In addition to being a devoted pilgrimage participant, Robert Sibley—author of The Way of the 88 Temples: Journeys on the Shikoku Pilgrimage—also happens to be a writer for the Ottawa Citizen. On the occasion of an upcoming author appearance in Ottawa City, Sibley’s newspaper took the opportunity to run a uniquely compelling excerpt from the book.
In 2012, Robert Sibley shared his experiences on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in his book The Way of the Stars. Sibley’s latest book, The Way of the 88 Temples, chronicles his journey on the Henro Michi, one of the oldest pilgrimage routes in Japan. Located on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four islands, the pilgrimage comprises 88 temples and covers nearly 900 miles. Publishers Weekly has said of the book, “Sibley’s acute psychological observations are interwoven not only with vivid details but historical and cultural contexts of the ancient Shikoku pilgrimage. Throughout his journey, Sibley asks himself—and the travelers he meets—why walking the path is important. While he finds no one answer, this accomplished narrative demonstrates that the impulse to seek inner change through a physical journey, if mysterious, is enduring.” Following is an excerpt from The Way of the 88 Temples.