Translation guide
A person who travels to a sacred place for religious reasons. In Japanese, the most common word is 巡礼者, but related terms exist for specific pilgrimages like the Shikoku pilgrimage.
A person on a religious journey to a sacred place
Standard term for a pilgrim, literally 'pilgrimage person'. Used for any religious pilgrimage.
彼は巡礼者としてエルサレムを訪れた。
He visited Jerusalem as a pilgrim.
Can refer to the pilgrimage itself or, by extension, the pilgrim. Often used in compounds.
多くの巡礼がその寺に集まった。
Many pilgrims gathered at the temple.
Specifically refers to pilgrims on the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage. A respectful term.
お遍路さんが白い服を着て歩いている。
A pilgrim is walking in white clothes.
A person undertaking the 88-temple pilgrimage in Shikoku
The most common term for a pilgrim on the Shikoku pilgrimage. Can also refer to the pilgrimage itself.
遍路は四国八十八箇所を巡る。
Pilgrims visit the 88 temples of Shikoku.
Polite form of 遍路, often used by locals or in respectful contexts.
お遍路に水を差し上げた。
I offered water to the pilgrim.
A pilgrim in a historical or specific religious tradition (e.g., Islam, Christianity)
Used for pilgrims of any religion, including the Hajj or medieval Christian pilgrimages.
イスラム教徒の巡礼者はメッカを目指す。
Muslim pilgrims head to Mecca.
A group of pilgrims, often organized. Useful for describing large pilgrimages.
巡礼団がバスで到着した。
The pilgrim group arrived by bus.
巡礼者 is the general term for any pilgrim. 遍路 specifically refers to the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage and is deeply cultural. Use 遍路 only in that context.
The act of pilgrimage is 巡礼 (じゅんれい). To say 'go on a pilgrimage', use 巡礼に行く or 巡礼する.
巡礼に行く
go on a pilgrimage
巡礼者たちは何日も歩いた。
The pilgrims walked for days.
彼女は道で巡礼者に会った。
She met a pilgrim on the road.