Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (Wakayama Prefecture) World Heritage Complete Guide | Constituent Assets, Access, and Attractions Explained in Detail
What is the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range?
The “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” is a World Cultural Heritage site spanning three prefectures: Wakayama, Nara, and Mie. It was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 7, 2004 (Heisei 16), and has received high international recognition as an important cultural asset symbolizing Japan’s spiritual culture.
This World Heritage site consists of three sacred sites (Koyasan, Kumano Sanzan, and Yoshino-Omine) nurtured in the rich natural environment of the Kii Mountain Range, pilgrimage routes connecting these sacred sites, and the cultural landscape surrounding them. The unique form of faith that could not have been established without the nature of the Kii Mountain Range, and the pilgrimage routes supporting it have been preserved in excellent condition to the present day, a value recognized as unparalleled in the world.
Significance of World Heritage Registration
The primary reason the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range was evaluated as a World Heritage site lies in the fact that Japan’s unique religious culture, where Shintoism and Buddhism are fused, has been transmitted for over 1,000 years. In particular, the preservation of pilgrimage routes in excellent condition and the formation of cultural landscapes by the forests along the routes in close connection with faith and livelihood have been highly evaluated.
The process by which Shintoism, based on nature worship, and Buddhism, which was transmitted from China and developed uniquely in Japan, came together to create Shugendo as a form of faith holds extremely important significance in the history of East Asian religious culture. The fact that this place of faith continues to function as a living heritage even today enhances its value as a World Heritage site.
Constituent Assets in Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture is the core region of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range and possesses numerous important constituent assets.
Sacred Site of Koyasan
Kongobuji is the head temple of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism opened by Kobo Daishi Kukai. Located at an altitude of approximately 900 meters on Mount Koya, it forms a religious city with 117 temples gathered together. Numerous National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties are preserved within the precincts and continue to function as an important base in the history of Japanese Buddhism.
Jison-in is a temple that served an important role as the front gateway to Mount Koya and is also called “Women’s Koya” because the mother of Kobo Daishi stayed there. In contrast to Mount Koya where women’s pilgrimage was forbidden, it attracted faith as a place where women could also make pilgrimages.
Niukanshomoji Shrine is a shrine founded by Kukai as the tutelary shrine of Mount Koya. It enshrines Niutsuhime no Okami and is closely connected with the faith of Mount Koya.
Niiutsuhime Shrine is an ancient shrine that has long been revered as the First Shrine of Kii Province. It enshrines Niutsuhime no Okami, who is said to have granted Mount Koya to Kukai, and conveys the history of syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism to the present day.
Sacred Sites of Kumano Sanzan
Kumano Hongu Taisha is the central presence among Kumano Sanzan and serves as the head shrine of approximately 3,000 Kumano shrines throughout Japan. Originally enshrined on an islet in the Kumano River, it relocated to its present location following a major flood in Meiji 22. A large torii gate boasting the highest height in Japan stands at the former shrine site, Oyu Gohara.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha is located in Shingu City and enshrines Kumano Hayatama Okami and Kumano Fusumi Okami as its principal deities. Within the precincts stands the sacred tree “Nagi no ki” with an age exceeding 1,000 years, designated as a National Natural Monument.
Kumano Nachi Taisha is located on the midslope of Nachi Mountain and is a sacred site of nature worship that reveres the Nachi Waterfall as its sacred body. Together with the adjacent Seigantoji Temple, it retains a strong appearance of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism.
Seigantoji Temple is a Tendai Buddhist temple that flourished as the center of faith on Nachi Mountain. As the first station of the Saigoku Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage Sites, it welcomes many pilgrims.
Nachi Waterfall is one of Japan’s Three Most Famous Waterfalls, boasting a drop of 133 meters and a mouth width of 13 meters. Since ancient times it has been revered as a deity and has played an important role as a place of training for ascetics.
Nachi Primeval Forest is a pristine evergreen broadleaf forest spread across the Nachi Mountain area. As a result of being protected as an object of worship, valuable natural environment has been preserved.
Hotaka Sansenji Temple is located in Nachi Katsuura Town and is the base temple of the Hotaka Ocean Crossing belief. It conveys a unique form of faith called “Hotaka Crossing,” where believers embark on ships heading toward Hotaka Mountain, the Pure Land of the Bodhisattva Kannon.
Pilgrimage Routes in Wakayama Prefecture
Kumano Kodo Nakahechi is the most frequently used pilgrimage route from Tanabe to Kumano Sanzan and is known as the “Way of Kings,” traversed by emperors and nobility. The road passing through the deep forests of the Kii Mountain Range retains stone paving and remains of wayside shrines in excellent condition, strongly evoking the past.
Kumano Kodo Kohechi is a steep mountain route connecting Mount Koya and Kumano Hongu Taisha. It is a rigorous route that traverses the ridgeline of the Kii Mountain Range but was used by ascetics and experienced pilgrims.
Kumano Kodo Ohechi is a route from Tanabe to Kumano Sanzan via the coastline. It is characterized by its scenic landscape overlooking the beautiful coastline of the Kii Peninsula.
Koyasan Choishi Michi is the front approach from Jison-in to Mount Koya, with stone markers called choishi erected every one cho (approximately 109 meters). Along the approximately 24-kilometer route, 180 choishi stand, forming a grandiose religious space unparalleled in the world.
Yoshino-Omine and Constituent Assets in Nara Prefecture
Sacred Site of Yoshino Mountain
Yoshino Mountain has long been revered as a sacred site of mountain worship and Shugendo. It is also known as a famous cherry blossom location, with approximately 30,000 cherry trees coloring the entire mountain.
Kinpusenji is a temple opened by Gyogo, regarded as the founder of Shugendo. Its main hall, Zaoji-do, is designated as a National Treasure as a wooden structure second only to the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji.
Yoshimizu Shrine has served as the imperial palace of Emperor Go-Daigo and is an important historical site of the Northern and Southern Courts period. It also has deep connections with Minamoto Yoshitsune and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Yoshino Mizubunin Shrine is an ancient shrine situated in the upper thousand cherries of Yoshino Mountain and is believed in as the deity of childbearing.
Kinpu Shrine is located at the innermost part of Yoshino Mountain and has served as an important base of Shugendo.
Sacred Site of Mount Omine
Omine Sansenji is a fundamental training hall of Shugendo located at the summit of Mount Gojo at an elevation of 1,719 meters. The prohibition on women entering continues to be observed and it functions as a rigorous training place.
Omine Okugake Route
Omine Okugake Route is a Shugendo training route extending approximately 170 kilometers connecting Yoshino and Kumano. It is the longest pilgrimage route in Japan, traversing the ridgeline of the Kii Mountain Range with 75 training places called nabiki scattered throughout. This rigorous route over mountainous terrain exceeding 1,000 meters in elevation continues to be used by ascetics in their training.
Constituent Assets in Mie Prefecture
Kumano Kodo Ise Route
Kumano Kodo Ise Route is a pilgrimage route from Ise Shrine to Kumano Sanzan. Following the saying “Seven times to Ise, three times to Kumano,” a form of pilgrimage combining both Ise and Kumano visitations was widely practiced. Within Mie Prefecture, beautiful stone-paved roads such as Magoe Pass and Matsumoto Pass are preserved.
Background and Details of Additional Registration
Additional Registration in Heisei 28 (2016)
The World Heritage site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” received additional registration through “minor modifications” on October 26, Heisei 28 (2016). This additional registration significantly expanded the constituent assets within Wakayama Prefecture.
Major assets added include the Kurogo Route, Miya Slope, Kyodai Slope Fudosaka, Choishi Michi (within Mount Koya), Kumano Kodo Akagi Crossing, Dainichi Crossing, and remains of Hasshin-mon Wayside Shrine among the pilgrimage routes. Through these additions, the network of pilgrimage routes came to be protected more comprehensively.
Significance of Additional Registration
The additional registration aims to add important pilgrimage routes and related assets not included in the original registration range to the protection targets, thereby preserving the complete form of the World Heritage site’s value. In particular, it reflects the reality of the existence of multiple routes in the pilgrimage routes more accurately.
Relationship Between the Natural Environment of the Kii Mountain Range and Faith
Natural Environment of the Kii Mountain Range
The Kii Mountain Range occupies the majority of the Kii Peninsula and is a mountainous region centered on the Omine Mountain Range with mountains exceeding 1,000 meters in elevation. It is characterized by a rich natural environment covered in deep forests as a high-rainfall region with annual precipitation exceeding 3,000 millimeters.
This natural environment has been revered since ancient times as a place where deities reside and has been the object of mountain worship. The steep terrain and deep forests of the Kii Mountain Range have been ideal as places for training separated from the secular world and formed the foundation for the development of Shugendo.
Shintoism-Buddhism Syncretism and Shugendo
Shintoism, the indigenous Japanese form of nature worship, and Buddhism, transmitted from the continent, fused to create a unique form of faith. In particular, Shugendo developed as a uniquely Japanese religion combining mountain worship, Esoteric Buddhism, and Taoism.
In Kumano, the honji suijaku theory, in which Shinto deities and Buddhist Buddhas are identified, became widespread and was revered as Kumano Gongen. At Mount Koya, a legend tells of Kukai receiving the mountain from Niutsuhime no Okami, the local tutelary deity, and a form of faith harmonizing Shintoism and Buddhism was established.
Forests and Cultural Landscape
The forests of the Kii Mountain Range form not merely a natural environment but a cultural landscape in which faith and livelihood are closely intertwined. The forests along pilgrimage routes have been protected as sacred spaces with restrictions on logging. As a result, pristine natural environments have been preserved, contributing to the conservation of biodiversity.
Furthermore, forest resources are important foundations supporting regional livelihood, and sustainable use has continued for centuries. The unique cultural landscape where faith, livelihood, and nature conservation are in harmony has become an important element enhancing the value of the World Heritage site.
History and Culture of Pilgrimage
Flourishing of Kumano Pilgrimage
From the late Heian period through the Kamakura period, pilgrimage to Kumano by emperors and nobility flourished. Emperor Shirakawa is said to have made the Kumano pilgrimage nine times during his lifetime, and Emperor Shirakawa II reportedly made it 34 times, to the extent of being described as “ants’ pilgrimage to Kumano” with so many people making the journey.
Kumano was believed in as a place of “rebirth” accepting people regardless of status or gender, and both women and commoners could make pilgrimages. This openness was epoch-making for the time and demonstrates characteristics of Japanese religious culture.
Development of Mount Koya Pilgrimage
Mount Koya developed as a sacred site of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism opened by Kobo Daishi Kukai and attracted faith from nobility and samurai from the Heian period onward. At the Okuno-in, numerous mausoleums and memorial pagodas were erected for historically prominent figures such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
During the Edo period, pilgrimage to Mount Koya became widespread among the common people, with many pilgrims from throughout the country visiting. The form of pilgrimage walking the Choishi Michi to ascend Mount Koya continues to be experienced by many people today.
Shugendo of Yoshino-Omine
Yoshino-Omine developed as a center of Shugendo. Based on Kinpusenji, which is said to have been founded by Gyogo, severe mountain ascetic training has been conducted. The training of walking the Omine Okugake Route continues to be pursued by ascetics and functions as a living religious culture.
Wakayama Prefecture’s World Heritage Protection Efforts
Wakayama Prefecture World Heritage Center
Wakayama Prefecture has established the Wakayama Prefecture World Heritage Center to promote the preservation and utilization of World Heritage sites. The center conducts information dissemination, surveys and research, and educational and awareness-raising activities related to World Heritage.
Base facilities are established in Hongu-cho and Nachi-Katsuura Town of Tanabe City, providing information to visitors, exhibitions, and support for pilgrimage route conservation activities. It also places emphasis on training World Heritage Masters and developing local guides.
Preservation and Management Plan
The three prefectures of Wakayama, Nara, and Mie have formulated the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range Preservation and Management Plan” for appropriate preservation and management of World Heritage sites. Based on this plan, protection of constituent assets, conservation of surrounding environments, and visitor management are implemented.
Local residents and volunteer organizations actively participate in the maintenance and management of pilgrimage routes, with regular grass cutting, cleaning, and stone paving repairs. Such community-based conservation activities support the sustainable protection of the World Heritage site.
Conservation of Cultural Landscape
Efforts are also made to preserve the cultural landscape, an important element constituting the value of the World Heritage site. Forest management around pilgrimage routes, inheritance of traditional agriculture and forestry, and preservation of historical buildings are promoted in an integrated manner.
Access and Tourism Information
Access to Mount Koya
Train: Approximately 90 minutes from Nankai Namba Station on the Nankai Koya Line to Gokurakubashi Station, then approximately 5 minutes by Nankai Koyasan Cable Car to Koyasan Station. Various locations are accessible by Nankai Rinkan Bus from Koyasan Station.
Car: Approximately 40 minutes from Hashimoto IC on the Kina-Kawa Expressway via National Routes 371 and Prefectural Route 53. Multiple parking lots are available on Mount Koya.
Access to Kumano Sanzan
Kumano Hongu Taisha: Approximately 80 minutes by Kumano Kotsu Bus from JR Kisei Main Line Shingu Station. By car, approximately 90 minutes from Owase-kita IC on the Kisei Expressway via National Routes 42 and 168.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha: Approximately 15 minutes on foot from JR Shingu Station. Approximately 60 minutes from Owase-kita IC on the Kisei Expressway via National Route 42.
Kumano Nachi Taisha: Approximately 30 minutes by Kumano Kotsu Bus from JR Kii Katsuura Station. Approximately 70 minutes from Owase-kita IC on the Kisei Expressway via National Route 42.
Pilgrimage Route Walking
Walking the pilgrimage routes allows one to experience the same journey as ancient pilgrims. Popular routes include the following:
- From Hasshin-mon Wayside Shrine to Kumano Hongu Taisha (approximately 7 kilometers, 3-4 hours): A beginner-friendly Nakahechi highlight course
- From Daigen Slope to Kumano Nachi Taisha (approximately 2.5 kilometers, 1-2 hours): A course walking through beautiful stone-paved cedar groves
- Koyasan Choishi Michi (approximately 24 kilometers in total length): A full-scale course walking from Jison-in to Mount Koya over 1-2 days
Accommodations
Fifty-two lodges on Mount Koya offer accommodation. One can experience the unique lodging of temples including vegetarian cuisine and participation in morning prayers. Around Kumano Hongu, there are hot spring areas such as Kawayuonsen, Yunomineонsen, and Wataseонsen where one can relieve the fatigue of pilgrimage.
Value and Issues as a World Heritage Site
Universal Value
The Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range are recognized to possess outstanding universal value in the following points:
- Development of a unique religious culture fusing Shintoism and Buddhism
- Continuation of faith for over 1,000 years and preservation of cultural traditions
- Excellent preservation of pilgrimage routes as a cultural landscape
- An outstanding example showing the spiritual relationship between nature and humans
Issues in Preservation
Several issues exist in the preservation of the World Heritage site. Concerns include the decline of regional communities due to depopulation and aging, a shortage of successors to maintain pilgrimage routes, and the impact of climate change on natural environments.
Also important is the management of environmental burden from increased tourism. It is necessary to promote sustainable tourism so as not to impair the value of the World Heritage site.
Transmission to Future Generations
To transmit the World Heritage site to future generations, it is essential that local residents, administration, researchers, and visitors cooperate in preservation activities. Wakayama Prefecture is advancing efforts to convey the value of the World Heritage site through enriched educational programs and awareness-raising activities for younger generations.
Conclusion
The Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a World Cultural Heritage site spanning three prefectures centered on Wakayama Prefecture and is a precious asset symbolizing Japan’s spiritual culture. The three sacred sites of Mount Koya, Kumano Sanzan, and Yoshino-Omine, together with the pilgrimage routes connecting them and the surrounding cultural landscape, form a religious cultural landscape unparalleled in the world.
Since its registration in Heisei 16, an additional registration was made in Heisei 28, expanding the protection range. Centered on the World Heritage Center, Wakayama Prefecture continues efforts to transmit this precious heritage to the future while achieving both preservation management and utilization.
By actually walking pilgrimage routes with over 1,000 years of history and visiting sacred sites, one can experience the depth of Japan’s spiritual culture and the harmony between nature and humans. The World Heritage site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” is a living heritage providing much insight to those of us living today about the coexistence of faith and nature, tradition and innovation.
