Tales of a Summer Henro

by Craig McLachlan

Pilgrims, or henro as they are known in Japanese, have been walking clockwise around Shikoku, Japan's fourth largest island, for well over one thousand years. They follow in the footsteps of the great Buddhist saint Kobodaishi, searching for the ever elusive enlightenment that he found there. They visit the 88 sacred temples, and in overcoming the hardships of the journey they become better for it. Or so the theory goes! Nowadays nearly all henro travel in cars, taxis or buses, and physical hardship doesn't come into it! I was a henro in the sweltering summer of 1995 and this book contains the tales of my journey.

Genres: Japan, Travel

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

visit http://craigmclachlan.com/

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting because I've visited Shikoku and some of the places he went too. Annoying because he is so patronising towards women and every encounter with a woman is sexualised - except for the occasional 'old hag' he meets. He describes his wife as a 'sweet little thing' and any young attractive woman he encounters is described in a sexual manner, "..... a vision of a young women in a tight brown mini dress. She was gorgeous. It wasn't hard to choose who to ask about the area. I felt like asking her to take me home with her. I was sticky, tired and hungry and needed some tender loving care". The book was published in 1997, let's hope in 2011 he's lost his patronising, superior attitude towards Asian women - no New Zealand woman would tolerate it (he's a Kiwi).

[Robmix · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read about the Shikoku pilgrimage. Inspired me to go !!!!!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have any interest in or dream of visiting the 88 Temples of Shikoku you need this book!