What to expect and frequently asked questions
Time frame: March 1, 2010 ~ May 2010
Training: Your level of training will depend on how long you wish to partake in the journey. Expect 10-15 miles of hiking a day. Good ways to train is to walk regularly every day for a few miles, but resting about 2 weeks before the trip.
Here are some tips for training for a marathon, compliments of go/yohl
Costs: This will vary depending on where you're flying from, if you're adding other destinations to your trip, etc. Expect flights from SFO to Japan in September to be about $1500 USD. Other costs are for housing and food. Credit cards may not go very far so it is best to carry cash. You can find a nice calculator that details the costs more granularly. The exchange rate is about $1 USD = 100 yen. A nice way to estimate your costs should be about $2000 + 100/day (lodging and food). One weekers should budget around $2700 for Shikoku. Three weekers should budget around $4100. Those venturing on the full trip should have about $10k. Most people carry cash and travellers checks. Do not depend on ATMs. Most ATMs take only Japanese cards. Some post offices will have international ATM cash service, but not sure how prevalent they are. It's also hard to use your credit card to pay for things in the countryside of Shikoku.
Language: If you speak Japanese, it is definitely a plus. If not, we will definitely have some language barriers along the way. The good news is that there's been a lot of foreigners that have done the trip and if they can do it, so can we! Go here for some helpful vocabulary to learn. This might also be useful to print out so you can use it to point at things when trying to communicate with others in person.
Lodging: The below is taken from another website: http://henro.free.fr/ I don't know if the prices are up to date, so consider these to be lower level estimates.
Various types of accommodation
1. 旅 館 (りょかん) Ryokan = traditional Japanese inn with tatami rooms, futons, bath, evening meal and breakfast included. The addresses of the book are about 6500 yens for room, bath and 2 meals, and the difference between ryokan and minshuku is not always obvious at the bottom of Shikoku. Japanese unisex bath "ofuro" or with schedule by sex and WC at the end of the corridor are the rule if the price is low.
2. 民宿 (みんしゅく) Minshuku = family inn, but ryokan-like. You make your futon yourself and arrange it the morning. Price sometimes a little lower than the ryokan, around 6000 yens for room, bath and 2 meals. Japanese bath ' ofuro "with schedule for each sex and WC at the end of the corridor. In the ryokans and minshukus, it is sometimes possible to have the room without meal cheaper, but it is not the rule.
3. 宿坊 (しゅ くぼう) Shukubou = temple accomodation. like the minshuku, but in a temple. Early wake-up for prayer (not compulsory). Certain temples have officially a shukubou, they are in the directory or on the website below. Others can sometimes give you an accomodation if you got trouble, but don't count on it.
4. ビジネス ホテル Business hotel = a kind of cheap hotel like "Etap hotel" or "Formule 1" in Europe, mostly near of the station, sometimes along the roads. Single or double with shower and WC between 4000 and 7000 yens, without meals. Tobacco's odor is the rule. Some have western beds, other are with tatami and futons.
Some other accommodation:
5. つやどう Tsuyado ou ぜんいにゃどう Zenninyadou = free accomodation for walking henros. They become rare with time and are very unpredictable, very rustic.
6. ホテル Hotel = as in Europe, but find out how much is the price at the reservation. Often more expensive, but if they are in the directory, they are either cheap, or they have budget rooms for aruki henros (walkers).
7. 国民宿舎 (こくみんしゅくしゃ) Kokuminshukusha = state ryokan, cheap and often well situated (sea, Koyasan).
8. ユ-スホステル Yusu hosuteru = Youth hostel, no age limit, also without youth hostel card. Unisex 6 persons dormitory. Family rooms for couples. About 3200 per bed without meal.
9. キャンプ場 Camping. Not a lot of well organized camping site on the henro. Those who want to make the pilgrimage for the hard or without money can consult David Turkington's page "Camping out ": wild sleeping in train or road stations, schools, shinto temples, beaches.
*For the record, we are not camping...atleast I'm not.
The Japanese live from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., especially in the countryside. You'll have to leave early in the morning to arrive imperatively at the stage before 5 p.m. An arrival after 5 p.m. disturbs the hotel keeper, because it is necessary that you take your bath before the meal which will be at 6 p.m., but sometimes at 17h30.
Hygiene: In the minshukus and small ryokans, men and women have separated schedules in the same bath, therefore it is imperative that you take the bath at the appointed time (He has perhaps just created a time crenel especially so that the foreigner is alone in the bath). Caution, the bathroom is not always accessible the morning, and in any event, there will be only cold water.
When you are cleaned and rinsed, you can go in the hot bath, alone or with others. No soap in the bath! It will be very warm (40 - 42 degrés C, 104 - 107 F). Very relaxing after a walking day. If you are alone, don't empty the bath out when you're getting out.
Gear and Luggage: We get to buy cool outfits at the first temple that are worn by the Henro, aka the walkers. This includes the cone shaped hat, walking stick, and the white jacket. You will want to pack light as everything will be carried on your back for the length of the journey. One recommendation is that you don't want your pack to be more than 10% of your weight. Backpacks should be waterproof or use a trashbag to wrap up your belongings in case it rains. It should have a waist strap so that the weight can be distributed to your hips. It should have padded shoulder straps and a padded back support system.
Shoes: Road Runner sports in San Carlos looks like a very promising place to get the proper shoes. If you plan on spending more than one week on Shikoku, you may want to considering bringing two pairs of shoes. That's because hiking for many hours one day depresses the cushion and it takes about 24 hours for it to expand back.
Things to bring: You will want to carry as little stuff as possible as you will be carrying this on your back for many hours each day. Bring just the essentials, including a few change of clothes and underwear. Many places have washing machines, but no dryers. There's convenient stores along the way so no need to stock up on toiletries or anything like that. If you plan on bringing anything electric, you'll want to make sure you bring a power adapter for Japan as well.
Food: Vegetarians should be ok. Japan in general is not a super veggie friendly area since they're big on fish and seafood, but I'm not sure if it's different on Shikoku. Temples serve only vegetarian food. There's also bakeries and convenient stores along the way so there should be plenty to eat. Apparently, there is supposed to be a lot of good ramen and udon on the island.
Safety: Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. Not only that, they respect people that make this pilgrimage since it has spiritual or religious connotations. Unless you like to walk out and about at night by yourself and flaunting your money, you should be ok. Just be aware as you would traveling anywhere else and all will be well.
Weather: The weather should be pretty nice in the spring. There may be some days of rain...hopefully not much, and we'll be done with the trip by the time the heat of summer hits. April is cherry blossom season, but i'm not sure if there's very many cherry trees on Shikoku.