From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island

From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island

Appearing at one of Japan’s oldest temples, dressed in the latest cycling fashion, raises more than a few curious eyebrows from the faithful. Underneath the cool canopy of the 2,600-year-old camphor tree in the temple courtyard, the Shinto priest is too polite to notice. He blesses our journey, offering symbolic pours of sake to speed us safely on our way.

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Oyamazumi Shrine, dedicated to the gods who protect sailors, soldiers and samurai, has been a pilgrimage destination for Japan’s fighting elite for 1,400 years. It is fitting that our group of weekend warriors begins a less combative exploration of Shikoku Island in a similar auspicious fashion.

From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island

Shikoku is the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. Its mountainous terrain and rural landscapes are home to some of the country’s oldest onsens, a historic pilgrimage loop, significant contemporary arts and culture and active adventures. I’ve traded the bustling urban centres of Tokyo and Sapporo for the opportunity to follow the road less travelled, in a last frontier of sorts, where life moves at a more traditional pace.

Ancient & Modern

The mix of ancient and contemporary is one of the characteristics I love most about Japan, and it’s certainly present in Shikoku. The island’s rural charm is best experienced by cycling or walking along its backroad byways, passing groves of fragrant yuzu (Shikoku is a major citrus producer), symmetrical rice paddies, towering bamboo forests and crossing brilliant turquoise rivers over concrete chinka-bashi. These unique bridges without railings or parapets were built to be submerged and withstand floods and heavy monsoon rains.

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Along the popular cycling route, the Shimanami Kaido, a recent 70-km connection linking Shikoku and smaller islands to the Japanese mainland, I pedal over the turbulent waters of the Seto Inland Sea. This important shipping channel was once the domain of an organised group of 16th-century pirates, the Murakami Suigun, or ‘lords of the sea.’

From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island

No swashbucklers are in evidence as I board a sightseeing boat to experience the swirling natural phenomenon of the Naruto Whirlpools, some of which reach up to 20 metres in diameter, thanks to the large volumes of water moving through the narrow sea strait. You can also view the thrilling turquoise turbulence from high above on the Naruto Bridge.

Pilgrimage Path

If travellers have heard of Shikoku, it’s likely in reference to its notable and unique Shikoku Henro or pilgrimage. The roughly 1,200-kilometre loop encompasses 88 temples associated with 9th-century Buddhist priest Kukai, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi.

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The temples, frequented by visitors and pilgrims dressed in traditional white hakui jackets, are dotted around the island. Some temples reflect a simple design while others are distinguished by tall pagodas and golden roof ornaments. While the entire pilgrimage route can take months to complete, it’s possible to experience the best of the route in smaller sections.

Historic Hot Springs

After a long day of walking or cycling, I find solace in a blissful soak in a Japanese hot spring, known as onsen. There are hundreds of onsen on Shikoku, but Dogo Onsen Honkan in Matsuyama is one of the oldest in Japan. The onsen has been frequented for thousands of years, and is a favourite of the Japanese Royal Family.

From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island

The wooden public bathhouse complex and its maze of rooms, passageways and galleria of eclectic shops and restaurants is purported to have been the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film, Spirited Away. For my part, the short walk in my yukata, a traditional robe, from the nearby Dogo Hakuro hotel for a scalding onsen soak at the historic bathhouse contributes to sustained ‘kimochi’ – good feelings.

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Art Island

A pilgrimage of a different sort awaits off Shikoku’s northern coast. The 21st-century wave of contemporary art and architecture has made Naoshima Island a coveted destination for the cultural traveller. Benesse Art Site Naoshima fosters a thriving artistic community melding art with the landscape of islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Here, artist Yayoi Kusama positioned her bright yellow polka-dotted Pumpkin on the end of an old pier. The polka dots, a signature form of Kusama’s work, represent the concept of infinity, where “our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos.”

From contemporary art bastions to an ancient pilgrimage loop, Claudia Laroye explores the road less travelled on Japan’s Shikoku Island

At Chichu Art Museum, designed by architect Tadao Ando and built mostly underground to avoid affecting the natural scenery of the island, artworks by Claude Monet and James Turrell are on permanent display. No phones are allowed within the museum, freeing patrons to completely submit to the beauty of the work.

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Intrepid travellers choosing the road less taken on Shikoku will delight in succumbing to the memorable variety of experiences on this exceptional island in southern Japan.

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