The smallest of the four main islands of Japan, famous for its 88-temple Buddhist pilgrimage route circling the island.
Geography
Shikoku lies south of Honshu and east of Kyushu across the Seto Inland Sea. The Shikoku Mountains divide the island; Mount Ishizuchi at 1982 m is the highest peak in western Japan.
Pilgrimage
The Shikoku Henro pilgrimage links 88 Buddhist temples associated with the 9th-century monk Kukai. Walking the entire 1,200 km route, traditionally undertaken in white robes and conical hats, takes 30 to 60 days.
Whirlpools
The tidal whirlpools of Naruto Strait between Awaji and Shikoku can reach 20 m across during spring tides, among the largest tidal whirlpools in the world.
Find more islands by letter
Shikoku starts with S and ends with U. Browse other islands along the same letter.
Islands that contain a letter from "Shikoku":