I arrived at on Shodoshima on September 16, 2016, with all accommodation for my eight days pilgrimage booked. My original plan was to walk the entire route and visit all 88 temples at once. However, the weather forecast had already shown that a typhoon was approaching Japan.

My first day was fine, but from the second afternoon, the weather didn’t look nice any more. I stayed at Hirokiya Ryokan near Kusakabe port at the end of my third day, it became certain that the typhoon was going to hit Shodoshima in the next couple of days.

Local people told me to leave the island before ferries became unable to go to sea. So, I had to make up my mind and left from Shodoshima.

When I was unable to walk the entire Shodoshima 88 at once, I was really sad. Due to my work schedule, I had to wait 2 more months to come back to the island, but this postponement gave me an unexpected benefit. In mid-September, it was still summer in Shodoshima, but now this island was in the middle of Fall red and yellow leaves season.

I resumed my pilgrimage on November 28, taking the ferry from Takamatsu to Kusakabe port to go back to where I stopped last time.

Shodoshima, especially Kankakei is well known as one of the best places in the Shikoku area to enjoy beautiful views of the natural patchworks of autumn leaves. Fall is also a popular season for pilgrims to walk. So, I thought it may be helpful to share my photo of autumn views along the pilgrimage routes for those who are considering to come to walk not in spring but in fall.

Click the photos for a larger view.