SHIKOKU | Zen Hiker

PAPERSKY #70
SHIKOKU | Zen Hiker issue

A pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Shikoku, which is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Tokushima, where the First Temple is located, is called "Aspirit", Kochi is called "Practice", Ehime is called "Bodai", and the River is called "Nirvana", and many pilgrims have been walking since ancient times as a path to enlightenment through Buddhist practice. This issue of PAPERSKY features a journey through Shikoku as a Zen hiker, viewing the historic path of faith as the "Zen Trail."

In recent years, walking long trails such as the Appalachian Trail in America, the Pilgrimage to Santiago in Spain, and the Kumano Kodo have attracted attention not only among enthusiasts but also among travelers. Through walking, it may be necessary to have a deep experience of touching the nature and culture of the area. In this special feature, we will focus on nature, history, people, food and manufacturing along the trail of the Shikoku sacred sites, and will follow the pilgrimage path while enjoying new cultural experiences. The guest on the trip is Ito Kon, who is active as a poet. Based on this trip, you will be asked to write tanka poetry and write essays. In addition, guests appear in each prefecture. Enjoy your Shikoku pilgrimage trip!

Ito Kon
Born in Tokyo in 1993. poet. He started singing in 2016. In 2019, "The Transparent Feelings Flowing Through the Skin" and the following year, "Fulling Arms" were published in private editions, and in 2022 both works were published simultaneously as new editions by Tanka Kenkyusha. In December 2023, Nanaroku Publishing published his third collection of poems, "Asama I Love You." It attracts attention as a leader in the modern tanka boom.

Land of the Long Trail –

In this issue Papersky along with Poet, Ito Kon walked The Zen Trail, a unique ‘loop trail’ spanning 1200Km and created 1250 years ago by Buddhast monk Kukai (Kobo Daishi). The trail connects 88 temples as check points on the hikers’ symbolic path towards enlightenment. Each of the four ideals that the trail transcends represents a journey (TOKUSHIMA = Awakening / KOCHIi = Training / EHIME = Enlightenment / KAGAWA = Nirvana) that the ‘Zen Hiker’ must take before reaching their final nirvana. 

The trail combines all the aspects of traditional trail hiking – stunning nature and physical challenges along with a deep exploration of Japanese gastronomy, history and local culture allowing the long trail traveler to take home in their hearts and minds a bit of ‘real Japan’ and a more spiritually fulfilled self.