Start your research here
The best places to start your research are by looking around this website:
Reading this free ebook:
And ordering the Route Guide (the pilgrims’ bible):
http://www.shikokuhenrotrail.com/shikoku/pilgrimagebooksGuidebooks.html#88RouteGuide
The app Henro Helper is also very useful.
When you are planning exactly where to stay, these two websites are very useful (in addition to Google Maps):
https://www.henro.org https://henroyado.com/inns?pref=tokushimaNOTE: Google Maps, etc, is useful for finding stores, restaurants, and accommodations but DO NOT trust it for navigation. The henro path has lots of mountain trails and most of them are not on Google Maps. It will lead you wrong. There are also many short trail segments in cities, towns, and rural areas that also are not on Google Maps. Follow the signs and use the Route Guide. You can supplement those with the Henro Helper app or with other apps like maps.me, organic maps, etc, as long as you have downloaded the .kmz file for the henro path and also the offline maps for that app.
Nope! Nope! Nope!
Common misconceptions about the Shikoku Pilgrimage
A lot of what you read about the Shikoku Pilgrimage is wrong. This is just as true for books and magazines as it is for websites and online discussions. What you hear about it from other pilgrims is just as bad, just as likely to be wrong – or worse, only half-right, and you don't know which half.
What I tell you here is probably accurate. (Trust me! I’ve walked the pilgrimage five times, cycled most of it, driven all of it, I live in Tokushima and I spend much of my time talking about it with pilgrims and pilgrimage lovers.)
1. There is an official route that most pilgrims follow.
NOPE!
The aim of the pilgrimage is to visit 88 temples with strong connections to Kobo Daishi. There is a traditional order to visit them, but nobody really cares if you visit some out of order, do the pilgrimage in sections, drive, take the bus, walk, or cycle. The main English guidebook “Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide” by Naoyuki Matsushita shows the shortest walking route with a number of options. Sometimes the options take you by a more scenic or more historical way. Sometimes they take you to additional temples which some pilgrims visit, but which never got a number (or got one of a different set of numbers). The main Japanese guidebook uses a different map, though both books are based on the same original guidebook, which was written almost 50 years ago by Tateki Miyazaki. In many cases, you will find that Japanese walking pilgrims often take regular car roads even when there is a marked trail which may be shorter, quieter, and more beautiful. Non-Japanese like me will sometimes take those roads (more food options, etc). You can go any way you like. There is no official route. Also, there is no rule that you have to walk all of the route, or any of it.
2. The traditional way to do the pilgrimage was to camp out or sleep in free accommodations provided by temples or by local people.
NOPE!
There have always been a few people who have done the pilgrimage this way, but it has always been a small number, a very small number. The overwhelming majority of pilgrims have always stayed at inns of various types, or at those temples that have shukubo, temple lodgings. In the past, most temples had lodgings. Now there are fewer than ten. The number goes down every year.
3. It’s usually okay to sleep in the rest huts you will see along the trail.
NOPE!
4. It never’s okay to sleep in the rest huts you will see along the trail.
NOPE!
For #3 and #4, the obvious answer is that it is sometimes okay, but it’s difficult to judge just what okay means in this case. Some huts have signs saying it’s okay to sleep there. Some have signs saying it’s not okay to sleep there. The other 95% have no sign either way. Pilgrims have been told that you can sleep in a hut if some local person says it’s okay. There are three problems with this advice. First, who is this person and do they really have the authority to give you permission to sleep there? Second, though the person who says it’s okay may be the one who has authority to say so, what about other people who see you sleeping there? How will they feel? You might think, “Why should I care if someone objects?” But you may be giving the impression that people like you feel entitled to sleep wherever they want, thus giving a bad name to people like you. This can have a negative effect on how future people like you are perceived and treated.
I say people like you because some of the people who see you will categorize you and think your behavior is typical of whatever category they have put you in. That's their bad, as we say in the U.S., but it still has an effect. I'm not saying you shouldn't sleep in a hut even with permission. I'm just saying that you should be aware of the possible effects of what you do. (Note: I've slept in huts several times, but I don't recommend it. This gets to number three. They're often uncomfortable and usually noisy, sometimes extremely noisy. Also, for women pilgrims they may not be completely safe – see #9 below.)
5. It’s okay to sleep in small, deserted train stations.
NOPE!
Private property. Who gave you permission?
6. It’s okay to camp discretely, setting up after dark where you won't be seen and leaving very early in the morning.
NOPE! (Well, . . .)
Stealth camping is illegal. Also, is there a toilet? On the other hand, if you are some place where you really, really can't be seen and you have a non-polluting toilet option...
7. Vegetarian food is easy to find and commonly served at the temple shukubo (lodging houses).
NOPE!
A couple of the temple shukubo on the pilgrimage route serve vegetarian food, but most do not. One of the most popular temple shukubo is at Anrakuji, Temple Six. They've had a shukubo there for hundreds of years. The temple website says this about meals, “When you think of a shukubo, you may think of vegetarian cuisine, but we prepare dishes that include meat and fish to help build up the stamina of pilgrims who visit the 88 temples of Shikoku.” They go on to say that they do not make changes for, “dietary restrictions.”
8. Buddhist priests in Japan are normally vegetarians.
NOPE!
Some certainly are vegetarians, but most are not. At least, that has been my experience. I have many friends who are priests, have eaten at many temples, and have lived at a temple.
9. Women traveling alone in Japan don't get hassled by men, especially if they are wearing pilgrim’s clothes.
NOPE!
Sadly, this is not true. There have been at least three incidents I know of in the past year when foreign women walking alone have been hassled by aggressive men. In the most serious incident, a man exposed himself to a woman walking the pilgrimage solo. She reported this to the police. I don't know what happened later. You could say these incidents are statistically rare, and I've never heard of a rape or attempted rape of a pilgrim, but still...
10. You can reserve your pilgrimage accommodations online.
Yes and no
This one is part true and becoming more true every year, but there is a long way to go. For most places where pilgrims usually stay, you must phone to make a reservation. Even if the inn or hotel has a web page with a reservation function or email address, you can’t count on that working. I always try using those but perhaps half the time either they don’t work or I get incorrect information. It’s usually necessary to call. (No, WhatsApp doesn’t work either.) Many inns list a FAX number next to their phone number on their web page (if they have a web page) and I’ve heard that works for making reservations. There are some free fax services available online.
11. You don’t need to make reservations.
NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!
If you show up at an inn at 4:30 and ask for a room, they will try to accommodate you. But even if they can, you have upset the system. They have probably bought food (and started to prepare it) only for the number of reservations they had. They probably haven’t prepared extra rooms. If they refuse you (either because they literally have no room or because they don’t feel like changing their plans) you may have to walk five or ten kilometers farther (or take a bus, train, or taxi), with no guarantee that there will be a room for you there either. Always reserve no later than the morning of the day you want to stay.
12. You can ship your bag ahead to the next inn.
NOPE!
This is almost never possible. If you ask for this as a special service (paid or not), you're coming across as a pushy person who feels entitled to extra service. There is a new (paid) service at the beginning of the pilgrimage where you can leave a bag (your nice clothes for visiting Kyoto?) during the pilgrimage. Contact [email protected] or phone 080-2989-8070. There is also free luggage service between some of the inns just before Fujiidera (Temple 11) and Sudachi-An, an inn just after Shosanji (Temple 12).
13. You should bring a sleeping bag, “just in case.”
NOPE!
If you plan to sleep out regularly, of course you should bring a sleeping bag, etc. Don’t bring it, “just in case.” There are always other options that don’t add weight to your pack all day, every day. You can take a bus, train, or taxi once or twice if necessary. (See #1 above about there being no rule that you have to walk every step of the way.)
Travel Light Really light! Lighter than that!!!
Anyone can do the Shikoku Pilgrimage with a pack weighing under 5 kg, plus whatever snacks and drinks they want for the day. Many days you don't need to carry any snacks or drinks – you can buy them along the way.
In this FAQ I’ll explain WHY you should go light, HOW you can, WHAT I carry, and what you think you need but DON’T.
WHY you should travel light
The Shikoku Pilgrimage is longer, harder, and less well-organized than other similar pilgrimage routes. It is 1137.3 km if you don’t take any detours and you never get lost. Since you will do both (trust me), assume you will travel 1200 km or more. Also, there are thousands of meters up and down (details here). If you walk the whole route, it will take 6-8 weeks.
Some trails have luggage delivery service. The Shikoku Pilgrimage does not. There is luggage delivery service in only one place, arranged by the kind-hearted owners of the inns on either side of the mountain trail to Shosanji – Temple 12. The famous takkyubin (Japanese package delivery companies) don’t have same-day service on Shikoku. You can hire a taxi to take your bag from one inn to the next, but will cost a few thousand yen each time.
Another reason you should carry everything you need with you is because, at some point during your pilgrimage, you may not make it to your planned destination due to weather, illness, injury, mental stress, or some other problem. If you have sent your bag ahead, you will be without a change of clothes. (If this happens, you MUST call your reserved lodging and let them know you won't be staying there.)
HOW to travel light
Traveling light is a Japanese tradition. When you see Japanese pilgrims, you may notice that their packs are smaller than the packs of most foreign pilgrims. They understand the system. The lodgings along the pilgrimage route have yukata that you can sleep in. Most Japanese will wear the yukata to dinner in the inn. You can also wear the yukata while your clothes are being washed and dried in the coin-operated washers and dryers that nearly all the inns provide. (Some are free for pilgrims – others cost 100-200 yen for the washer plus 100-200 for the dryer. A few only have washing machines.) All inns have hair dryers, soap, shampoo, small towels, and body wash. In addition, you will pass stores every day. You can replace your used-up toothpaste, sunscreen, insect repellant, etc. at any convenience store or supermarket. (Convenience stores also stock underwear, caps, gloves, and catalytic heat packets.) If you need something more, the towns have stores with shoes, pants, rain-gear, etc. You can buy a cheap umbrella (300 yen), use it for one day, and leave it at your inn for the next pilgrim. If worse comes to worst, you can order almost anything from Amazon Japan and have it delivered to an inn one or two days ahead (call and ask the inn). (Exception: People like me with very large feet can only buy shoes and socks at a few places in Japan. Amazon.jp has a very limited selection of large-size, high-quality trail runners and hiking shoes.)
WHAT I CARRY (and how much it weighs - very personal list)
PACK: maximum weight not including food and drink – 4301 g. I say maximum weight because sometimes I wear some of these things like the Goretex jacket and rain pants. This includes the weight of the pack but doesn’t include one set of clothes since I always wear that.
VEST: I also carry some things in a many-pocketed vest, so the total amount I carry is more than 4303 g. The weight of the vest is part of my total weight, but so is the weight of the clothes I wear and the weight I put on last year from eating too many cookies.
[See a separate Food FAQ (not yet written) for information about how much food and drink you may need to carry. It will usually be 1-2 kg This list includes no food or water.]
Clothing (I wash clothes every other day – it keeps my pack light)
0330 – 2 tee-shirts
0201 – lightweight knit top
0070 – undershorts
0325 – puffy (very light down jacket) in stuff sack
0059 – knit cap in cool weather, baseball-type cap in warm weather
0118 – socks (I wear Smartwool socks from REI)
0301 – rain pants (I wear them or a yukata at the inn when I wash my hiking pants)
0317 – Goretex jacket
0033 – gloves in cool weather
0050 – two bandanas (they have so many uses)
0030 – net bag for laundry (I often share a washing machine with others)
TOTAL for clothes – 1834 g
Henro goods (in a big ziplock bag)
0479 – nokyocho (stamp book)
0098 – name slips (100 name slips and two pens) (I don't carry candles or incense.)
TOTAL 0577 g
Electronics
My phone, charging cable, plug, and extra battery are always in the pockets of my vest. Sometimes I carry an iPad and other electronic items, but of course these aren’t necessary.
Medical, toiletries, repairs
0042 – towel (The inns always have towels, but I carry this anyway. Don't forget your towel!)
0120 – tooth care, nail clippers, etc.
0031 – bandaids and alcohol wipes
0090 – repair kit (needle and thread, strong tape, etc.)
TOTAL – 283 g
Other
I carry a lightweight cotton shoulder bag/tote bag (75 g) that I use for shopping and when I am leaving my pack behind for a day hike up a mountain, etc. This is enough because I always wear a many-pocketed vest – an important part of my pilgrimage gear.
0140 – two lightweight water bottles (sometimes empty, sometimes full)
1179 – pack
0148 – pack cover
0075 – cotton shoulder bag/tote bag
My backpack is an Osprey Exos 48 large men’s pack. I remove the “brain” from the pack. The pack weighs 1179 g. I carry at least two large plastic bags so everything in the pack stays dry even in an all-day rain. This pack is much bigger than necessary for what I carry. I use it because it is tall enough that I can keep 100% of the weight on the waist-belt – no weight at all on my shoulders. You can put a finger under the shoulder straps when I wear this pack. Most people use a pack of around 35 liters.
Sleep system for camping (I don’t normally carry this.)
0474 – bivy sack
0535 – down quilt
0068 – inflatable pillow
0443 – Thermarest Pro Plus mattress in stuff sack
0084 – underpad for the bivy
TOTAL 1604 g
Conclusion
My pack, fully loaded, not counting food, drink, and some things in my vest, normally weighs a little over 4 kg plus whatever snacks and drinks I am carrying for the day. You can do this too. Go light. Go lighter! It will make your pilgrimage simpler, less painful, and more rewarding.
EXTRA things to consider
DO NOT take all of these! You can buy just about anything in stores along the way or online.
1. Bring any prescription medicines you need with the prescriptions. Some prescription drugs you have may not be allowed in Japan – check! Some over-the-counter drugs you have may be prescription-only in Japan – check!
2. If you are prone to blisters, you might bring something to treat them. You can, of course, buy all of that in any pharmacy in Japan, but you might want it sometime when you are not right in front of a pharmacy. I carry a small roll of tape (sold in Japan as “taping tape”) for other people if they have a hot spot that might turn into a blister. I haven't needed it myself for about four years, since I started wearing Altra trail-runners with Smartwool socks. (Altras are great for most people, but not everybody.) I think everyone should carry a small roll of tape just in case. (I said SMALL. You can buy more.)
3. The pillows at Japanese inns are usually VERY hard. You might want to bring an inflatable pillow. I just put some clothes in the stuff sack for my puffy.
4. Most Japanese inns give you a futon on a tatami floor. There are usually extra futons in a cupboard in the room. Of course, you can always ask for extra pillows and futons. If you need a softer bed, you might bring a lightweight inflatable mattress. I sometimes do. This is probably more important for side-sleepers like me.
5. If you bring souvenirs to give to people you meet, they should weigh little or nothing. But really, this isn't necessary. The pilgrimage tradition is to give people one of your name slips (filled out) as a thank-you.
Souvenirs
If you buy souvenirs, unless they weigh almost nothing, send them home immediately. It may be possible to send them back to the hotel where you left your city clothes, but only if you arranged this ahead of time. (I don't recommend it.) You can mail things to your home anywhere in the world from any Japanese post office. They also have boxes and mailing bags. Some tourist shops will send souvenirs directly to your home.
Leave your city clothes behind
Several hotels and inns in Tokushima City and near Ryōzenji will store one bag for you if you stay there at least one night before and after the pilgrimage. (Many people also spend one or two nights in Tokushima City between Idoji and Onzanji (temples 17 and 18). Ask when making reservations. Hostel PAQ has a large storage room. Other hotels may or may not have room for your bag.
Things you think you might need to bring that you probably don't:
A pair of pants to change into in the evening. At the inn, you can wear the yukata they provide or your hiking pants (or hiking shorts in warm weather). If you go out to dinner, wear your hiking pants/shorts. You’re a pilgrim, not a tourist. How often do you need to wash your hiking pants – once a week? Wear the yukata.
Extra shoes.
Most people get through the pilgrimage with one pair of shoes. Start off with a new pair of a kind you have used before. There are shoe stores in every town, outdoor clothing/equipment stores here and there, plus Amazon Japan. You really don’t need to carry a second pair. (Possible exception, as I said before, people with very large feet.)
Camping gear.
If you plan to camp, bring it, but don’t bring it just in case. There are always options. You may have to take a bus or taxi sometime, or take one very long day or very short day, but doing that once or twice is better than carrying full camping gear for 6 – 8 weeks and only using it once or twice – or not at all.
How to Find Accommodations
Ten Ways
- Route Guide (Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide by Naoyuki Matsushita)
- https://henroyado.com/inns?pref=tokushima
- https://www.henro.org/shikoku-pilgrimage/map
- Google Maps
- https://min88.jp/inn/map_ja
- Files section of the main English language Facebook groups, Ohenro San お遍路さん and Shikoku 88 Ohenro Pilgrimage
- Henro Helper app
- The Shikoku Pilgrimage: 2024 Edition by Oliver Dunskus
- https://henrohouse.jp/en
- 10. Other Online Options:
How to get from KIX (Kansai International Airport) to Ryozenji (Temple 1)
There are basically three ways to get from Kansai Airport to Ryozenji (Temple 1). Two of them go via Tokushima City. The other is more direct.
1. The Direct Way (change buses once)
There’s a ticket machine just outside the arrivals hall at KIX. You can take a bus from there to OCAT, the regional bus terminal next to Namba Station. (You can also go via Kobe, but I don’t know the details.) Change buses and go to Naruto Nishi (Naruto West) bus stop. (This bus is bound for Takamatsu, not Tokushima City.) That is ten minutes' walk from Temple One, Ryozenji. There are four inns near the temple. They are shown in the Route Guide and on Google Maps. One of them, Henro House Ichiban Monzen Dori, can be reserved online (https://henrohouse.jp/en) BUT IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024 AND WILL REOPEN ABOUT NOVEMBER 1ST. The others (and that one as well) can be reserved by phone. (The phone numbers are in the Route Guide.) You must make a reservation for an inn before you get on the bus.
2. By bus to Tokushima City
There are direct buses from the airport to Tokushima city, but only THREE buses per day. They leave Terminal One at 10:05, 12:20, and 16:20. Details are here (in Japanese only): https://www.tokubus.co.jp/news/detail/884
If you can’t catch a direct bus, you can take a bus from the airport to either Kobe Sannomiya Station or to OCAT, the regional bus station next to JR Namba Station in Osaka. Change buses and go to Tokushima City, and spend the night there. If you spend the night in Tokushima City, you can get additional information at the Tokushima Welcome Center near Tokushima Station. Then take a train to Bando Station. Ryozenji is 10-15 minutes’ walk from Bando Station. In case you have not yet bought the Route Guide, you can get it at the Kiosk Shop in the station, at the Welcome Center, or at the temple.
Bus schedules are here (Thanks Jesse Milner!) https://japanbusonline.com/en
3. By Ferry (Cheapest but slowest and a little more complicated)
From the airport, take the train to Izumisano Station, change for a train to Wakayama Port Station, then take the ferry to Tokushima. (There is usually a bus that meets the ferry and takes you to Tokushima JR Station.) You can buy a combined ticket for the train and ferry at the airport. This will usually be the slowest way, but if you arrive after the last bus tp Tokushima City or to Maruto Nishi, it will be your best choice. The ferry ride itself is very pleasant.
Luggage Storage and Forwarding for the Pilgrimage
A. There are four options for leaving luggage in and around Tokushima while you do the pilgrimage.
Option 1 -- The best is the free option. A few hotels near the station and a couple of the inns near Ryozenji (Temple One) will store a bag for you during your pilgrimage if you stay with them at least one night before and after. Most have only limited space, but Hostel PAQ, a very popular pilgrim guest house near the station, has lots of room.
Lockers in the basement of Tokushima Station. (Open 6 am to 11 pm) Seventeen lockers for large items (700 yen), 50-plus for medium items (500 yen), and 50-plus for small items (400 yen). Three-day limit.
Option 3 -- Tokushima Welcome Center, across from the station (500 yen per day).
Option 4 -- Oyado Eleven, in front of Fujiidera (Temple Eleven). This one has the advantage that you don't have to collect your bag at the end of your pilgrimage. Masuda-san will send it to you at the airport for your departure or to TekTek, an inn in front of Nagaoji (Temple 87). You can even send him the bag from another location such as the airport when you arrive in Japan. For details and price, email him at [email protected].
Option 5 – Fledged https://www.fledgedryugaku.com/about-5 [email protected] 080-3552-6660
B. There are two options for forwarding luggage during the pilgrimage, and only for two specific places, two mountain temples. (Actually three options if you include using Japan Post and poste restante, but that's complicated.)
Option 1. If you want to avoid having to carry your pack up to Shosanji (#12) and down the other side, stay at one of these inns just before Fujiidera (#11)
- "Awarakuya" email for English: [email protected]
- "Ryokan-Yoshino" No email. Only calling to book 0883-24-1263 (+81 883-24-1263)
- "Guest house Channel-kan " email for English: [email protected]
- "Hostel OE" (It's not Oyado-Eleven) email (English okay): [email protected]
and then stay at Sudachi-An just after Shosanji. Your pack will be taken ahead for you free of charge. (More information below)
Option 1a. If you stay at Oyado 11, in front of Fujiidera (#11), you can pay 1,500 yen to have your bag transferred to one of the inns after Shosanji (#12). For details (English okay) [email protected]
Option 2. If you want to avoid having to carry your pack up to Yokomineji (#60), Guest House BEKKU (between T59 and T60, map. 73-b) has started a luggage forwarding service.
[cost]
Guest House BEKKU => Business Ryokan Komatsu 1,000 yen each
Guest House BEKKU => Guest House Himi 1,200 yen each
Guest House BEKKU => Yunotani Onsen 1,500 yen each
(It may be possible to have your bag taken to Nojima House or Yushin-an. This is a new service as of April 2024. I don’t know the details.)
NOTE: There is no transportation for you, only your bag.
Booking information for Sudachi-An (19 August, 2024)
お宿 すだち庵 Sudachi-anAbout booking
Email (English okay) [email protected].
include this information in your email:
name:
gender:
The number of people:
where will you stay the night before:
Free backpack service: yes or no
Staying Plan: no meals / with dinner and breakfast / with dinner only / with breakfast only
We can't prepare vegetarian dinners. The breakfast is OK for vegetarian. No stores nearby.
Notes
- If you want to cancel, you must call us before noon on the day. Late cancellation requires full payment.
- If you have problems on the way, send an email.
About hot spring.
They can take you to an onsen near the guesthouse if you arrive by 5PM.
It’s about 10 mins by car.
You can buy a discount ticket for the onsen from Sudachi-An for 650 yen.
How to get from Temple 20 to 21 to 22
This is one of the harder sections of the pilgrimage because the are two mountains and then a hill with few places to stay in between. There are a number of options.
First, you can walk it in one day. This would seem to be fairly easy, and many people do it this way. It’s 2.5 km. from the inns in Katsuura to Kakurinji, 6.1 km. to Tairyuji, and 9.9 km. to Byodoji. There’s an inn next to Byodoji and several others nearby. However, there is about 1300 meters of up and down trail, no place to buy food, and only four places to get water or canned drinks along this 18.5 km. of trail.
There are several good options to make this a two or even 2 1/2 day trip.
1. After you come down from Kakurinji, turn left, cross the river, and walk about 6 km. to Aoi Minshuku. This gives you the opportunity to visit the nearby Omatsu Gongen, a beautiful Shinto shrine full of cats, both images and alive. The shrine also has a very interesting story which I won't go into here. The next day you can either do a day trip to Tairyuji on the historic Kamo Trail (no pack!) or walk up the Kamo trail and then continue on the regular route towards Byodoji.
2. You can walk from Katsuura to Kakurinji, down to the river, up to Tairyuji, and down the Shikoku no Michi (the thin, dotted trail at the bottom of map 26, left and right) to Minshuku Hotaru no Yado. Then the next day is short and easy (one small hill) to Byodoji.
3. You can walk from Katsuura to Kakurinji, down to the river, up to Tairyuji, and then take the ropeway down to the town of Wajiki (also called Naka-cho). There is an inn next to the ropeway station. https://shirakuco.jp/
From that inn, you walk south across the Naka River and turn left on Route 195. In about five kilometers, you rejoin the regular walking path at the Asebi Bus Stop (page 27, right, of the Route Guide.)
Another option would be to walk one kilometer from the ropeway station to Route 195 and take a bus to the Asebi Bus Stop. If you aren't staying at the inn next to the ropeway station, you can take the bus to Anan and find a hotel or inn, or take the bus* from Wajiki to Awa Tachibana Station (before Anan Station, check the map and ask the bus driver), then take a local train south to Aratano Station, near Byodoji. (*There is a bus stop about 200 meters east of where you get to Route 195 and another a few hundred meters farther east, across from Lawson's.)
4. You can walk from Katsuura to Kakurinji, walk down to the river, then turn right and walk 7 km. (flat, along the river) to the ropeway station and take the ropeway up to Tairyuji. Then you have the same options as in #3 above.
There are other possibilities. Some of these inns will sometimes be able to pick you up and drop you off at various places to make your day shorter and easier, but don't count on this unless you ask when you make your reservation. It's also possible to call a taxi to cut off some part of your day. You can even camp, legally, at the closed elementary school in the village of Ooi. (See the Route Guide map 26, left side -- it says "E.S. (Closed)"). You can use the toilets at the school (the water is safe to drink) but you can't go inside the main building. There is no food available in the village and the only vending machine for drinks is a few hundred meters west, at the intersection where the trail takes the road south to cross the bridge.
Snakes on Shikoku
Snakes aren’t a problem on the pilgrimage. I've never heard a reliable account of a pilgrim being bitten.* I've asked two local doctors and they have never heard of a fatality from snakebite on Shikoku. HOWEVER, you will probably see a few snakes on your pilgrimage, so you may as well know what they are. There are four common snakes on Shikoku:
shimahebi
Japanese four-lined rat snake
They are not venomous.
aodaisho
Japanese rat snake
They are not venomous.
mamushi
Japanese pit viper
They are venomous and dangerous if you get close.
yamakagashi
Tiger keelback
They are venomous but not dangerous. (see below)
Shimahebi and aodaisho eat mice, birds, lizards, etc. It you try to pick one up, it might bite you, but they don't have venom. Shimahebi are usually 1-1.5 meters long. Aodaisho are usually 1-2 meters long.
Mamushi are the most dangerous snake on Shikoku. The adults are 50-60 cm long. At any age, they can bite and inject venom. If you get bitten, go to a hospital for a shot of antivenom. Every year, there are two thousand or more mamushi bites in Japan and about ten deaths. As I said before, local medical staff tell me they have never heard of any deaths on Shikoku from mamushi or any other snakes.
Yamakagashi are the most beautiful snakes I've seen on Shikoku. They are usually mostly black with a vivid diamond pattern of red and yellow, or sometimes orange. They can inject venom, but it's difficult because the venom is at the back of the mouth. They have to really grab on and chew. Also, they are very shy. Only once have I come across a yamakagashi that didn't run (or swim) away as fast as it could. Yamakagashi are usually 60-100 cm, but they look longer because they always seem to be gliding away rapidly.
NB All four of these snakes can sometimes appear black or almost black. In Japanese, these are called karasu hebi – crow snake. You don't want to get close enough to try to tell the difference.
Juvenile snakes are sometimes hard to tell apart. You don't want to get close enough to try to tell the difference.
There's a story that about 30 years ago a bus pilgrim died from a snakebite. They were bitten at one of the temples. I don't know if this is true, but it's possible and it's the only such story I've heard.
According to the National Institutes of Health: Over the 50-year study period, 43 cases of R. tigrinus bites, including five fatalities, were identified. Patients with R. tigrinus bites have been treated with the antivenom since 1985, and fatalities occurred in 2006 and 2020 in patients who were not treated with the antivenom.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8785397/#:~:text=Over%20the%2050%2Dyear%20study%20period%2C%2043%20cases%20of%20R,not%20treated%20with%20the%20antivenom.