Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage Exchange Salon
The Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage Exchange Salon is a free rest stop located along the Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage between the 87th temple, Nagaoji, and the 88th temple, Okuboji. The building is frequented by local residents as well as the pilgrims, called ohenro, making their way toward the last temple on their long journey. Tea and refreshments are available for pilgrims who want to exchange tips and information with each other, and there are also maps and guidebooks providing listings for nearby restaurants and accommodations. Those who have visited all 88 temples on foot or by bicycle can receive a certificate here to verify that they have completed the pilgrimage.
Aside from serving as a place for travelers to rest their weary legs, the Exchange Salon contains an exhibition room where visitors can learn about the history of the pilgrimage. The items displayed include travelogues and maps from the Edo period (1603–1867), the wooden slips that were used by pilgrims to indicate that they had visited a particular temple, nokyocho notebooks containing stamps and calligraphy from all 88 temples many times over, travel permits issued by the government, and garments worn by pilgrims centuries ago. There is also a diorama of Shikoku with the 88 temples displayed, which provides a visual representation of the distance between each sanctuary and the lengths that are traveled by the pilgrims on foot.
