{"id":15651,"date":"2026-05-16T14:33:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T12:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/?p=15651"},"modified":"2026-08-18T18:19:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T16:19:11","slug":"shikoku-pilgrimage-photography-950-kilometres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/projekte\/shikoku-pilgerreise-fotografie-950-kilometer\/","title":{"rendered":"The Shikoku Pilgrimage and Photography: 950 kilometres, 88 temples, a book"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2019, I first heard about the Shikoku Henro, the traditional pilgrimage route on the Japanese island of Shikoku. This Shikoku pilgrimage and photography were to shape my life for the next few years. 88 temples, over 1,200 kilometres of pilgrimage route \u2013 a path that has been walked since the 9th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was immediately captivated, not by the challenge, but by the idea of experiencing Japan in this way: away from the major cities, following the rhythm of an ancient trail, through a landscape of tranquil mountains, rugged coastline, secluded valleys in the south and the bustling life of the cities in the north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had everything planned for 2020. In January 2020, I even attended a pilgrimage seminar to prepare myself. Then came the pandemic, followed by circumstances that held me back for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In mid-2024, I made the decision: in February 2025, I\u2019d fly out there for four weeks and see how it goes. In the meantime, I was able to prepare a little by going for regular runs and hikes. But I couldn\u2019t really know beforehand whether it would work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Abstract<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What happens if you just set off?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What happened: I covered around 450 kilometres in four weeks. The path carried me along, quite literally.
Even during that first trip to Shikoku, the decision to write a book about the experience began to take shape, as did the plan to return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, in 2026, six weeks \u2013 this time to complete the rest of the route. In total, I have now covered 950 kilometres, mostly on foot, occasionally by bus or train, and now and then with a lift from a pilgrim helper \u2013 something you \u2018mustn\u2019t\u2019 refuse in the spirit of the Way, and which, in my experience, you wouldn\u2019t want to refuse anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second tour got off to a tough start. My body was aching during the first week, and then I lost my optical filter \u2013 the piece of kit that is absolutely essential for my fluid, abstract ICM photography. I had to carry on working with the Leica, using different aperture settings, thinking differently, and finding creative ways to bridge the gap until a replacement filter could be sent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, that was a real blessing. After two weeks, I was back in the swing of things, but with a new realisation: just because I really want something doesn\u2019t mean it has to work out by force.
The path teaches us to adapt, to be mindful of our own bodies, and to listen. To be aware of the world around us and of our own inner stillness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shikoku<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Shikoku Pilgrimage: 88 temples, four stages, a personal routine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Shikoku Henro is divided into four spiritual stages, corresponding to the island\u2019s four prefectures: Tokushima (Awakening), Kochi (Asceticism), Ehime (Enlightenment) and Kagawa (Nirvana). This structure accompanies every pilgrim, whether they consciously follow it or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At each of the 88 temples, I had my own routine right from the start: first, I would wash my hands and mouth at the purification station. Then I would light a candle and some incense sticks \u2013 once before the temple\u2019s main deity, and once before the shrine of Kobo Daishi, the monk to whom the entire pilgrimage route is dedicated. Only then would I get the stamp in my pilgrim\u2019s booklet. And only once all that was done would I take out my camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That wasn\u2019t a set routine, but my own personal approach. I wanted to arrive at the temple first, enter into a dialogue, and really feel the atmosphere. The photos were taken in that moment, after pausing to reflect, not before. Over the course of the weeks, this routine became second nature, almost meditative.
I realised that it was sharpening my perception:
If you take the time to really \"arrive\" before you take a photo, you\u2019ll see things differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Abstract<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How a book can change your perspective on a journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I had already started working on the book project before my second trip. Together with my photo book consultant Wolfgang Zurborn<\/a> I worked through the image material of the first stage, looking for what carries and what the path tells as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this process, an idea emerged that surprised us both: classic black-and-white photography \u2013 documentary in style and clear \u2013 combined with my abstract, dynamic ICM images. Wolfgang thought it was powerful. And I quickly realised that I really wanted to make this combination my own. The visual tension between the two visual languages was immediately apparent: the documentary and the fluid side by side, the arduous journey and the inner perception of it. Both are true; both are part of the Shikoku experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This discovery refocused my attention on my second journey and will form the centrepiece of the book on the Shikoku pilgrimage and photography.
It is due to be published later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Triptych:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Koyasan and the cemetery that leaves you speechless<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the second stage of the pilgrimage, I headed towards Koyasan. Strictly speaking, Koyasan is not part of the Shikoku pilgrimage itself, but traditionally many pilgrims complete their Henro there, on the mountain where Kobo Daishi founded Shingon Buddhism in the 9th century.
The final stage: 26 kilometres, 1,300 metres of elevation gain, luckily, just with a day pack. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What moved me most there was not the climb, but the Okunoin Cemetery. Japan\u2019s largest cemetery: over 200,000 graves, a two-kilometre path through an ancient cedar forest, moss-covered stones dating back ten centuries, lanterns, silence. From the inner bridge, the holiest part of the grounds, photography is prohibited. I respected that, and I\u2019m not just saying this out of a sense of duty: this place demands it of its own accord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You walk and walk, and at some point you lose all sense of time. I suddenly felt at one with myself, with my ancestors, and with so many people all at once. There was no excitement, no emotional turmoil in the dramatic sense. Rather, there was a profound stillness in which everything had its place. Even today, I still get teary-eyed when I think about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unity in diversity: 200,000 graves, each one different, all in the same place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stone<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition: Images from the first two phases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From 22 May, Working from the first two phases of this Shikoku pilgrimage and photography to be seen in an exhibition.<\/a>. The pictures remain until the end of August 2026.
Those who wish to see how the interplay of black and white and ICM works in large format are warmly invited.
Maybe the timing will work out and we can meet up there? Just write me a message!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some journeys take time.
Not because one hesitates, but because oneself or the circumstances are not yet ready.
And when you do finally set off, that\u2019s exactly what carries you along.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Triptych:<\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2019 h\u00f6rte ich das erste Mal vom Shikoku Henro, der traditionellen Pilgerrunde auf der japanischen Insel Shikoku. Diese Shikoku Pilgerreise und Fotografie sollten mein Leben f\u00fcr die n\u00e4chsten Jahre pr\u00e4gen. 88 Tempel, \u00fcber 1.200 Kilometer Pilgerweg, ein Weg, der seit dem 9. Jahrhundert begangen wird. Ich war sofort fasziniert, nicht von der Herausforderung, sondern von […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15655,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[351],"tags":[356,377],"class_list":["post-15651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-projekte","tag-fotografie-als-fotokunst","tag-shikoku"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15651"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16506,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15651\/revisions\/16506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mrk-photography.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}