Osorezan Itako: Dialogue with the Deceased

Three mountains in Yamagata Prefecture—Gassan, Haguro, and Yudono—forming a sacred Shugendo training center with 1,400 years of history. Practitioners undergo rituals symbolizing death and rebirth, experiencing spiritual transformation. Features like Haguro's five-story pagoda and Yudono's secret rituals continue to attract pilgrims seeking spiritual renewal through rigorous ascetic practice.

A pilgrimage tradition visiting Nagasaki's hidden Christian martyr sites. Under Edo period Christian persecution, believers secretly maintained their faith for generations. Graves, monuments, and Mary statues along mountain paths preserve 250 years of hidden history. As a UNESCO World Heritage site component, 'Hidden Christian Sites in Nagasaki and Nearby Areas,' it symbolizes religious freedom and historical continuity of persecuted faith communities.

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 sacred mountain at 912 meters located in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture. A Tendai Buddhist temple is established here, with landscapes depicting hell and paradise. Nationally known for the custom of itako (blind mediums) facilitating communication with the deceased, it has long embodied strong beliefs about the afterlife.

Osorezan in Aomori Prefecture is Japan's oldest hellish belief site. Characterized by rituals where blind mediums called itako commune with the deceased. With nearly 1,400 years of history, summer pilgrimages attract nationwide visitors seeking dialogue with deceased loved ones. Represents a unique fusion of death beliefs and faith traditions.

Belief system venerating Inari, the kami of food, agriculture, and commerce. Approximately 30,000 Inari shrines nationwide make it the most numerous shrine type. Characteristic vermillion torii gates. Faith evolved through transition from agricultural to commercial society. In modern times, target of corporate prosperity prayers. One of Shinto's most widespread popular beliefs.

Osorezan in Mutsu, Aomori is one of Japan's oldest mountain pilgrimage sites. Deep-rooted hell-belief traditions hold it as a gathering place for souls of the deceased. Spirit mediums perform séances, and the summer festival draws pilgrims nationwide. Sulfurous air and otherworldly landscapes evoke concepts of the afterlife.

Pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine became a massive popular phenomenon in the Edo period with the saying 'once in a lifetime, visit Ise.' Including the Okagehyokocho street food culture and famous Akafuku mochi, it remains a spiritual travel touchstone for Japanese people today.