The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage — Complete Guide & Temple List

The Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage (四国遍路, Shikoku Henro) is a roughly 1,400-kilometre circular Buddhist pilgrimage that links 88 sacred temples across the four prefectures of Shikoku, Japan. It follows the path of Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), the founder of Shingon Buddhism, and pilgrims (called o-henro) travel from temple to temple receiving a hand-brushed goshuin (御朱印, temple seal) at each one.

This page is a complete reference list of all 88 temples — with each temple’s number, name (romaji and kanji), principal image (honzon), Buddhist sect, location, and the distance to the next temple. The underlying record comes from a 2016 walking pilgrimage made in reverse order (Temple 88 → 1) during the once-in-60-years “reverse year.”

Quick facts

• Number of temples: 88
• Total length: about 1,400 km
• Prefectures: Tokushima, Kōchi, Ehime, Kagawa (old provinces Awa, Tosa, Iyo, Sanuki)
• Associated with: Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai), founder of Shingon Buddhism
• Typical time on foot: about 40–50 days
• Start & end (numerical order): Temple 1 Ryōzen-ji → Temple 88 Ōkubo-ji

The four stages of the pilgrimage

The 88 temples are traditionally divided into four prefectures, each seen as a stage of spiritual training:

• Tokushima (Awa) · Temples 1–23 — “Awakening” (発心): the journey begins on the plains of Awa.
• Kōchi (Tosa) · Temples 24–39 — “Discipline” (修行): long, lonely stretches along the Pacific coast.
• Ehime (Iyo) · Temples 40–65 — “Enlightenment” (菩提): mountain and town temples through Iyo.
• Kagawa (Sanuki) · Temples 66–88 — “Nirvana” (涅槃): the final temples, ending at Ōkubo-ji.

All 88 temples — complete list

Frequently Asked Questions

How many temples are there on the Shikoku pilgrimage?

There are 88 temples on the Shikoku Henro, spread across the four prefectures of Shikoku — Tokushima, Kōchi, Ehime and Kagawa.

How long is the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage?

The full circuit is roughly 1,400 km. Walking pilgrims usually take about 40 to 50 days to complete all 88 temples.

Which prefectures does the pilgrimage pass through?

It passes through all four prefectures of Shikoku: Tokushima (old Awa), Kōchi (Tosa), Ehime (Iyo) and Kagawa (Sanuki).

Who founded the Shikoku pilgrimage?

The pilgrimage is associated with Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai, 774–835), the founder of Shingon Buddhism, who is said to have trained at many of these sites; the route developed in the centuries that followed.

What is a goshuin?

A goshuin (御朱印) is a temple seal, hand-brushed in ink by a temple’s staff and stamped in red, given to pilgrims and visitors as proof of their visit. Each one is unique.

Where does the pilgrimage start and end?

In numerical order it begins at Temple 1, Ryōzen-ji, in Tokushima, and ends at Temple 88, Ōkubo-ji, in Kagawa. Because the route is circular, many pilgrims then return to Temple 1 to close the loop.

What is the reverse (gyaku-uchi) pilgrimage?

Walking the temples in reverse order (88 → 1) is called gyaku-uchi. It is considered more difficult, and walking it in a “reverse year” — which falls once every 60 years — is traditionally said to bring far greater blessing.

In what order are the temples numbered?

The temples are numbered 1 to 88 in the standard clockwise route around Shikoku, starting in Tokushima and moving through Kōchi, Ehime and Kagawa.