Shikoku Pilgrimage Books & Papers

{Shikoku Hachijūhachikasho Meguri}

--BOOKS & PAPERS ABOUT THE PILGRIMAGE--

-GUIDEBOOKS-

A Henro Pilgrimage Guide to the 88 Temples of Shikoku Island, Japan. A 160 page guidebook written by Bishop Taisen MIYATA of the Los Angeles Kōyasan Buddhist Temple. Contains some general information about the pilgrimage but most of the book is detailed information on each of the 88 temples. It also contains the Heart Surta (which is recited at each temple) in both Japanese Romaji and English. Either this book or David Moreton's book immediately below is a definite should read, and probably one of the books you should carry with you in order to read the information about each temple as you visit it, especially if you don't have the ability to read the Japanese guidebooks that are available.
Bishop Taisen Miyata
Los Angeles Kōya-san Buddhist Temple
342 First Street
Los Angeles, Ca, 90012
(213) 624-1267
A Journey of the Soul: The Shikoku Pilgrimage and its 88 Temples, by Tatsuo MURO and David MORETON. A great guidebook with information on the 88 main temples on the pilgrimage. Very much like Miyata-san's book above, it has one page on each of the temples with a short history and what to find there. Well worth owning. Either this book or Taisen Miyata's book immediately above is a definite should read, and probably one of the books you should carry with you in order to read the information about each temple as you visit it, especially if you don't have the ability to read the Japanese guidebooks that are available.
Tatsuo Muro and David Moreton
Available at Temple One or
Moreton's web site.
AWA Henro: A Bilingual Guidebook for Pilgrims in Tokushima. Published by AWA88. Who says that Kōbō Daishi isn't alive and out there watching over us. I didn't think i'd ever see a copy of this book as it is out of print with no plans for a reprinting. Then Kōbō showed up in the form of someone living in Tokushima and here i am with my own copy. Thanks Fiona. This bilingual book (English/Japanese) contains a wealth of information about each of the 23 temples in Tokushima Prefecture, numerous other temples in the prefecture, about the origin, history, and lore of the pilgrimage in general, and an overview of the Buddhism and its symbolism needed to understand it all. Well worth looking for a copy.
The Office of AWA88
Nakatori-machi 2-32
Tokushima-ken, 770, Japan
Shikoku 88 Kasho Shōsai Chizu Chō. A great little book (written in Japanese) much like a combination of Miyazaki-san's map book and Miyata-san's information book on each of the temples. It contains maps for the entire circuit with less detail than Miyazaki-san's, but enough to get you around the island. This book, however, was written for those who are driving the pilgrimage and i don't recommend it for walkers. Like Miyata-san's, this book gives you a few paragraphs of information on each of the temples, but also comes with color pictures and sketches of the layout of the temple compounds so you know which building is what. Also like Miyazaki-san's, this book has a good listing of minshuku, ryokan, and hotels you can possibly stay at.
Zasshi Shikoku
Nariai-machi 772-7
Takamatsu-shi
Kagawa-ken
Yubin Bango 761-8082
Japan
(087) 885-1939
Shikoku Henro: Hitori Aruki Dōgyō Ninin (Shikoku Pilgrim: Walking Alone, Two Fellow Pilgrims). A two volume set. Either volume 2, the maps themselves, or the English maps below, is a 100% must buy if you are walking. Written in Japanese, this set is called by many the Henro Bible. Led by MIYAZAKI Tateki, it was written and prepared by members of the the Cooperative Society to Preserve the Henro Trail for the person who intends to walk the pilgrimage. Volume one, while not necessary if you don't read Japanese, contains a wealth of information about the pilgrimage, what you need to buy and carry with you when you walk, medical information, time and distance between temples, and the footnotes for information on the maps contained in volume two.
Volume two of Shikoku Henro Hitori Aruki Dōgyō Ninin is the map book that leads you from temple to temple and around the island. It contains all the necessary maps needed to make the trip and at least this volume is invaluable to all walkers of the pilgrimage. Even though all the writing is in Japanese, this shouldn't be a problem once you take the time to figure out how it is laid out - a time consuming but easy task. I offer some advice on this process on other pages in this web site. Volume two also contains about a dozen pages with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of minshuku, ryokan, hotels, and other places to stay. It is a great reference and all you probably need. It's all i used when i walked the trail.

Volume 1 on the left. Volume 2 (maps) on the right.
An example of one of the pages in the mapbook.

You can buy the books at several temples or online at the Henro Michi Hozon Kyoroku Kai website. The current edition was just published in April 2004 and costs (with shipping) ¥3,790 for the set, or ¥2,740 for just the map book. My recommendation is to order them and have them sent to you before leaving so that you can study them at home.
Available at Temples 1, 6, 10, 21, 24, 26, 37, 40, 51, 54, and 75. And, several book stores listed on the web site below.
Available online at www.iyohenro.jp (Japanese)
Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide. A guidebook released in October 2007 in English. According to the publishers web site, it costs ¥1,524 + tax & shipping, is B6 size, and is 192 pages. A great book and a long needed addition to the Shikoku Henro literature. The maps in this guidebook will get you around the island just as well as the Japanese maps above, but it does not include the Bangai Temples, so if those are on your itenerary, you will need to go with the Japanese Shikoku Henro Hitori Aruki Dōgyō Ninin.
This book is smaller than the Japanese maps (B6 vs A4), but that really isn't a factor. I admit i prefer the larger maps because they are easier to use without having to physically hold the book open, but it is really a trivial point. There is only one thing about the Japanese maps that i prefer over this English edition — while minshuku, ryokan, hotels, etc. are indicated on individual pages of the map (with phone numbers), an all inclusive list with distances to/from the temples is not included in the back of the book like in the Japanese version. Again, however, i have to admit that if i hadn't started with the Japanese version, and therefore gotten used to it, i may not even notice the difference.
Overall, a very good book indeed.
(Note that the publishers say a Korean version has also recently come out.)

Guiebook Cover
An example of part of one of the maps.

The guidebook is available at the following locations:
- The Henro Michi Hozon Kyoroku Kai webite:
  • If you live outside of Japan, go to this page. You send them the money and they will send you the book.
  • If you live in Japan, go to this page.
- Boyodo Publishing in Japan (the publishers). To get to the ordering page, click on the Store link near the top, and then the word 'Gochumon' on the right.
- Amazon Japan
- Yaesu Book Center in Tōkyō.
- I also have copies to sell to those that want them. The price is the $9US that i paid for them plus shipping. I make no profit off the sales. If you prefer not to pay by PayPal, send me an email. In fact, even if you order via PayPal, send me a note and i can tell you when i ship it. Generally, i only go to the post office on Saturday, so will mail your copy to you on the first Saturday after i receive payment.
  
  Click button below and then choose
  your zip code (in U.S.) or Country at top
  of page to calculate shipping
The Traveller's Guide to Japanese Pilgrimages. Written by Ed READICKER-HENDERSON this gives the bare-bones basics of three separate pilgrimages in Japan. About half the book is devoted to the Shikoku pilgrimage and includes anything from a few paragraphs to a page on each of the 88 temples.
Weatherhill, 1995

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