MEANINGFUL TRAVEL | HENRO | PILGRIMAGES IN JAPAN | SHIKOKU88
By SENSEISTEVE88 April 2024
'Essentially settai is a way of participating in the pilgrimage, of joining in what the giver considers a pious and meritorious endeavor' - Oliver Statler Japanese Pilgrimage
O-settai is the charitable tradition of offering aid to support pilgrims (predominantly walking 'Henro') on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage.
Locals provide gifts ranging from money to hand-made nick-nacks, but mostly they provide food, accommodation, drinks and sweets to directly assist the pilgrim on their journey.
The locals believe that merit can be gained by offering o-settai to pilgrims, and some also believe that a part of the giver then accompanies the pilgrim on the journey.
O-settai is a term that could be adopted to explain how Sophie (aka THE CAT) managed to survive her first 12 months of life as a blind kitten on the streets. She almost certainly must have relied on the unqualified support of other animals and potentially even humans to stay alive. Without the equivalent of o-settai, she surely would not be living the life she is today and having her tale told?
O-settai is a religious experience on Shikoku
There is no good rationale for choosing to be a walking Gaijin (foreigner) Henro on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage ... giving up the comfort, security, and safety of ‘home’ … for an uncertain adventure in a foreign land. Explaining why you might do it, especially in the middle of summer, is not simple! Knowing that the Japanese people in general are caring and helpful, and that the local population predominantly see O-settai as a religious experience, is comforting.
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