Shikoku Henro - Cape Uno to Cape Ashizuri - Kochi, Japan
I wanted to visit Cape Ashizuri, the southernmost point in Shikoku, and since Temple #88 was nearby, I ended up walking part of the Shikoku 88 Temples trail, along with sections of the Shikoku no Michi trail.
I took a train, transferred to a bus, and got off at the Cape Uno bus stop. From there, I walked toward Cape Ashizuri, taking detours to explore scenic spots along the way. The trails were filled with mysterious sites tied to the monk Kobo Daishi—one story said he once called for help crossing the ocean, and a turtle appeared to carry him.
The path led me to the sea, and although walking on the rocky beach was tough, the stunning views made it worth it. I headed back to my hotel hoping to catch the sunset, but clouds rolled in. I had an amazing dinner at the hotel and called it a night after enjoying the onsen.
Temple visited:
#38 Kongofukuji Temple 金剛福寺 - The southernmost temple of the pilgrimage, built by Kukai in 807 on Cape Ashizuri. It faces the open Pacific and symbolizes the vastness of enlightenment.
To see my progress on the full Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage, visit my Shikoku Henro Temples – List & Progress.
Getting There
Before setting off along the coast, here’s how I got to Cape Uno. The journey from Uwajima turned out to be quite the adventure, involving three buses. First, I took a bus from Uwajima to Sukumo (about 2 hours). From there, I transferred to another bus heading to Nakamura Station (around 52 minutes). There’s also a train connecting Sukumo and Nakamura, but the timing has to be just right. Finally, from Nakamura, it’s another 1 hr 30 min by bus to Cape Uno. You can ride the bus all the way to the temple, but I decided to make a few detours along the coast to explore scenic spots.
Route Overview
Distance: 10.89 km (Cape Uno → Cape Ashizuri)
Total elevation gain: 251 m
Duration: 2 hr 31 min (with breaks 2 hr 51 min)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cost Breakdown
Train: Sukumo Station → Nakamura Station — ¥630
Bus: Nakamura Station → Cape Uno — ¥1,900
