Iyo was also one of the four provinces of Shikoku. Her current name is Ehime.
Ehime occupies the western part of Shikoku and has its largest city, Matsuyama. It also has the most pilgrimage temples: 27 to be exact. It is also home to the famous Mikan, a Japanese citrus fruit that is much appreciated and used in religious rituals. Here it is known as Iyokan.
Sanuki was one of the four prefectures of Shikoku. It is now called Kagawa. Kagawa is the smallest prefecture in Shikoku and also in all of Japan.
Awa was also one of the four provinces of Shikoku. Its current name is Tokushima.
The starting point of 1200 years of pilgrimage, Awa is home to 23 of Shikoku's 88 temples.
Tosa was also one of the four provinces of Shikoku. Its current name is Kochi.
It is the largest of the 4 prefectures of Shikoku. It runs from Cape Muroto-misaki to Ashizuri-misaki with the Pacific along the coast.
The spectacular Iya Valley is a special place. Being one of Japan's hidden valleys, its gorges and dense forests have been a refuge for many centuries for those who want to escape persecution, such as those of the Shaman in the 9th century, or lost wars such as the Heike clan.