Shikoku Pilgrimage Food — Henro and Settai Culture

Shikoku Island, Japan — pilgrimage culture established in 9th century CE; food traditions evolved continuously to present day

The Shikoku pilgrimage (Ohenro-san) — an 1,200km circuit of 88 Buddhist temples associated with the monk Kobo Daishi — has generated a unique food culture around the concept of settai (charitable food offering to pilgrims). Locals along the route offer henro (pilgrims) food, drink, and supplies as an act of merit and welcome, creating a living tradition of hospitality and generosity that has operated continuously for over 1,000 years. The food of settai reflects Shikoku's four-prefecture regional character: the distinctive sweet miso (Awa style from Tokushima), sudachi citrus that grows throughout the island, katsuo (bonito) from Tosa's powerful Pacific fishing tradition, and Ehime's extraordinary citrus diversity. Shikoku's culinary signature is the confrontation between the powerful dashi culture of Kochi (katsuo-dashi of exceptional intensity), the sweet miso traditions of Tokushima, the soy and udon culture of Kagawa (Sanuki udon — thin, firm, with intense dashi), and Ehime's seafood-forward cuisine centred on sea bream. The pilgrimage route food is also marked by the practical — simple, nourishing foods that sustain long-distance walking, featuring rice balls, miso soups, pickled vegetables, and local sweet confections at temple gate shops. The spiritual dimension of eating on pilgrimage — eating as part of a daily practice of walking, praying, and accepting offering — represents a distinctive Japanese integration of food, body, and spirit.

Shikoku's food is characterised by intense primary flavours — the raw power of katsuo dashi, the clean acid of sudachi, the firm resistance of Sanuki udon noodle — reflecting a prefectural cooking identity that privileges directness and regional pride over refinement.