How to do the Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage with limited mobility – and limited time

I haven’t talked about it there much, but my last trip to Japan stood under no good star. I still loved it, but I was not able to relax as as I normally do in Japan, my top comfort destination, but what was worst was potentially being grounded for the foreseeable future.

The gods seemed to smile upon me again sometime in May. I thought “Well, the next time I am able to go to Japan again, I will do the Shikoku Ohenro”. But, of course, with my limitations, I would not be able to complete a full pilgrimage in one trip. So, what was I to do? Hurry along by car? Just do part of the pilgrimage? Pick some temples and otherwise stick to a more standard touristy Shikoku Itinerary of Takamatsu, Iya Valley, Matsushima and the Art Islands of the Inland Sea?

In the end, I reverted to my original plan – to start the Shikoku Ohenro with the aim of seeing the Tokushima temples, T1 to 23, a stage of the pilgrimage described as “Spiritual Awakening”.

I started this post way before my pilgrimage to research my trip. Now, I have already returned from Japan, so whatever you read in this post has been tried and tested. This post is still a bit higgledy-piggledy, a mash-up of planning and actual travel log. But there are quite some resources in here for those wishing to cycle, so I thought I publish it now. I will publish in a bit more details about my pilgrimage and concentrate on practicalities in this one.

How to do Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage

The Shikoku Ohenro Pilgrimage consists of 88 temples on the island of Shikoku, spanning a distance of approximately 1200 kilometres. Traditionally, the pilgrimage starts at Temple No.1 near Tokushima, then loops around the coast of Shikoku, with some forays into the mountains, to Temple No.88 just north of Tokushima. Then you close the loop by returning to Temple No.1. Then one can optionally visit Koya-san to conclude the pilgrimage. Some pilgrims start the pilgrimage at Koya-san, which is in Wakayama Prefecture on Honshu, a good half-day trip away.

The pilgrimage, though based on the Buddhist practice of the esoteric Shingon school, is open to everyone. There are no rules and laws other than visiting the temples respectfully. You can do the full circle, visit select temples only, or visit some of the “Bekakku” and “Bangai” additional temples, temples which are associated with the pilgrimage but not “officially” part of the pilgrimage route.

If you complete the full pilgrimage on foot or bicycle, you can receive a completion certificate and pin at the Maeyama Ohenro Koryu Salon just before reaching T88.

Doing the Pilgrimage in Segments (Kugiri-uchi)

Being employed and with my schedule basically fully booked a year in advance, it would not be possible for me to be away for two months to do a complete pilgrimage. Neither did I want to blaze through it by car in a couple of weeks. So, I decided to go “Kugiri-Uchi”, pilgrimage in sections. This, apparently, is quite common with Japanese people, who have a far less generous leave allowance than us Europeans.

Of course, some modern pilgrims also travel by car or tour bus, seeing a bunch of temples at a time during a few days off. I wanted to travel under my own steam for as much as possible. I would use public transport or the occasional taxi, not going to be totally strict about it. After all, it was meant to be a contemplative yet joyful trip, not a chore.

Once I decided to still go under my own steam as much as possible, I planned to start at the beginning. I had been to Koya-san way back, so I could dive right in and do the first quarter/ Tokushima Section of the pilgrimage, visiting Temples 1 to 23. On the path to enlightenment, this is the first stage of the Ohenro, called “Spiritual Awakening”. So I would try to complete all temples in Tokushima Prefecture, and there is another Japanese word for it, Pilgrimage by prefecture, “Ikkoku mairi”.

Since walking would take me a lot longer than my usual 7-14 days holiday, I decided pretty much early on that I would do the pilgrimage by bicycle, using pre-booked accommodation in several towns along the route as a base. I would use public transport where cycling would be too hard, or too impractical, especially on the “Nansho” Temples. I would encounter three Nansho Temples in Tokushima.

Preparation

I have read about and dreamed of the Shikoku Pilgrimage for some years now. Now, that the rather short-notice opportunity presented itself and in my usual “now or never” mindset, I was on the computer and had booked myself a (refundable) air ticket on Turkish Airlines, booked accommodation in Tokushima and Anan and started looking at smaller accommodations en route.

In terms of season, I did not have much choice. I had the opportunity to take three weeks off work in June, and that was it. Knowing it would be rainy season in Japan, I planned accordingly, with buffer days and some rainy weather options. I had spent some weeks in Japan during rainy season before (in Nagasaki), and it certainly did not rain every day – plus it would not be fully blown Japanese summer with crazy high temperatures yet – hopefully! Going in a less popular season meant little worry about accommodations – there was usually something available, often my first choice. And fewer crowds, too, hopefully, although I think crowds are not a massive problem in Shikoku.

With a diva-like dodgy knee on one side that would flare up most unpredictably and an iffy but reliably semi-bad hip on the other side, I know walking the entire pilgrimage would be out of the question. I remember crying with pain after 8km on Kumano Kodo a couple years ago. Although some hardware had been replaced in the meantime and I even managed to climb Mount Ijen and Mount Bromo last year, I know my limitations. Also, the window of opportunity would be in June which is not the most suitable time for any hikes in Japanese rainy season/high summer.

In terms of “spiritual” preparation, I haven’t really done much. I identify as Catholic, but to be honest, I might read about religion and try to live the faith rather than practice in terms of attending mass. I feel a lot more ecumenical and am interested in other faiths, and Buddhism feels attractive to me as well, in fact I do practice Soto Zen Meditation erratically. I am not very knowledgeable, but I love chanting as part of our practice, so I printed out the Heart Sutra and I plan to chant that, but I am not sure I will carry candles, incense and ofsamefuda

Online resources

Since it was my dream to do this pilgrimage for years, I was relatively well read on it. Aside from reading several web sites and blogs, I read Oliver Dunskus’ “The 88 Temples of Shikoku”, a concise and wonderfully matter-of fact little guidebook for the pilgrimage. it’s small enough to take along but contains no map.

I also downloaded the Henro Helper App, which is basically a route guide, accommodation guide and a bit of general guide rolled into one. Apparently it also works offline of you download offline maps – I think it mostly links to outside sources, but I found it really useful it’s free and free from annoying pop up ads, too.

There are plenty blogs from real people in English, which is my blog-reading lingua franca. Most were from Western walking pilgrims. A lot were from 2013-2017, and very detailed, old-school blogs, but I have trouble finding them right now.

Recently, I really enjoyed Kerstin Rodger’s Substack Shikoku Pilgrimage Blog, I like her irreverential style. In terms of practical reading, I liked walking-henro.net an Australian man’s 2017 day-to-day account of a walking pilgrimage.He looks young and fit on his picture,s but he pictures lots of older people walking, which gives me hope.

Sadly, very few blogs on the pilgrimage by bicycle. There’s a rather general article on Japan Cycling Info and a rather commercial one on Cycle Shikoku. A blog called “Cycle for breath” was the closest I found.

Travel Arrangements

I booked a flight on the Turkish Airlines Web site, which was semi-flexible. I was somewhat worried that due to the ongoing conflict and increase in fuel prices, visiting Japan would soon become extremely expensive. I paid around 1085Euro for the return flight in Economy Class, refundable for a 160 Euro fee. One 7-hour layover in Istanbul on the way in, and a somewhat inconvenient 19.00 arrival in Kansai International, but no crazy travel times or crazy layovers otherwise.

I would be too late for the direct limousine bus to Tokushima, and I much rather fancied going to Shikoku by sea, so I would take a local train to Wakayama, stay at the Hotel Granvia Wakayama next to the station (jetlag, sleeplessness, so I can watch TV all night) and take the first ferry (On Nankai ferries, 3-4x/day) to Tokushima the next morning.

Training

This trip being tentative and on a whim, I came somewhat unprepared. Walking-wise, I can do 20.000 steps a day at a push with little altitude change, but have to be careful with my knees, blisters, hips, etc. Lately, I feel there is always something!

Nine months ago, I managed the 1000 steps up to Yamadera in Tohoku fine, walking down was a bit of a pain.

As for cycling, I think I am pretty good. Easily cycling 25km a day (plus a lot of sightseeing on foot) on a heavy, placid mamachari. I hired a hybrid bike (Specialized Sirrus X hardtail frame with some modification, basically a 22 derailleur gear setup) from Yeti & Ltb Rental Cycle Tokushima by messaging them in Instagram. Just to cover all eventualities, I hired pannier bags and a Rinko bag as well. This means all my packing cubes can transfer to the pannier bag and my case with all the omiyage will stay in Tokushima.

Last not least, I finally joined the gym and did a lot of ergometer training and some leg and back strength exercises, but that was only a couple weeks ago, so I am not expecting much effect from that.

So, I am unpreparedly prepared for all this. Knowing that about half the temples on my Tokushima stage are quite easily accessible on public transport, too. Much admiration to those who go fo the full walking pilgrimage.

Other Practical Preparation

This is the place where you put the packing list and Amazon links but not me. I basically don’t need to do any shopping except for sunscreen and Dresdner Stollen and part-baked bread rolls that have been requested by my friend.

I have a decent well-worn in walking shoe called Jungle Moc from Merrell that is okay for cycling on a normal pedal, long pants suitable for walking, short pants with built-in bum buffer for cycling, a few shirts I can wash in the sink, cycling helmet, hat, Birkenstocks for casual strolls. I even bought a hiking backpack years ago, only to put it away again in favour of my camera backpack which can take a few clothes and toiletries at a push.

I am of course taking my camera, a Nikon Z5 which I don’t mind bumping around a bit, and a rather mid-level 18-200mm Zoom, probably my “good” Nikkor Z 50mm lens, all in my camera backpack. Notebook, two pens, passport, wallet with two credit cards, cash, plug converter, smartphone.

Of all the pilgrim gear available I would buy the Nokyocho (stamp book). I really wanted a nice one, with premium paper, but I guess I will just buy whatever is available at the first temple. As for all other goods – I think I will buy a long-sleeved haku-e (top) and wagesa (brocade stole) but not bother with the conical hat, staff, bag, and the other accoutrements like candles, incense and osamefuda, but I might change my mind on the latter. Especially incense. I often end up buying some in temples because I love Japanese incense.

So, at first I thought I travel with a 30l hiking backpack (Lowe Alpine Cholatse, which I bought with Shikoku in mind) but switched to my usual set up of cabin case with a 90l duffel inside and a Manfrotto NX (cheap, practical, sturdy, I love it) camera backpack. All the omiyage has to be carried, and I plan on buying loads of food and snacks before returning home. I am not going to bother taking my pannier bag but rent a bicycle with a pannier bag already attached, hence travelling with a small camera backpack only while I will store the case either in Tokushima or at the bike rental shop.

Starting the Pilgrimage

I like to pre-book everything and make sure I have a place to stay for the night, so I worked out a rough route to Temples 1-23, taking into account a couple buffer days. Since I would be visiting the temples in Tokushima prefecture only, there is not a ton of ground to cover, but there would be 3 harder to reach temples (12, 20 and 21). Out of the 23 temples, only six would be difficult to reach on public transport plus 2-3km walking, so I was fairly confident I could see all 23 temples over a good week or so.

Therefore, I booked flexible accommodation in Tokushima, Anan and Hiwasa in advance, before I even booked my flight. ONce it became clear that travelling by bicycle would be my best option rather than rely on public transport, I also tried to adapt the route to bike travel – longer daily distances, but also not being able to use public transport easily with a bicycle and worked out a route I could cycle easily.

Last not least, I reserved my bicycle, That was perhaps the easiest part! I contacted Yeti&LtB Tokushima Bicycle Rental on Instagram and, by Instagram messaging, reserved a hybrid bike and pannier racks. They deliver to Tokushima or Temple 1, too and can pick up the bicycle from other places, and can also rent you a Rinko Bag should you wish to travel by train with the bike in tow.

So, I am all set! Temples usually open from 8.00 to 17.00, so I am planning on early starts, helped by the jetlag. Temples 1 to 11 and 13 to 17 can be visited by bicycle very easily, since they are all clustered around Tokushima without much elevation.

Temple 12 is a relative remote “Nansho” temple at 705 metres, accessible by a narrow winding road, or a shorter but steep path unsuitable for bicycles.

Temple 20 , Kakurinji, sits on a hilltop at 470 metres elevation. It is 27km from Tokushima or 22km from Anan.

Temple 21, Tairyuji, though on a hill opposite Kakurinji T20, is much easier to access thanks to a direct bus from Anan and a ropeway.

The sun rises super early, just after 5 o’clock, and sets at 19.15.

Day 1

Arriving the night before at Kansai Airport, I stayed overnight in Wakayama, take the boat to Tokushima and expect to arrive in Tokushima in the late morning. I would dump my stuff in a locker and dive right in, take the train to near Temple 1 (Ryozenji), a pretty easy journey of 30min from Tokushima, and start my journey! Also, it will probably take me ages to pick a nokyocho. In fact, my hostel was staffed, and the bus from the port stopped just around the corner, so I managed to leave my luggage there.

Temple No.2 (Gokurakuji) is an easy flat 1,2km away, so I walk there, too. Temple No.3 is a little further, 2.7km. If I have a chance to reach it before the usual closure time of 16.30 -17.00, I will walk there, too. Then it will be an easy 650m walk to the nearest train station of Itano. So, that’ll be 5-6km for my first (half) day, which is plenty for someone totally not used to hiking.

Day 2

I took the train to Itano, where I would receive my bicycle for the next 8 days. Then, visit T3 if I have not done so the night before. It’s 5km from Temple No.3 or Itano to Temple No 4, Dainichiji, up 80m , then a relaxed 2km Downhill roll to No.5. From Temple No.5 to Temple No.6, Anrakuji, will be 5-6km depending on route, still very suburban but not with a lot of infrastructure in terms of restaurants or convenience stores.

From Temple 6 to Temple 7 (Jurakuji), an easy 1km, then 2-3km to my home for the night, Okudaya. Altogether, 17km or so which I should be able to manage easily on my first day of cycling, even if the heat is bad. In fact, I managed T8 (Kumadaniji) and T9 (Horinji) easily, despite the high temperatures and intense sun on that day.

Day 3

This is where I will veer off the order a bit in order to maximise time on a big and optimise my accommodation options. I could start at Temple No.8 (Kumadaniji), 2km from Okudaya , then another short hop of 2.5km to Temple No 9 ( Horinji), but managed to see them on the day before.

So, freshly rested, I cycled 4.5km to Temple No.10 (Kirihataji), climbed up 300 steps on foot, and was there just at opening time – beautifully quiet. I purchased some pilgrim’s items at Asano Sumotoriya, then cycled through fields and small towns, crossed the river to Temple No.11 (Fujidera) which was the longest distance so far, 10.5km, but it was all fine, freshly rested. From there, I cycled 13.5km to my accommodation for the night, a small ryokan called Urokoro, near Temple No. 15 (Kannonji).

If I have time, I would visit nearby temples, but to be honest, cycling 33km in summery Japan will be ambitious enough, and I don’t want to blaze through the temples in a hurry, either. In reality, having started at T10, I had ample time to sit out the midday heat in a wonderful restaurant called Deta Sushi, then leisurely visted T13,14,15 and checked into my ryokan, with time for a nap before dinner.

Day 4

This day I will need to decide whether backtrack a little from my inn and continue to visit Temples 13-17, which are all tracking back to Tokushima, or head for Temple No.12 (Shosanji), high up in the hills southwest of Takayama.

There is no way I would be able to do the steep climb on the classic pilgrim route from T11 in a day, so I am thinking of taking the bus part of the way to Kamiyama, then walk up 6.5km along the road (and down again), then back to Tokushima, picking up my bicycle on the way and cycling 8km to my hostel in Tokushima.

So what I actually did was take advantage of the bus route passing 200m from my ryokan, took a bus to Kamojima, a taxi, hared with another pilgrim, to Temple 12, Shosanji. Walked back down until I got hot and bored and my knees hurt, then hitched a ride easily with and old lady and two Japanese car pilgrims. I was done at lunchtime, so I returned by bus, picked up my bicycle and saw temples 16 and 17 but did not enjoy the ride through suburban shop-lined main roads – until I took a break in a classic and wonderful sento called Motomachi-yu in Kuramoto, not far from central Tokushima.

So, 13-14km of walking plus 8km cycling, or a fairly relaxed 20km ride from my inn back to Temple 13 through to 17, finishing at my Tokushima Hostel turned in fact into bus rides, 4km of walking and a20km bicycle ride.

Day 5

I first thought I would do whatever I did not do on Day 4, but I also would have to switch my (pre-booked) accommodations and move to Anan.

So… if I visit T12 on Day 4, I still have to visit T13-17 by bicycle, about 12km, then cycle to Anan, an flat 22km ride, taking in Temples 18 (Onzanji) and 19 (Tatsue) on the way. But since I now had visited all temples of Tokushima, I could take it easy, had a late start, cycled a bit, didn’t like the heat and sat it out in a mall and Komeda’s Coffee in Komatushima, then cycled to T18 and to T19 mostly using back roads, not the official pilgrim’s path. Most recently, temples had been a bit unimpressive (it ain’t no Kyoto), but Tatsue-ji wowed with beautiful gardens and a really upbeat festive atmosphere.

I had three nights booked at Guesthouse Daruma in Anan. And I would probably need a relatively chilled day, because the next few says will see temples a lot more spaced out, and I still got two hard-to reach temples even with Temple 12 already visited.

Day 6

I have the choice between two hard-to-reach temples, No.12 not being on the cards any more (backtrack to Tokushima by train, then bus to Kamiyama and the same back).

So I attempt Temple No 20 (Kakurinji), a 44km round trip including a climb to 450m. Well, well. I will still have to do the climb, but I can take a bus but that’s backtracking to Tokushima, too, and will take over two hours, plus a 4.5km climb up to 450 metres. It is possible to get a taxi from the bus stop at Ikuna, which would need to be pre-booked, though.

In reality, now well-used to cycling I blazed to Katsuura in an hour and a bit, parked up at FamilyMart and asked the nice staff there to call a taxi, rode up the steep road in a taxi and walked 5km down – I was too scared to take the henro path, because it was raining a lot, and I did not want to slip and fall with no one around. Cycled back to Anan, interrupted by a bit of rain.

Day 7

This was going to be an easier day. I was going to take the bus (yes, definitely the bus!) from Anan to to Ropeway to Temple No 21 ( (Tairyuji). Temple 21 is the third “Nansho” Temple.

Or maybe, if I feel particularly strong and the weather is good, I could leave very early, take a train to Tokushima, a bus to Ikuna, walk up to T20 (4.5km, 450m), then walk across to T21 , take the ropeway down. This will be interesting, strenuous, and. If in doubt, rather two long days, a rather hard one visiting T20 followed by an easy one to T21, using the bus and ropeway. I ruled out this option because, to be honest, my legs did hurt a fair bit after walking downhill the previous day, and I felt a lot safer on my bicycle than on some slippery lone forest path.

And I was glad for the rest day, with maybe 4-5km walking, a couple chilled bus rides, and T21 definitely warranted a longer stay. I mooched around Anan in the afternoon, got a haircut and visited the grandly named “Fuji Grand” Mall, where I finally had loads of time to browse 100-Yen Shops for as long as I wanted, and finished the day in Anan’s really nice public onsen.

Day 8

I cycled about 30km to Hiwasa, seeing Temple No. 22 on the way, then finish my pilgrimage for now at Temple No.23. With my time plan going to well, I did relax a lot, spend longer time at temples and used some scenic byways rather than the main road. I am glad I had that option, because T22, Byodoji in Aratano, was another stunner where I felt really welcome and, well, happy. I will write about the steps of my pilgrimage and the temples in more detail in due course. I then took the official henro path, a rather neglected-looking narrow muddy road over a low pass, where I did not see a single soul, then followed the old Route 55, a bit of a tedious climb, then 8km of glorious freewheeling into Hiwasa. I had a nice lunch and then took my time seeing T23, Yakuoji, my last temple, then walked around quiet Hiwasa a bit and socialised at my hostel.

I had been keeping the option of taking a train for some of the longer stretches where it’s possible and bring a “Rinko” bag to pack up my bicycle. I will spend one night in Hiwasa.

Day 9

This is going to be an interesting one, too. Cycle 50km back to Tokushima, or purchase a Rinko bag and take it easy by going on the train and then have most of the day free, use it to visit T12…

I guess I will have to make a trip to Montbell in Tokushima. I could take the earliest train, leave the bicycle parked in Tokushima/ return it at this point and still be on my way to T12 by bus, walk up there and should I be pushed for time, get a taxi back to Kamiyama and then a bus (the last one is at 19.15) back to Tokushima. I think, since I have booked accommodation in Takamatsu, there will be taxis involved at some stage.

The last train to Takamatsu from Tokushima is just before 20.30.And just like that, I shortened my time in Takamatsu by one night, and booked another night in Tokushima, just to be safe.

Glad I have been planning it all ahead. So I can spend this night in Takamatsu , and I will have some flexibility around visiting temples 12, 20 and 21. Also, this being rainy season, planning at least one buffer day would be a sensible decision. So, I have all of Day 8 to return to Tokushima, return the bicycle, and move on to Takamatsu for the more relaxing part of my trip early in the morning.

I also looked into possibly hiring a car for the harder- to reach temples but for Japan one needs an International Driving permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention (or an authorized Japanese translation) , and they are only valid for one year. Most of all, I don’t want to get stressed out about reaching the harder-to-reach temples, overestimate my capabilities and end up exhausted or injured and bring my trip to a premature end. I have enough budget to take a taxi, in the worst case!

What I did was cycle back towards Tokushima using some alternative Henro route along the seaside, old Route 25, which was magical, but again, only saw a giant deer and no one else. I managed to take the bike apart and stow it in my Rinko bag and returned by train from Kiki to Sako, carefully avoiding changing with a Rinko and two stuffed pannier bags, reassembled everything in quiet Sako Station, cycled to Montbell (yes, there are some shops I always wanted to visit, like Workman and Montbell and 2nd Street) and I spent so long there, I just made it to Bando, where I wanted to revisit T1, but in the end, I returned my bicycle, took the train to Tokushima, got reuinited with my stuff at Hostel PAG and went to the Awa Odori Kaikan to shop for some local foodie souvenirs, then sad the evening performance of Awa Odori (highly recommened)

If all goes well, I would have completed my pilgrimage of the first Stage of the Shikoku Henro, including Temples numbered 1 to 23, in Tokushima Prefecture, called “Stage of Awakening”. If not, this would be my chance to fill in any gaps. Otherwise, I return the bicycle now and head to Takamatsu to visit Ritsurin Garden, maybe the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum… with a night booked in Takamatsu, I could then then slowly amble back via either Kojima (Japanese Denim), Kibi Plain (more cycling) or Inbe (Bizen Ware!) to Kyoto by slow train or Shinkansen.

Then I planned to have a day to maybe visit one of the two UNESCO World Heritage sights I have not been to, and do all my shopping. then, my friend is visiting from Tokyo for two days of hardcore Japanese-stye sightseeing, and at the end of that, I will fly home! What actually happened was totally different, though!

I will write about it in more detail. I made it to Takamatsu fine, was a bit underwhelmed by Ritsurin-Koen (the blazing heat and mosquitos weren’t helping) so went to a Bonsai nursery, and an onsen… the Isamu Noguchi Museum website was so borked that , for a foreigner with limited knowledge of Japanese and no registered address in Japan, it was literally impossible to pre-book tickets, so I gave up, and, as luck would have it, there was a seasonal exhibition of Yanobe Kenji’s work at NAKKA Osaka, so, I went there instead! Oh and I managed to squeeze in Kojima Jeans Street, too.

Where I stayed

I arrived at Kansai Airport in the evening, took a train to Wakayama and stayed at the Hotel Granvia. This was a very stress-free arrival, Wakayama-bound trains are not busy outside rush hour, and this hotel is right next to JR train station. I cannot understand the official five-star rating, I would give my room a solid three stars, I paid around 40 Euros for the room, and I had a lovely rest after a long journey – and was able to continue my trip to Tokushima very easily the next morning. In the same building is the S3 Wakayama Station, a lovely cabin-style hotel where you can sleep in comfort for about half the price – I stayed there in 2024, but it was already fully booked this time.

In Tokushima, I stayed at Hostel PAQ – a great central hostel ideally suited for the cycling pilgrim, with indoors bicycle parking, bicycle hire, luggage storage and both dorms and private rooms and a lovely common room and kitchen. I met many henro there. My single en-suite room, though not at the height of style, are comfortable and adequate, and I loved my stay there.

My next stays could only be booked directly. Okudaya, a small inn near Temple 8 and 9, was super cheap and homely – with the added bonus of being close to a public onsen. My next stay was in an older traditional ryokan, and in henro circles, famous for its food, English-speaking owners and many dietary requirements accommodated – called Urokorou, this inn is next to T16. Both were quite easily reserved through their contact form, and Okudaya can also be reserved through the Henro House website.

I then spent three nights in Anan at Guesthouse Daruma, using Anan as a hub to see T20 and 21. Although the guesthouse was super clean, and super empty, just two rooms, didn’t see a single other person in all three days, I felt a bit isolated and had a bit of a problem with bicycle parking. So, while Anan is not on the henro path, it is a pleasant small town with not much happening, but there is an onsen and some nice restaurants. I would probably choose the Super Hotel Anan City Hall next time – they are a chain of simple business hotels, but the Anan property is new, central, smoke-free and even has its own onsen! I also liked Tatsue-ji (T19), so you could stay at its pilgrim lodge – which can currently only be booked directly.

My last stay on my pilgrimage was at Ichi the Hostel in Hiwasa – I loved my room! You could see someone with a good eye for interior had worked on these rooms. Although facilities were shared, my private double room was huge, and practically and aesthetically furnished with many natural materials.

The Small Print

This trip was entirely self-funded, in terms of flights, fees and accommodation. Nothing you see here was sponsored, and I did not receive compensation, discounts, or special treatment in exchange for writing it. All my own honest and unbiased opinion.

This post does contain some affiliate links to accommodation I stayed in. However, a lot of accommodations on the Ohenro are small, privately run guesthouses that can only be booked directly. If you book a hotel using my affiliate links, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please refer to my blog’s Terms and Conditions for further information.

This post reflects my personal opinion and experience and is not a statement of fact about any places or accommodation mentioned in this post. I have decided not to post photos of the interior of the school, since it was impossible to get a photo of the lounge or classrooms without any one in them, but tried to describe them as best as I can.

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