukai spent his formative years in the Shikoku Island as a student and young aspiring monk of Buddhist studies, until he was sent to China to study with the best religious teachers by then Japanese Emperor.
The eighty eight Buddhist temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage are closely associated with Monk Kobo Daishi during his formative years. It is believed that after coming back from China and establishing the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism, Monk Kukai devised a pilgrimage that covered the eighty eight temples that he was associated with in Shikoku region. Some reports say that the pilgrimage was not devised until the late 1400s and put the timeline same as the
Chichibu Kannon pilgrimage. In any case, the Shikoku 88 Buddhist temple pilgrimage is considered one of the oldest and most practiced pilgrimage circuit in Japan.
Unlike the 100 Kannon Pilgrimages (
Saikoku,
Bando and
Chichibu), the Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage is centered around Buddhist Temples or places where Buddha is the main object of worship. Please visit my pages about
Shintoism and Buddhism, to find more about Japanese Buddhist deities.
This pilgrimage has a total walking distance of over 1100 kilometers, covering all the four prefectures of Shikoku Islands. In addition to the ascetic aspect of this pilgrimage, there is a great touristic aspect to it, as most of the temples are located on the borders (edges) of the shikoku Island rather than in the inland. There are beautiful views of the Pacific ocean and the Seto Inland sea at almost every temple you visit.
Here is the list of all the temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage.
1) Ryozenji Temple
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2) Gokurakuji Temple
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3) Kosenji Temple
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4) Dainichiji Temple
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5) Jizoji Temple |
6) Anrakuji Temple
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7) Jurakuji Temple
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8) Kumataniji Temple
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9) Horinji Temple
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10) Kirihataji Temple
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11) Fujiidera Temple
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12) Shosanji Temple
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13) Dainichiji Temple
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14) Jourakuji Temple
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15) Kokubunji Temple
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16) Kanonji Temple |
17) Idoji Temple
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18) Onzanji Temple
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19) Tatsueji Temple
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20) Kakurinji Temple
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21) Dairyuji Temple
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22) Byodoji Temple
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23) Yakuoji Temple
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24) Hotsumisakiji Temple
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25) Shinshoji Temple
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26) Kongochoji Temple
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27) Konomineji Temple
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28) Dainichiji Temple
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29) Kokubunji Temple
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30) Zenrakuji Temple
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31) Chikurinji Temple
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32) Zenjibuji Temple
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33) Sekkeiji Temple
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34) Tanemaji Temple
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35) Kiyotakiji Temple
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36) Shoryuji Temple
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37) Iwamotoji Temple
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38) Kongofukuji Temple
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39) Enkoji Temple
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40) Kanjizaiji Temple
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41) Ryukoji Temple
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42) Butsumokuji Temple
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43) Ageishiji Temple
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44) Daihoji Temple
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45) Iwayaji Temple
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46) Joruriji Temple
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47) Yasakaji Temple
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48) Sairinji Temple
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49) Jodoji Temple
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50) Hantaji Temple
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51) Ishiteji Temple
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52) Taisanji Temple
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53) Enmyoji Temple
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54) Enmeiji Temple
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55) Nankobo Temple
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56) Taisanji Temple
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57) Eifukuji Temple
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58) Senyuji Temple
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59) Kokubunji Temple
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60) Yokomineji Temple
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61) Koonji Temple
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62) Hojuji Temple
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63) Kisshoji Temple
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64) Maegamiji Temple
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65) Sankakuji Temple
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66) Umpenji Temple
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67) Daikoji Temple
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68) Jinnein Temple
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69) Kanonji Temple
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70) Motoyamaji Temple
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71) Iyadaniji Temple
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72) Mandaraji Temple
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73) Shusshakaji Temple
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74) Koyamaji Temple
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75) Zentsuji Temple
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76) Konzoji Temple
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77) Doryuji Temple
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78) Goshoji Temple
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79) Koshoin Temple
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80) Kokubunji Temple
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81) Shironineji Temple
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82) Negoroji Temple
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83) Ichinomiyaji Temple
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84) Yashimaji Temple
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85) Yakuriji Temple
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86) Shidoji Temple
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87) Nagaoji Temple
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88) Hojuji Temple
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As you can see in this list there are some temples repeated with the same names, but if you pick up the Temple Guide, they will have different addresses. The reason for the same names is because of the worshiped deities. At almost all of these temples Kobo Daishi statues or Halls dedicated Kobo Daishi are present.
I hope to provide you with more information about these temples, once I start visiting them.