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Walk the ancient path of faith
Before Japan was connected by highways and bullet trains, it was connected by walkways. These narrow trails pass through Japanese cedar forests, rice terraces and mountain passes, carrying more than just travelers. They carry devotions, imperial processions, regional trade and the slow spread of stories from one province to the next. Wandering through it now reveals how faith, topography and rural culture were deeply intertwined long before the arrival of modern infrastructure.
Rooted in nature worship and influenced by evolving Shinto and Buddhist currents, an extensive network of pilgrimage routes developed across the Japanese islands over the centuries. Of these, three stand out for their endurance and clear purpose: the Kumano Kodo, Shikoku Henji, and the Aizu Sanjusan Kannon. Each developed at a different time, under a different religious philosophy, and served a different community. Together they form a cross-section of the country’s spiritual and geographical identity.
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The Kumano Kodo has been an active pilgrimage system for over 1,000 years and is one of only two pilgrimage networks in the world to be awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. Located on the Kii Peninsula, one of Japan’s most mountainous and rainiest regions, the network winds through Wakayama Prefecture and into Mie and Nara Prefectures.
During the Heian period, the emperor and nobles made the so-called “Kumano Pattern,” the long and arduous journey south from Kyoto into the interior of the peninsula. Their destination was Kumano Sanzan – the three major shrines of Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha and Kumano Hayatama Taisha, which are believed to bring purification and rebirth. But these trails are not just a means to an end; The process of walking is also considered a spiritual experience.
Today, many of the routes that made up the original Kumano Kodo are still intact, with the Nakahe Route remaining the main route and the best preserved. The classic Nakahe Hiking Tour starts at Takijiri Prince (the spiritual gateway into the sacred Kii mountain scenery) and ends at Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, covering approximately 70 kilometers.
The path leads through ancient forest, over moss-covered stone steps, and finally descends to the riverside plain, home to Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, nestled peacefully in the forest. From there, continue hiking to Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, home to the sacred Nachi Falls, a single, uninterrupted waterfall that drops 133 meters. It is the highest straight drop in Japan, creating a natural climax that is much older than any of the nearby shrine buildings.
The infrastructure along the Middle River Pond is exceptionally sound for a rural pilgrimage. Accommodation ranges from family-run HomestayIt offers homemade local dishes and a sophisticated ryokan with volcanic spring water hot springs. Trail signage, way stations, and interpretive signs make navigation easy for first-time visitors, and you can use public transportation to skip portions of the hike if you prefer.
Remarkably, the route’s character remains largely intact: the Koji Shrine once used for imperial processions still stands, small villages like Kikitsuyu and Hoshinmon retain their historical footprints, and teahouses operate much the same way they did a century ago.
Four Kingdoms
Shikoku Henro is unique. The 88-temple pilgrimage circles around 1,200 kilometers around the island of Shikoku, which encompasses the four prefectures of Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime and Kagawa. It is one of the longest continuous pilgrim routes in the world and can take 30 to 60 days to complete, but many travelers choose to complete only a small portion of the route at a time.
Historically, this route is associated with Kobo Daishi or Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, who was born in Shikoku in the eighth century. Each temple on the circuit has a narrative, legend or teaching associated with him. Traditionally, pilgrims would wear a white vest or half-length robe called Haikusymbolizing purity, and the sedge hat, or Sugasa. Many people also carry Congolesea wooden staff representing Kukai himself, who was believed to accompany each pilgrim in spirit.
Unlike the curated clarity of Kumano Kodo, Shikoku Hiroyuki is messy, massive, and in places feels strangely ordinary. The landscape along the way has changed over time, passing through city neighborhoods, fishing ports, mountain passes, farmland and industrial suburbs. Some temples have access to steep, arduous climbs—Temple 12 at Laoshan Temple is notoriously difficult—while others can be reached via suburban sidewalks next to convenience stores. This friction between the sacred and the profane is part of the pilgrim identity.
hospitality, or set oris another defining characteristic. Local residents offer pilgrims everything from tea and snacks to money, rides or accommodation – a custom that goes back hundreds of years.
Aizu 33 Kannon
Kumano passes through deep mountains and gorges, encircling the entire island, while the Aizu 33 Kannon Route is closer to the ground, passing through towns, farm roads and valley fields in the Aizu region of western Fukushima Prefecture.
The line’s origins date back to the 17th century, when devotion to the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara arose rapidly in eastern Japan. During the Edo period, the Aizu clan formally established its own Thirty-three Avalokitesvara pilgrimage sites, modeled on the famous Thirty-three Avalokitesvara pilgrimage sites in Kansai. The number 33 corresponds to the 33 manifestations of Guanyin Bodhisattva, each of which can guide or protect all living beings.
Unlike the grand temple complexes of Kyoto or the majestic Mount Kumano, many of Aizu’s Kannon-den temples are small wooden churches hidden in rice fields, village cemeteries, orchards, or beside clusters of traditional houses on the roadside. Some contain important cultural artifacts; Others are simple, caretaker-maintained structures that have served the local community for generations.
The route is unsequential, meaning pilgrims can start anywhere. Some people completed all 33 sites in one weekend. Others make it a recurring practice, visiting a few halls each season. For first-time pilgrims, Aizu provides an introduction to pilgrimage without the physical or logistical requirements of the long route.
Conch Hall Esso-ji-ji Temple, part of Aizu 33 Gone Temple
Why these routes endure
Throughout these three pilgrimages, a few constants emerged. These trails offer a form of travel defined by a constant focus: on the terrain, the weather, and the people who live along the way. They created a framework that was structural but not rigid, spiritual but not dogmatic, and closely connected to local history.
The practical appeal is just as obvious. Japan’s pilgrimage infrastructure is robust—clear signposts, convenient accommodation, reliable regional buses, and communities that still treat pilgrims as part of their cultural ecosystem rather than an intrusion.
For many, pilgrimage today is no longer about devotion but about immersion. The pace forces people to readjust. You start noticing little things again—the changes in light among the cedars, a farm dog watching from the porch, the way an elderly caretaker sweeps the temple steps each morning.
These routes survive because they are still valid. They combine geography and story. They allow people to step outside their own timeline and travel at their own pace, as Japan has existed for centuries.
