Nojuku

Definition:

Nojuku (野宿) literally means sleeping outside, rough camping. Some o-henro-san (Shikoku pilgrims), though not the majority, take on the challenge of sleeping outdoors or in basic shelters (henro goya). This may be for budget reasons—a night in a minshuku costs between ¥5,000 and ¥7,000—or for ascetic reasons.

During the Shikoku pilgrimage, nojuku does not only mean sleeping outdoors or wild camping. The walking pilgrim (aruki henro) can sleep in various shelters made available: station waiting rooms, huts, tsuyadō, zenkonyadō. But you must ask permission to sleep in these shelters, or simply inform nearby residents.

One of the favorite spots for Japanese walkers is roadside stations (michi no eki) for convenience reasons. Indeed, there are restrooms open all night and shops selling local goods. I strongly advise against them, especially in summer. In fact, many drivers (and sometimes truckers) sleep in their vehicles with engines running to enjoy the air conditioning. Noise and exhaust fumes will keep you from sleeping.

A spiritual meaning: When Kūkai traveled around Shikoku, sleeping outdoors (nojuku) was practically an obligation. So if the o-henro (pilgrim) wants to give an ascetic initiatory meaning by following in the footsteps of Kōbō Daishi, it is natural to sleep outdoors and forgo the luxury of minshuku.

However, this adds significant fatigue to walking, as recovery is often far from perfect. But it brings a deeper meaning to the pilgrimage and sometimes leads to wonderful encounters.

Pilgrims choosing nojuku, however, sometimes take advantage of slightly more comfortable shelters made available to them by temples (tsuyadō) or private individuals (zenkonyadō).

Nojuku Shikoku Pilgrimage Gallery