The smallest of Japan's four main islands, Shikoku is also the one least visited by foreigners. That's surprising considering the natural beauty of its rugged mountains, its mild climate, and its most famous monuments -- 88 sacred Buddhist temples. Many Japanese wish to make a pilgrimage to all 88 temples at least once in their lifetime as a tribute to the great Buddhist priest Kobo Daishi, who was born on Shikoku in 774 and who founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism.
This pilgrimage has been popular since the Edo Period in the belief that a successful completion of the tour exonerates Buddhist followers from rebirth. It used to take a couple months to visit all 88 temples on foot. Even today, you can see pilgrims making their rounds dressed in white -- only now they go mostly by organized tour buses, which cut travel time down to 2 weeks.
Getting To Shikoku -- For centuries, the only way to reach Shikoku was by boat. However, the 1988 completion of the Seto Ohashi Bridge, which links Shikoku with Okayama Prefecture and accommodates both cars and trains, changed Shikoku forever. And in 1999, a series of bridges connecting Shikoku with Hiroshima Prefecture and spanning six scenic islands in the Seto Inland Sea opened with fanfare. Complete with cycling paths offering views of the islands and the Seto Inland Sea, the 1999 bridges have since become one of Shikoku's hottest attractions. A third bridge, for cars only, connects Shikoku with Kobe.
In any case, Shikoku is no longer as far off the beaten track as it used to be, simply because access is so easy. Shinkansen travelers can simply transfer in Okayama to trains bound for either Takamatsu or Matsuyama. The energetic can even cycle from Honshu to Shikoku, from Hiroshima Prefecture to Ehime Prefecture.
