Shikoku Pilgrimage Tour: Selected Temples by Private Car

July 7, 2025June 15, 2026

Shikoku Pilgrimage Tour Overview

Experience the depth of the Shikoku Henro through visits to stately sanctuaries and cliffside halls on this curated Shikoku Pilgrimage tour. A private car and driver means you can travel with complete privacy, flexibility, and peace of mind. After active days traveling to sacred sites across the island’s four prefectures, enjoy authentic local cuisine in characterful accommodations that showcase the island’s best traditions.

While many temples involve some walking, travel between temples is done by car. For those interested in experiencing some of the pilgrimage’s most beautiful walks, see our Shikoku Pilgrimage Hiking Tour.

Who is this tour for?

This tour is ideal for those who dream of experiencing the Shikoku Pilgrimage but may not want to commit to the full 88 Temple odyssey. Designed for groups from two to six, it is perfect four couples, families, or friends traveling together.

This tour is fully customizable, and the itinerary here is a base on which you can build your perfect Shikoku Pilgrimage journey. Some sacred sites include steep steps and may not be suitable for all mobility levels. Whether you prefer to focus on remote mountain temples or Shikoku’s quieter natural sanctuaries, we can tailor the experience to reflect your interests.

Itinerary

STEP

Day 01 : Matsuyama

You arrive in Matsuyama by air, rail, or bus and check into your hotel.

STEP

Day 02 : Matsuyama

The tour starts in Matsuyama, in Ehime Prefecture. Your first temple visit is to No. 60 Yokomine-ji. Located in the foothills of Mt. Ishizuchi, it’s renowned as one of the most difficult to access. The next stop is No. 64 Maegami-ji, once a Shintō shrine associated with Mt. Ishizuchi. No. 58 Senyū-ji on a mountainside outside Imabari has magnificent temple guardians. The next temple is No. 52 Taisan-ji whose belfry has remarkable scenes of heaven and hell. The last temple of the day is No. 51 Ishite-ji, associated with Emon Saburō, considered the first pilgrim. Your accommodation is a luxurious onsen ryokan hotel in the spa town of Dōgo where a luxurious course dinner is served (included).

STEP

Day 03 : Ehime and Kōchi

The day starts with a climb up to Kuma Highland where you visit No. 44 Daihō-ji in a forest of massive trees, and No. 45 Iwaya-ji built into a rocky mountainside. The beautiful Niyodo River rises in the highland, and you follow it down into Kōchi Prefecture. No. 36 Shōryū-ji is located on a peninsula jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. Kūkai is said to have produced a spring at No. 35 Kiyotaki-ji, the last stop. The day’s journey ends in Kōchi City, with dinner at the popular and convivial Hirome Market. Your accommodation is a smart, modern hotel in the centre of town.

STEP

Day 04 : Kōchi

Your first stop today is Katsurahama Beach with its statue of Sakamoto Ryōma gazing out over the Pacific. Then you head around Kōchi Bay to No. 31 Chikurin-ji, a lovely leafy temple with a tall red pagoda. Next you visit No. 26 Kongōchō-ji where Kūkai debated a tengu. The next stop, No. 27 Kōnomine-ji is one of the difficult to reach temples situated 632 m above sea level. The last stop of the day is No. 24 Hotsumisaki-ji and the nearby lighthouse at the end of the Muroto Peninsula. Tonight’s accommodation is an old hotel on the peninsula popular with pilgrims, where dinner is served (included).

STEP

Day 05 : Kōchi and Tokushima

The first stop is at Mikuro Cave where Kūkai lived when he sought enlightenment. Then you head up the eastern side of the Muroto Peninsula into Tokushima, to No. 23 Yakuō-ji. Here you can protect yourself from bad fortune by placing coins on the steep steps. At No. 22 Byōdō-ji, Kūkai dug a well for the consecration of this temple. You take a cable car to get No. 21 Tairyū-ji, situated high up in the mountains with a view over much of Shikoku. No. 20 Kakurin-ji is another beautiful mountaintop temple, featuring several statues of sacred cranes. You stay at a comfortable onsen hotel, where dinner is served (included).

STEP

Day 06 : Kagawa

The day starts with a visit to No. 14, Jōraku-ji, site of a touching miracle. Next stop is No. 15 Awa Kokubun-ji, one of only three Zen temples on the pilgrimage. No. 1 Ryōzen-ji is where many pilgrims start, although traditionally, pilgrims have started from where they happen to enter Shikoku. The next temple, No. 2 Gokuraku-ji is visited by women seeking easy childbirth. At No. 8 Kumadani-ji, you can see the temple gate which is considered to be the finest of all 88 temples. The last stop is No. 88 Ōkubo-ji in Kagawa Prefecture, the last temple for many pilgrims. Your accommodation is a modern hotel by the sea, where dinner is served (included).

STEP

Day 07 : Kagawa

The mountains of Kagawa Prefecture have a distinctive shape, and none more so than Mt. Yashima. The first stop is at No. 84 Yashima-ji atop this dramatic plateau. No. 85 Yakuri-ji is near the site of an ancient battle in the Genpei War. Kagawa takes its name from the next temple, No. 82 Negoro-ji, where a fragrant river flowed from the base of a tree there. No. 81 Shiromine-ji has some of the oldest buildings on the pilgrimage, dating back to the seventeenth century. At No. 73 Shusshaka-ji, the young Kūkai took a death-defying leap from imposing Mt. Gahaishi. Your final stop is No. 75 Zentsū-ji, a very large temple complex and the place of Kūkai’s birth. Your last night is spent in a luxurious onsen ryokan, where dinner is served (included).

STEP

Day 08 : Kagawa

After visiting Konpira Shrine (optional), you can take convenient public transport from Kotohira to Takamatsu Airport or Station for your onward journey.

FAQs

Are there vegetarian options?

Not really. Japanese cooking is based on fish stock, and the Japanese love their fish and meat. On this tour, you stay in traditional Japanese accommodation that is proud of its cuisine, especially the fish. For breakfast and dinner, it is possible to ask for ‘largely’ vegetarian food, but no guarantees are offered. You can generally find vegetarian options for lunch, but with limited choice.

What is the ‘basic insurance’ mentioned in Inclusions?

When you purchase a tour from Shikoku Tours, we automatically enrol you in basic travel insurance as a legal requirement. The insurance pays out up to 300 million yen per incident. We also have insurance to cover our bicycle operations. Although we enrol you in basic travel insurance, you should still purchase your own general travel insurance in case our coverage is insufficient.

What does the English-speaking driver do?

The English-speaking driver will drive, help with check-in, and offer advice on the smooth operation of your tour. This allows you the peace of mind that you won’t encounter a situation where you’re alone and helpless. However, the driver doesn’t provide guide services. If you want a guided tour, please let us know and we’ll provide a guide.

What’s your cancellation policy?

Our cancellation policy is as follows;

Cancelled more than 21 days prior to start: No charge
Cancelled between 20 and 8 days prior to start: 20% of the total fee
Cancelled between 7 days and 48 hours prior to start: 30% of the total fee
Cancelled between 48 and 24 hours prior to start: 40% of the total fee
Cancelled within 24 hours of start: 50% of the total fee
Cancelled on the day of start or failure to show: 100% of the total fee
No refunds will be given after the tour has commenced.

What are your payment terms?

When you book a tour, we ask for a 10% deposit, with the balance to be paid a month before the start of the tour. You can pay by credit card or bank transfer.