Ryōzen-ji is temple number one of the Shikoku Henro, the 88-temple pilgrimage that circles the island. Pilgrims buy their white vest, sedge hat, staff and stamp book here before setting out; the shop and the flow of ohenro give the small temple an atmosphere out of proportion to its size.
- Temple no. 1 of the Shikoku 88; the full circuit is roughly 1,200 kmSource: Shikoku Henro official / Shikoku Tourism
- Pilgrim goods (hakui vest, kongōzue staff, nōkyōchō stamp book) are sold on siteSource: Ryōzen-ji temple office
- Temples 1–10 lie close together along the Yoshino River, so a first day of walking is realisticSource: Shikoku Henro official
Photos: Ryōzen-ji, temple no. 1 of the Shikoku pilgrimage — Reggaeman via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rural Shikoku — Simon le nippon via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Getting there
About 10 minutes on foot from JR Bandō Station (Kōtoku Line), 25 min by train from Tokushima.
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Data: GBIF occurrence records for Tokushima (GADM JPN.40_1), year 2024, as compiled on NihongoHub Wildlife.
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Links marked PR are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Facts carry their source next to them; island figures are as printed in SHIMADAS and may predate your visit. Map: Geolonia (MIT); embedded map © Google.