JAPAN

Bullet trains, pagoda bells, steaming bowls of ramen, cherry blossoms — Japan has many icons, which has made it an incredibly popular travel destination. But with fame comes crowds, and there are still many treasures to be uncovered in lesser-known corners of this East Asian archipelago. Here, we look at some of the alternatives, from slow scenic trains and lesser-trodden pilgrimage hikes to street-food city crawls and geisha houses in unexpected places. Why rely on the old classics when you can strike out in search of new ones?

- Oliver Berry

SPIRITUALITY IN MOTION

Pilgrimages have been part of Japanese culture for over a thousand years. The UNESCO-listed Kumano Kodo is legendary among hikers, but on Shikoku there’s another sacred trail that remains quiet. Words: Oliver Berry

The morning trade at Ryozen-ji temple is always brisk. It’s just after nine and pilgrims are stocking up on essential items: wooden staffs, conical sedge hats, guidebooks, brass bells, zodiac charms, white oizuru tunics. Many are queuing for their first temple stamp, watching the artist frank their books in crimson ink and hand-painted kanji letters.

Outside, the scent of sandalwood fills the courtyard as people light candles and burn incense sticks — three each, representing their past, present and future — before depositing prayer slips and reciting sutras outside the shrine. The drone of chanting fills the quadrangle, punctuated by the tinkle of coin offerings and the occasional clang of the temple’s bell. It’s busy, but at the same time, peaceful. For a thousand years, this has been the way on the Shikoku Henro.

There are many pilgrims’ roads in Japan, but the Henro is among the oldest and, at 750 miles, the longest. The trail circumnavigates Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands: mountainous, forested and ringed by rugged coast, it’s also the least visited by tourists. To complete the trail, pilgrims, or o-henro-san, must visit 88 temples around the island. Number 1, where I am this morning, is Ryozen-ji, close to the eastern city of Tokushima, while Number 88, Okubo-ji, is near Takamatsu on the north coast. En route, pilgrims are said to transition through four stages on their spiritual journey: awakening, training, enlightenment and, finally, nirvana.