Shikoku Island Pilgrimage – 7 Days

DISTANCE - BELOW AVERAGE

Distance is not a major consideration in your training program. However, you should still incorporate some long walks as it will increase your cardiovascular fitness.

ELEVATION - ABOVE AVERAGE

Elevation training is a major consideration in your overall training program. You must include walks with serious hill climbs. If you do not have access to hills, it it essential to replicate the elevation level you will be undertaking in any way possible via a treadmill or stair climber. Prioritizing resistance training assumes heightened significance in this context, emphasizing the incorporation of stair climbing whenever feasible. Walking up and down stairs at work, at a local oval with a grandstand, or up and down small hills, boring as that sounds, is incredibly useful. Elevation is the chief walk killer, not distance, as it uses an entirely different set of muscles. If high altitude is a factor, incorporate sessions at a higher altitude to acclimatise your body to reduced oxygen levels ( this may not be possible). Ensure you can comfortably walk the average elevation per day displayed in the graph, at least one month before you undertake your hike.

MOUNTAINOUS / UNDULATING TERRAIN

As terrain associated with Mountain climbs is often somewhat uneven and or rocky balancing and core exercises are vital. Try to also include some form of elevation in more than 50% of your walking and prioritise resistance training, whilst incorporating stairs anytime you can. Walking up mountains or hills or up and down stairs at work, at a local oval with a grandstand or up and down small hills, boring as that sounds, is incredibly useful. Elevation is often the chief walk killer, not distance, as it uses an entirely different set of muscles. So concentrate on doing lots of squats and lunges to build your glute muscles.

UNEVEN TERRAIN

Preparation for hiking on uneven terrain demands a blend of physical and mental readiness.

Begin with balance-enhancing exercises, such as one-legged stands and stability ball workouts, laying a groundwork for stability and coordination. Strengthening the lower body is especially important, achieved through the incorporation of squats, lunges, and step-ups. Gradually increase the complexity of the terrain on which you walk, moving from gravel paths to rocky trails. Cultivate mindfulness during your practice, directing focused attention to both your immediate surroundings and precise foot placement.

The importance of suitable footwear cannot be overstated; prioritise options that offer robust support and reliable grip to navigate varying terrains with confidence. Build endurance through consistent hikes, progressively increasing distance and difficulty.

HOW TO GET THERE AND AWAY

Travelling to the Start of the walk

This walk starts in Tokushima and ends in Takamatsu both on Shikoku island. You will need to get yourself to and from the start and end of your walk (i.e. you will need to organise your travel to the start in Tokushima on the first day and then onwards  on the last day). This is not difficult and to make it easy, we have collated some useful information that will assist you in making arrangements for your travel.

By Air: By far, the best option is to fly into Osaka. From Tokushima Airport, it’s about 25 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by airport bus to Tokushima Station. If you do fly into Tokyo you can catch a flight with either JAL or ANA directly to Tokushima Airport. The flight time is 1hr 15mins. There are regular flights to and from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and other airports. From Tokushima Airport, it’s about 25 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by airport bus to Tokushima Station.

Highway Limousine Bus: If you fly into KIX Osaka International Airport you can catch the Kansai Airport Limousine bus directly from the airport to Tokushima. Travel time is 2hr 40min. Departs every hour.

By Train: If you are travelling from Osaka to Tokushima you will need to go via Shin-Osaka and Okayama. The fastest travel time is 3hr 20min (only if you catch the rapid train from Okayama to Tokushima). The rapid train only departs twice a day at 11.05am and 7.05pm. If you don’t connect with the rapid train the travel time is approximately 4hr 49min to 5 hr.

By Bus: The most convenient way to reach Tokushima Station, which is a 5-minute walk from Smile Hotel Tokushima (Day 1 hotel), is by taking the Awa Express Osaka Go highway bus from the JR Highway Bus Terminal by Osaka Station. It takes just under 3 hours and the one-way fare is approximately 4,100 yen. There’s also the additional Tokushima Bus service departing from Hankyu Sanbangai, next to Hankyu Umeda Station in Osaka. This bus takes about 2.5 hours and also costs 4,100 yen one way.

If you are travelling from Tokyo to Tokushima you can catch a train to Shin-Osaka and onto Maiko. From Maiko you will catch a bus to Tokushima. Travel time is 5hr 20min.

You might consider spending some time in Osaka or Kyoto. Osaka is a very interesting city and has many beautiful temples and of course Osaka Castle. It also has a sophisticated restaurant culture and markets that seem to go on for kilometres, literally.

Travelling from the end of the walk

Our end point Takamatsu, the primary city of Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku Island, is convenient with a variety of transportation options connecting travelers to other parts of Japan and beyond.

Takamatsu Airport (TAK) offers both domestic and international flights.

• Domestic Destinations:
  • Tokyo: Multiple daily flights connect Takamatsu with Tokyo’s two major airports, Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT)
• International Destinations:  Takamatsu Airport has direct flights to several East Asian hubs, including Seoul (ICN), Shanghai (PVG), Taipei (TPE), and Hong Kong (HKG). If you are flying back to Australia Osaka will be your nearest airport.

By Train: 

Takamatsu Station is a hub for Shikoku, providing access to the nationwide Shinkansen (bullet train) network.

• To Honshu (Main Island): The most frequent and crucial service is the JR Marine Liner, a rapid train that crosses the Great Seto Bridge to Okayama Station. This journey takes about 55-60 minutes. From Okayama, travelers can connect to the Sanyo Shinkansen to reach major cities like:
  • Osaka and Kyoto: Approximately 45-60 minutes from Okayama.
  • Hiroshima: About 40 minutes from Okayama.
  • Tokyo: Roughly 3.5 to 4 hours from Okayama.
• The luxurious overnight Sunrise Seto train offers a direct, albeit slower, journey from Takamatsu to Tokyo, taking about 9.5 hours.
• By Ferry: A Scenic Voyage on the Seto Inland Sea

Takamatsu Port offers a more leisurely and scenic way to travel, with routes to nearby islands and a major city on the main island.

• To Kobe: The Jumbo Ferry operates multiple daily sailings between Takamatsu and Kobe, a journey of about 4 hours and 45 minutes, providing a relaxed alternative to overland travel.

JR Rail Pass

Whether or not to purchase a Japan Rail Pass depends on how long you are planning to stay in Japan and what other areas you want to visit. We would recommend roughly calculating your train fares for the trip and comparing this with the JR Pass cost to see if it is worth purchasing for your particular itinerary. The alternative to a JR Pass would be to buy tickets as you go.

Note that the JR Rail Pass cannot be used on many local bus services and cannot be used on non-JR services such as non-JR train networks and the Tokyo metro.

Should I invest in a JR Rail Pass? We highly recommend that you only invest in a JR Rail pass if you are planning to extend your travel in Japan. As mentioned, the cost of train travel is provided when using Japan Transit Planner website, Japan Direct rail app or Japan Travel by NaviTime app (which also allows you to search bus timetables). You can choose the departure station, arrival station, and time. The results give you the name of the train, platform number, total cost, duration of journey, total distance, and transfers.

WALKING

This 51km walk is graded as moderate. The walking is over well-maintained paths, days with some elevation gain as expected in the mountainous island.  We recommend training so that you can complete this walk comfortably and enjoy the trails.

Please refer to Gear Advice in our FAQ section for what to bring.

WEATHER

These tours take place in Autumn currently which has ideal mild to warm conditions for hiking even in the mountains.

As walkers, we believe any time is good for walking, but spring and autumn are the most popular as the weather is ‘perfect’ for walking.

INSURANCE

We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.

For all trips requiring international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance including medical evacuation coverage.

We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred by our suppliers and in the office.  See the FAQ section for more information.

INFORMATION PACK

For over 30 years, we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know that you’ll have many more questions even with that in mind. You will receive a detailed information pack and itinerary approximately six weeks from departure outlining all the fine details and much more.

CONTACT

If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, or call us on +61 3 9597 9767.

LUGGAGE

During the tour your luggage will be transferred with you to each accommodation. We allow for 1 piece of luggage per person with a maximum weight of 20kgs. If you are staying in Japan longer and have extra luggage then please advise us.

Luggage Restrictions

Please limit suitcase size to around 160 cm in combined length, width, and height.

Recommended items: daypack, trekking shoes (for mountain trails), walking shoes (for paved roads, other sightseeing), weather-appropriate clothing hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, rainwear (for wind and rain protection), and warm layers as temperatures around Mt. Tsurugi can be cooler than the surrounding countryside.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

Please note: the accommodations on this group guided trip are unable to cater for gluten free diets, or those unable to eat fish stock. If this affects you, please contact the office directly to discuss further.