The number of islands in the Japanese archipelago has been re-counted after digitalizing the maps, reaching a total of 14,000, with room for further revision. Shikoku is one of them, and it was my first encounter with Japan. After returning to Milan, the thirty-year-old behind the counter where I stopped for breakfast shared his dream with me when he heard me talk about Japan: to visit Shikoku, the island of 88 temples.
An Hour from Tokyo
The Land of the Rising Sun has an inexhaustible charm in Italy, and Shikoku has its fans who place it on their wish list. It’s a rural Japan full of tradition, transporting you to a different space and time, about an hour away from Tokyo. The island, to orient yourself, is divided into four prefectures (Shikoku means “four countries”), and I visited two: Ehime and Tokushima. Every city retains its ancient name, just as Tokyo is still called Edo. Each word carries meaning, a story, or a reference. Even the colors are important. Orange is the color of Matsuyama, the largest city on the island. In the fields, citrus fruits are cultivated, and the local mascot is a mandarin bear with leaves for ears.
Once you reach the center, you feel as though you’ve crossed an invisible boundary erected by manga superheroes to ensure calm and silence. In front of Dogo Onsen, my thoughts drifted to Japanese novels where, at some point, characters always end up in the family bath after dinner, to relax and chat. Or they visit a public onsen (hot spring), where you bathe outdoors and go in completely naked, women on one side, men on the other. For the Japanese, this is a ritual that purifies both body and spirit, and there are many onsens in Japan, from large wellness centers to public baths. Dogo Onsen is one of the most famous, the oldest, and its beautiful building with large sloping roofs inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. Currently under restoration, there is no disappointment, as nearby there’s the Dogo Onsen Annex Asuka-no-Yu.
Calm and serenity are the soul of the place, and in the large hall with windows overlooking the garden, one rests on the tatami mats. Just outside, there’s the Gallery and the Clock Tower. The first is a concentration of local flavors and craftsmanship. Around me are shops selling nearby Tobe porcelain, bamboo crafts, local sweets like Botchan Dango—three spheres of matcha green, egg yellow, and plum—along with towels from Imabari, known throughout Japan for their high quality. In the Clock Square, figurines pop out with music, some immersed in small baths, and women nearby under red-brimmed umbrellas enjoy foot baths in one of the ten public baths in the city. A spectacle within a spectacle.
“Take off your shoes, put on your shoes.” I learned from Stefano, one of my travel companions, that in winter in Japan, wooden clogs are ideal because you can easily slip them off whenever you need to go barefoot, and this happens often. Ozu, the next stop, is famous for its castle, glimpsed in black and white amid the greenery. In the background, the mountains make you forget that you’re on an island just 20 kilometers from the sea. The highlight here is Garyu Sanso, a residence built at the end of the Edo period (mid-1800s) with a garden covered in soft moss. This is a traditional Japan that only a few Western tourists see. Garyu Sanso, with its Tea House overlooking the Hijikawa River, bathed in morning light, is a magnificent example of architecture blending seamlessly with nature: a tree serves as a column for the house, everything is made of wood and woven bamboo. Down below, in the Meiji-era houses (1868-1912), artisan shops open, selling handwoven blankets, ceramic chopstick holders, shigure (rice flour sweets with bean jam and soy sauce). The sweetness here is quite different from ours, making it a fun challenge to try a new sweet at each stop.
Kukai’s Pilgrimage
Now it’s time to explain why Shikoku is loved by the Japanese. I hear it firsthand from Kyoko, who recently completed the pilgrimage to the 88 Buddhist temples on the island. Like many, she chose an organized bus tour, as walking the entire route would take much too long. When recalling the journey, her eyes light up. Pilgrims wear white, with a jacket that reads “I am accompanied by Kukai,” and they carry a bag containing the Heart Sutra, the prayer to recite at the temples. Kukai, an 8th-century monk born on Shikoku, is a revered saint in Japan. He left university, went to China, became the favored disciple of Keika, absorbed everything he could from him, and returned to Japan practicing asceticism. The legend says he is the one who established the path of the temples.
Temple Number 51
It is called Ishiteji, meaning “stone in hand,” and in front of the temple, Kyoko tells another story. Emon Saburo, a wealthy farmer, refused to give alms to a persistent beggar and, after chasing him off on the eighth day, broke his bowl—the beggar’s only possession. Shortly after, all of Saburo’s eight children died, one each year. He then embarked on the pilgrimage, even retracing his steps, but never met the monk. Kukai appeared to him in a dream, asking him to make a wish before his death. Saburo requested to be reborn as the son of the governor, so he could do good. The wish was granted, and the child was born with his fists tightly closed. When brought to the temple, they opened his hands to find he was holding a stone, hence the name of the place. My guide prepared me: I prayed with the monks seated in a circle on the floor, lighting a candle and incense. Kukai watches over all of this—not only in spirit but also with a 16-meter statue of him on the hill, visible before entering this oasis of peace and silence.
In Ozu, the Nipponia Hotel is a “diffused hotel” in the ancient village, with Meiji-era houses. You stay in two-story buildings, and there’s a common room for tea and coffee, as well as a restaurant serving refined meals. Some dishes include cuttlefish salad with Setouchi lemon, roasted lobster, local pork fillet, and Ehime mandarin cake (nipponiahotel.com). For tours, Diego and Fan offer tailor-made experiences: bike rides, canoe trips, and walking tours (jp.visitozu.com).