From Temple 1 to Temple 3: My First Taste of the Shikoku Pilgrimage
Today felt different from my usual days in Japan.
Not the busy-train, convenience-store, rushing-to-the-next-place kind of day. This one felt slower. Intentional. Quiet in a way that makes you notice your own thoughts.
I visited two temples from the famous Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage: Ryozenji Temple, the very first temple of the pilgrimage, and Konsenji Temple, Temple 3.
Even before arriving at Ryozenji, I could already see pilgrims dressed in white walking with wooden staffs and backpacks. Some looked young, some elderly, some looked like they had been walking for weeks. And somehow, everyone carried this calm energy around them.
The moment I stepped into the temple grounds, I understood why people describe this pilgrimage as life-changing.
There was incense in the air, soft chanting in the background, and the sound of footsteps on stone paths. It didn’t feel like a tourist attraction. It felt sacred. Peaceful. Like a place where people come carrying burdens they can’t explain out loud.
I bought a few pilgrimage items and watched other visitors carefully write prayers and collect temple stamps. Even if you’re not deeply religious, it’s hard not to feel something there.
What surprised me most was how grounding the experience felt. Lately, life has been moving fast — work, social media, responsibilities, future plans. But standing there made all the noise in my head quiet down for a while.
After that, I headed to Konsenji.
Compared to Ryozenji, Konsenji felt more hidden and intimate. Less crowded, more stillness. The kind of place where you naturally lower your voice without anyone telling you to.
I spent more time there than I expected. No rushing. No checking my phone every few minutes. Just sitting, observing, breathing, and letting myself exist in the moment.
One thing I noticed during today’s trip is that the pilgrimage isn’t only about completing all 88 temples. It’s also about slowing down enough to reconnect with yourself.
And honestly, maybe that’s something a lot of us need these days.
Japan constantly amazes me because beyond the modern cities, trains, and neon lights, there are places like these that quietly remind people to pause.
Today wasn’t dramatic. Nothing “big” happened.
But somehow, I went home feeling lighter.