THE SHIKOKU WAY

Japan’s oft-overlooked island is a wonderland of culture and history, home to temples dating back a millennia, wild landscapes and traditional festivals

Where is it?

Of the four main islands of Japan, Shikoku in the southwest is the smallest: snuggled in a bay between its two big brothers, Honshu and Kyushu. While it can feel quieter and more remote than much of the mainland, the cities of Osaka and Hiroshima are just two hours away.

What’s it known for?

Shikoku encapsulates Japan in miniature: it’s home to a windswept Pacific coastline and cloud-shrouded summits as well as local delicacies such as udon noodles and fragrant sake. That said, Shikoku is best known as a holy island — in the ninth century, Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi (or Kukai) undertook a pilgrimage around the island’s shores, walking 870 miles and visiting 88 temples. One millennium on, pilgrims still follow in his footsteps. But really, anyone can find their own kind of salvation on Shikoku — be it in spirited modern towns like Matsuyama and Takamatsu or in wild landscapes such as the Iya Valley, a swathe of forested gorges where samurai fled to escape their enemies.

Who should go?