Mount Kurama and Kurama-dera Temple

The collective name for pilgrimage routes leading to the three Grand Shrines of Kumano on the Kii Peninsula. UNESCO World Heritage listed, they share the distinction with Spain's Santiago de Compostela as one of only two pilgrimage routes with World Heritage status. Walking moss-covered stone paths through cedar forests captivates trekkers worldwide.

Ominesan, located on the Nara-Wakayama border, is the supreme training site in Shugendo practice. Long known for its women-exclusion tradition, it now permits pilgrimage via designated hiking routes. Blends sacred wilderness with mountain training heritage, functioning as a unique faith space where ascetics and pilgrims coexist.

A nationwide network of sacred sites functioning as ascetic training grounds. Pilgrimage experiences span multiple mountain locations including Mount Kirishima and Sanbutsu-ji. A unique cultural form integrating ancient faith systems with nature worship, where mountain climbing, meditation, and religious practice converge seamlessly.

A sacred site of mountain worship comprising Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan, and Mount Yudono. With over 1,400 years of history as a training ground for Shugendo asceticism, the mountain monks in white robes and their austere practices preserve Japan's mountain ascetic traditions.

One of Japan's three great sacred sites. Sulfurous fumes and desolate rocks create an 'entrance to the afterlife.' Known for itako mediums, it draws those seeking to communicate with the dead.

A Shugendo sacred site of three mountains. Mountain ascetic training in white yamabushi robes is popular with foreigners. A spiritual pilgrimage known as 'the journey of rebirth.'

Three sacred mountains in Yamagata—Haguro, Gassan, and Yudono. A center of mountain worship since ancient times. The pilgrimage route to Haguro is known for its cedar trees over 300 years old. Approximately 1 million visitors annually, representing Japan's mountain worship traditions alongside the sacred Yudono Mountain.