The Japan Society

Upcoming Events

ARCHIVED ONLINE EVENT - One Step at a Time: Exploring the Shikoku Pilgrimage with John Lander

Saturday 25 September 2021 / 11:00am
ONLINE EVENT - One Step at a Time: Exploring the Shikoku Pilgrimage with John Lander

Date
Saturday 25 September 2021
Time
11.00am (BST)
7.00pm (JST)
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Booking Details
Free – Donations Welcome
Registration essential

Book online here

The activities of the Japan Society are made possible thanks to the support of its members. This event is free of charge and open to all. We realise that this is a difficult time for many people. However, if you are planning to attend and do not have a membership subscription as an individual or through your employer, please consider making a donation. You can find details of membership and how to join the Japan Society community here.


The Shikoku Pilgrimage is one of the most important pilgrimage routes in Japan. Connected by eighty-eight temples across the four prefectures of Shikoku, this 1,200 km trail is associated with Buddhist monk Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), the founder of Shingon Buddhism.

The pilgrimage is undertaken for many reasons – to have a time of reflection away from everyday life, as a spiritual journey or as a healing period after a traumatic life event. Along the way, pilgrims will encounter ordinary Japanese people and experience the custom of o-settai, or charitable giving.

In this special talk, author and photographer John Lander will take us on a journey along the Shikoku Pilgrimage guiding us through the evocative images and stories he has been documenting for his latest publication The Shikoku Pilgrimage: Japan’s Sacred Trail. He will share fascinating details on the origin of the trail and what the pilgrimage means to the thousands who undertake it every year.

YouTube preview of The Shikoku Pilgrimage - Japan’s Sacred Trail 

John Lander is a freelance author and photographer based near Kamakura, Japan. When he is not at home, he is often out and about on photography assignments at local events, festivals or indulging in his main passion: Japanese gardens. Japan has been his home for nearly 40 years. John’s photography has been featured in GEO, TIME Magazine, National Geographic, Travel+Leisure, Rough Guides and many others. His books, including The Shikoku Pilgrimage: Japan’s Sacred Trail, are available from Amazon.

If you have any questions, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk


Booking Info

  • You should receive an automated email from the Japan Society to let you know that your booking request has been registered. Please note that your booking is pending while we check your details and you will receive a further email once your booking is confirmed.

  • For online events, we will send you the zoom links and details to attend the event closer to the date.

  • If you don't receive any confirmation emails or links, please check your spam folder or email events@japansociety.org.uk.