Clothing: The Japanese pilgrim has special symbolic clothing to walk the pilgrimage. Dress is flexible, however, and you are not required to dress like the little man in the picture. The classic clothing is made of a white jacket, a rucksack, a walking stick, white trousers, a "chinese hat", a bell, a white bag and a little stole.
The white jacket Hakue ou Byakue 白衣 (はくえ, びゃくえ) is marked at the back Aum (sanscrit sacred syllable) + Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo 南無大師遍照金剛 (Ave Daishi shining diamond), to honor Kûkai. It is white like those of the dead to mean renunciation, and dead henros were buried with it. It's the only "obligatory" piece of cloth to identify you as a henro. The henro is respected on the road, much more than the simple passing stranger.
The henro is considered to be somebody who has left his obligations and family to make an effort for himself or for the others (after a death for example), he is respected and eventually helped by offerings (o-settai). The o-settai is a way to participate in the pilgrimage, and it cannot be refused.
White trousers are difficult to keep clean on muddy paths, so many walkers are wearing jeans or dark trousers. Some wear leggings to protect the shoes of the water during heavy subtropical rain.
The "chinese hat" Sugegasa 菅笠 (すげがさ) is common, it drains sweat off. Covered with plastic, it's a good rain protection. It may be a bit cumbersome so a cap, fishing hat, or visor may be a better option.
The walking stick Kongozue 金 剛杖（こ んごうづ え）is made of wood, with a colored and golden cover at the top, often with a bell to be heard from the other pilgrims on the way, and to move the "wild animals and the bad spirits" away. It is marked Dougyou Ninin 同行二人 (both walking together), the stick representing Kûkai walking with the henro, exactly like Compostela's "bourdon" stick represents St James walking with the pilgrim.
The stole Wagesa 輪袈裟 (わげさ), on the neck. It's written 四国八十八ヶ所巡拝 Shikoku Hachijuuhachi kasho junpai "= Shikoku 88 temples pilgrimage" et Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo 南無大師遍照金剛, like on the jacket.
The Notebook
Arriving at the temple, you go to the office Noukyoujo 納経所 to obtain the Houin 宝印 (temple's seal), commonly known as Noukyou, and let write a calligraphy on the page, for 300 yens at each temple, which represents a little sum if you're walking the whole the pilgrimage: 300 x 88 = 26400 yens soit 180 Euros or 200 US$.
Symbolic Items
"Visiting cards" o-Samefuda 納 札（おさめふだ）are small paper strips where you can write your name. You can put one at every temple in the boxes in front of each Hondo and each Daishido. They are sold by 200. As everything on the henro trail, it is not obligatory. You can also give one samefuda to people giving you an o-settai, to thank them. Mr Kushima recommends not to be too precise with name and address, not to be followed or annoyed by false henro friends when you're back home (spam even on pilgrimage!). A surname in katakana and eventually the name of your country is enough (Amerika アメリカ Great Britain (igirisu) イギリス Kanada カナダ Australia オ－ストラリィア).
Samefuda are white for henros who walk around the island for the 4 first times, green from 5 to 7 times, red from 8 to 24 times, silver from 25 to 49 times, golden from 50 to 99 times, and embroidered (called nishiki) from 100 times, that means 100 times 1200 km (750 miles) = 120000 km (75000 miles)! Some inhabitants are collecting high colour cards as a luchy charm. Some henros carry samefuda in a special box marked "Travelling with daishi on the 88 temples of Shikoku".
Equipment I packed
34L Deuter backpack with rain cover
1 fleece
2 long sleeves (1 thinner, 1 thicker)
1 rain jacket
1 pair of thermal pants
2 pairs of hiking pants
1 pair of workout/sweat pants as pajamas
4 pairs of underwear- top and bottom
3 t-shirts
4 pairs of socks
1 hat
Toiletries
sunblock
foot cream
hand lotion
face wash
toothpaste
toothbrush
hair brush
hand sanitizer
shampoo, conditioner, body wash (though almost every place provided these)
Misc
swiss army knife
headlamp
blister/first aid kit