Photo/Illutration Ishiteji temple in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, one of the 88 temples along the Shikoku pilgrimage route, on May 26 (Hajimu Takeda)

The tendency of people to work well into their retirement ages is threatening the future of the sacred pilgrimage route of 88 temples on Shikoku island, tourism officials say.

Tackling sections of the age-old route, which extends for about 1,400 kilometers, has been one of the most popular activities for pensioners across Japan.

But in recent years, the number of pilgrims, called “ohenro,” has been decreasing and the traditional culture of the pilgrimage is being lost, the officials said.

They said it is no coincidence that the decline comes after the retirement age was extended and many people continued working into older ages.

“If nothing is done, the historic pilgrimage culture could decline,” a tourism official said at a news conference held at the Kagawa prefectural government’s office on May 16.

Top officials of three groups that have a stake in the pilgrimage expressed common concerns at the news conference.

Although there are no accurate statistics on the number of pilgrims, the figures for riders on the Tairyuji Ropeway, the main access to Tairyuji temple located about 600 meters above sea level in Anan, Tokushima Prefecture, is telling, they said.

Ridership to the temple in 1992 was 158,860. In 2019, it had dropped to 54,582.

In 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic had subsided, ridership remained low, at 46,276, they said.

“The retired generation in their 60s and 70s, who used to be the core of the pilgrims, are now still working,” said Shuho Hatakeda, chief priest at Anrakuji temple in Tokushima Prefecture.

“In the past, many people retired at age 55 and continued to make pilgrimages while receiving a pension, but now the pension is not paid until age 65,” said Hatakeda, who also chairs Shikoku Hachijuhakkasho Reijo-kai, a general incorporated foundation.

According to Hatakeda, during the “bubble economy” of the 1980s and early 1990s, when interest rates were high, some people used the interest on their savings to cover the pilgrimage expenses.

Shinji Hani, chairman of Shikoku Railway Co. (JR Shikoku) who heads the nonprofit Network for Shikoku Henro Pilgrimage and Hospitality, said many people used to have someone close who does “henro,” such as grandparents.

But that changed after the nuclear family became the norm, he said.

Hani also said a spate of tour bus accidents led to stricter regulations and higher fares for bus tours. The number of bus tours has also decreased due in part to a shortage of drivers, he said.

The organizations of Hatakeda and Hani, along with the Shikoku Economic Federation, are working to make the pilgrimage culture sustainable and to promote an understanding of the main values of the pilgrimage.

They will also conduct marketing by gathering data on the number of pilgrims and their attributes through social media.

The pilgrimage sections are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain due to dwindling and aging populations in the areas.

In fiscal 2025, the groups will start a trial run of a framework for investing manpower and funds in the region.

In addition, they will work with an organization to promote the Shikoku pilgrimage as a UNESCO World Heritage site as a “way to maintain and honor the pilgrimage culture.”

The Shikoku pilgrimage dates back to the Heian Period (794-1185). The goal is to visit 88 temples associated with priest Kukai (774-835), aka Kobo Daishi, in the Shikoku region.

Hikaru Ebesu, who chairs the Research Center for the Shikoku Henro and Pilgrimages of the World at Ehime University, said the number of walking pilgrims and foreign visitors has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

He said the majority of pilgrims today are bus tour participants, but their numbers are decreasing.

“We hear from people on the walking pilgrimages that they cannot get accommodations at all,” Ebesu said.

“While it is important to increase the number of pilgrims, it is also important to create a comfortable environment for those who come to make the pilgrimage, which will ultimately lead to an increase in the number of pilgrims,” he said.

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