Sanuki and Awa
Pilgrim’s Temples and Gardens of Shigemori Mirei — A Day in the Heart of the Shikoku.
- Duration: 9 hours (starting at 09:00)
- Price: On request
- Departure: Departure and arrival at hotels in Takamatsu
Overview
The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage is a route of approximately 1,400 km, covering the four prefectures of Shikoku Island. On this tour, you will visit three temples in Kagawa Prefecture and two in Tokushima Prefecture in one day, traveling by private car with a personal guide. Each temple in the Takamatsu area—whether on the historic battlefield of Yashima, on the slopes of Gokenzan, or overlooking the waters of Shido Bay—is set in a unique landscape and holds its own special history.
The second focus of this tour is gardens. The dry landscape garden "Musen-tei" at Shido-ji was created in 1962 by Mirai Shigemori, a leading garden designer of the Showa era. Four years later, Shigemori conducted a detailed study of the garden at Awa Kokubun-ji in Tokushima, highly praising its stone composition as one of the finest among Japanese gardens. The tour program is designed so that in one day you can see both a garden created by Shigemori and one he interpreted. The route follows a reverse order—from Temple No. 84 to No. 1—ending at Ryozen-ji, where the Shikoku pilgrimage begins.
Route: hotel in Takamatsu → Yashima-dera (No. 84) → Yakuri-ji (No. 85) → Shido-ji (No. 86)・Musen-tei → lunch → Awa Kokubun-ji (No. 15)・National Scenic Garden → Ryozen-ji (No. 1) → hotel in Takamatsu
Key Features
- Yashima — a overlooking the Seto Inland Sea — Temple No. 84 was founded by Ganjin in 754. Both the main hall from the Kamakura period and the principal statue from the Heian period are recognized as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Yashima was the site of a battle in 1185.
- Yakuriji — On the slopes of Gokenzan, soaring into the sky — The temple is located at an altitude of 375 meters. It is believed to have been founded by Kobo Daishi in 829 (the 6th year of Tencho). The shrine has long been revered as bringing success in business and good fortune in love.
- Shido-ji — an ancient temple and the legend of the ama — The temple was founded in 625. The Nio Gate is recognized as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the statues of the Nio guardians are attributed to Unkei. The guide will share a fascinating legend about the ama.
- Mujintei — A garden where legends are retold in stone — The dry garden, created in 1962 by Mirei Shigemori, features horizontally arranged stones symbolizing the Island of Pearls, while the white sand represents the Seto Inland Sea.
- Awa Kokubunji Garden — a place where stones become landscape — It is a designated Place of Scenic Beaut. Created during the Momoyama period, the garden is distinguished by stone compositions featuring a vertically placed blue Awa stone.
- The temple where the pilgrimage begins — Temple No. 1, founded by Gyoki. Known as the "Temple of Vows," it serves as the starting point of the Shikoku pilgrimage. The Tahoto pagoda, approximately 600 years old, has been preserved.
Continue with VIP ACCESS
The day-by-day itinerary, the timetable and the names of the shops and workshops we visit are available to VIP ACCESS members.