ニューヨーク・タイムズさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ニューヨーク・タイムズInstagram)「A famed route on the smallest of Japan’s four main islands offers breathtaking views and an array of lessons on history, culture and generosity. The pilgrimage on Shikoku is a 750-mile route that links 88 Buddhist temples, each of which claims a connection to Kukai, a celebrated monk — posthumously known as Kobo Daishi — who, after returning from a trip to China in the ninth century, founded one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan. After Kukai’s death in 835, wanderers began making pilgrimages to the sites on Shikoku that were affiliated with his life and work: his birth and burial places, the caves where he meditated, the sites of various religious rites. Later, these sites were linked, and the temples and shrines were formally numbered. As is true with many modern-day pilgrimages, the ranks of Shikoku pilgrims — once exclusively practitioners of Shingon Buddhism, one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan — have grown to include travelers with a more diverse array of motivations. And so the steady succession of monks, priests and faithful Buddhists has given way to young people on journeys of self-discovery, older hikers enjoying their retirement and even foreign visitors who know little of the language and customs but are drawn by the adventure of the trek. Tap the link in our bio to read more from @nytimestravel about the Shikoku Pilgrimage and advice for how to embark on the journey yourself. Photos by @martagiaccone」6月28日 8時27分