11 JULY 2023. UNTIL 9 AUGUST 2023
"Shikoku henro - 88 Temples Pilgrimage" - photo exhibition by Borislav Iliev
Kapana Gallery

For the second year, the traveler and photographer Borislav Iliev will present his impressive photo exhibition in Kapana Gallery (29, Raiko Daskalov Street). Once again his lens is focused on sacred ancient places in distant Japan. This time the exhibition "SHIKOKU HENRO - 88 Pilgrimage Temples", will present the thousand-year spiritual pilgrimage route passing through 88 sacred Buddhist temples created by the great monk, calligrapher and poet of Japan - Kukai ( Kobo Daishi 774 - 835 ) more than 1200 years ago on the island of Shikoku, the smallest of the 4 main islands of Japan.
The opening is on July 11 at 18:00. And the exhibition will be on view until August 9 with free admission.
SHIKOKU HENRO - 88 is one of the longest circular pilgrimage routes in the world, starting at Temple 1 ( Ryōzen-ji (霊山寺), ending at Temple 88 ( Ōkubo-ji (大窪寺) and stretching 1,500 kilometers through the four prefectures of Shikoku: Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime and Kagawa. It is completed on foot in approximately 55 days.
To this day, pilgrims travel along steep mountain trails and long stone roads, through pastoral countryside, along tranquil seashores, and pass through remote headlands. Along the way, pilgrims meet others traveling through Shikoku, and they all receive a warm welcome from the locals thanks to a millennia-old tradition of support and assistance called Ossetai.
Shikoku Henro 88 has been designated a Japanese Heritage Site by the Cultural Affairs Agency and is the Japanese equivalent of the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The photographs in this exhibition are printed on beautiful and exquisite handmade Japanese washi paper. The process of its creation has been declared a World Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

This year Borislav Iliev enriches the exhibition with lectures and tea ceremony demonstrations:
-on 22 and 23 July (Saturday and Sunday) at 12:30 pm in Kapana Gallery Borislav will give a lecture, where he will talk in detail about SHIKOKU HENRO - 88 Temples Pilgrimage;
-on 29 and 30 July (Saturday and Sunday) at 12:30 pm. Nicholas from Tea Topia will tell visitors about tea culture in Japan, they will have the opportunity to enjoy a cup of Sencha iced tea and learn more about the tea's journey from the plantation through the factory to our cup. They will learn about the variety of Japanese teas (matcha, sencha and others) and their characteristics. Audiences will be able to relax in a traditional tea corner with Japanese tatami mats and even touch a traditional Japanese matcha hand mill.