Kii Mountain Range

To visit the Kii Mountain WHS, Yoshino is the closest option from Nara. I visited Yoshino in September 2019 and spent a day and a half there. Yoshino is the starting point of the Ōmine Okugakemichi pilgrimage route that ends at the Kumano Hongū Taisha Shrine. I actually planned to hike the first part of the trail up to the Ōminesan-ji Temple and wanted to stay the night there. That would have been a hike of 16 km, from 500 m sea level over two peaks up to 1700 m, exhausting but doable in one day. However, I was a week too late, the temple is only open in the warm months and was already closed at the end of September. So, I did a shorter hike to Shisuniwa peak, about halfway, and stayed in Yoshino.

Yoshino, or more precisely the mountain region Yoshino-yama, is an important centre of Shugendō, a syncretistic belief, whose practitioners seek spiritual power through ascetic practices in the sacred mountains. Asceticism and spirutuality are certainly not the first associations that arise when you step out of the cable car at the mountain station. The street through the village is lined with restaurants and shops. However, in late September, only about a third of them were open (and those that were open closed very early in the evening), but it is obvious that Yoshino is well prepared for the tourist rush in the peak seasons, such as the cherry blossom season.

There are …

WHS#81

Pilgrimage seems to be a widespread phenomenon around the world. I've been to enough pilgrimage destinations in Europe and the Levant to get the feel of it. It can be crazy how far pilgrims back in the day would go to see these holy sites, but look at us travelers now. My personal favorite until recently was probably Lourdes in France, mostly for the unique bathing experience it offers and the overall holy atmosphere of the site, even in comparison to sites in the Holy Land. Until I visited the Kii Mountains, that is. I visited Koyasan in December 2019, and it had snowed hard the night before, resulting in one of the most surreal sights I have ever seen. Coming from the Philippines, I will never turn down a chance to play in snow, and its presence on the roofs and yards of temples made this pilgrimage town so much more beautiful. I made use of the Koyasan World Heritage Pass for this day trip, though it's valid for 2 days. It can be purchased in Tengachaya Station, which was a few minutes from my accommodation and therefore, quite convenient. In other cases, it can also be bought in Shin-Imamiya and Namba closer to the city center of Osaka, as well as in Hashimoto for a lower price. It's definitely convenient and recommendable. Anyway, it generally takes 1.5-2 hours to get to the Koyasan station where you can take a bus to your destinations. 

First stop …

As a day trip from Nara I visited Yoshino to see the Kii Mountains. From the valley where the train station is located I took a cable car up the hill. I arrived in a tourist village with plenty of shops and restaurants. The village also contains Kinpusen-ji, an important temple of the region.

From the village I set out to hike along the pilgrim path into the Kii Mountains. On my way I crossed multiple temples and everything quieted down; there were not that many hikers, but that may have been caused by me visiting outside vacation season.

Along the trail I passed several temples, e.g. Kinpu Shrine shown in the picture. However, the scenery wasn't great as this is still a fairly civilized area. Some parts were even open to logging activities. Personally, I would have liked to venture further into the mountain range, probably with an overnight. My expectation would be that the more remote parts should offer a better experience. Still, I had a nice time.

Arriving in autumn I did miss on the most famous feature of Yoshino, though. The Japanese believe Mount Yoshinoyama to be Japan's best cherry blossom viewing spot.

Getting There

There are several access points to the Kii Mountains. From Nara you can go to Yoshino by direct train. Be aware that the train line is private and not included in the Japan Rail pass. Along the way you will pass the tentative site of …

From all sacred sites and pilgrimage routes that were combined to be this WHS, I chose to visit Yoshino, the area that famous for its Sakura viewing in springtime and has long history that one time was the capital city of Imperial Court of Japan. From the ground, Mount Yoshino was a typical mountain on the Kii Mountain Range, but when entering the forest, many small shrines, torii gates appeared to confirm that this place was special.

Visiting Yoshino was very accessible by train and cable tram which bring tourist from the city of Yoshino below to the village on the higher level of the mountain. From the station, the town was full of shop selling food and souvenir, not a sacred mountain as I was expected, but a typical Japanese tourist attraction. The central of the town was the Kimpusan-ji Temple which holding many Japanese national treasures. The star of the temple was the main temple gate, which guarded by a large statue of giant, the facial expression of the statues was truly exceptional realistic, and the temple's main hall which is the second largest wooden building in this country.

After the temple, I continued my visit along the pilgrimage route to the top of the mountain, the view of Yoshino from the viewing spot along the way were really beautiful. The roof of Kimpusan-ji was dominated the skyline of the whole town. Apart from the religious sites, Yoshino was also famous for its sushi, which …

I started my visit to this site at Shingu and visited the three shrines in this area. The Hayatama shrine, set in a wooded area on the edge of Shingu town comprised several scarlet painted wooden buildings with tile roofs. The Hongu shrine was a 90 minute bus ride from Shingu passing several spa resorts along the way. The buildings at this shrine were of natural timber with gold trimmings and with steep thatched roofs. The Nachi shrine and Sagantoji temple was a much larger collection of buildings, both natural and painted spread over a hillside. There is also an elegant scarlet painted pagoda. Buses to this shrine leave from Nachi station, a few stops along the line from Shingu. Many steps lead from the bus stop up to the shrine.

Next I moved on to the Koyasan area and first visited the Jison-in temple in Kudoyama. This temple marks the starting point of the Koyasan Pilgrimage Route, with its 180 stone markers showing the route to the summit. This temple was the resting place for women, as only men were permitted to ascend Koyasan. Today the temple is dedicated to women.

I then ascended Koyasan using the train and cable car and toured the sites at the summit using the local buses. I went first to the Okuno-in and walked through a huge graveyard with interestingly designed tombs and reached the Torodo and Gobyo mausoleums. I also visited the Kangobuji temple and the ancient Danjo Karan shrine with its …

I went to Koya-san at the end of my month-long stay in Japan. Stayed at the Sekisho-in, at the east end of the town. After morning service (Shingon) and breakfast, walked to Kukai's mausoleum. The cemetery was serene, with the snow filtering down between the aged cedars. It was like an open-air cathedral, and the walk akin to a pilgrimage (which is probably how the Japanese experience it). My map indicated that many of Japan's military leaders have their tombs in the cemetery, and "burial" there is akin to that of Pere Lachaise in Paris.

Later saw the Dai-to or great stupa/pagoda. Aside from its' proportions, I was more impressed by the three-dimensional manadala that was created inside. Apart from the artistic quality of the sculpture (which is modern), for me it conjured up the image of the 'axis mundi', that Borobadur in Indonesia does. Circumabulated the altar five times before departing. I'd go there again, though for many, it might remain a curiosity for them.

In the motuary temple (just short of the actual mausoleum) a monk was conducting a fire ritual at one of the chapels.

The most well-known part of this WHS - Koyasan - I visited on my second trip to Japan. This temple town has the usual Japanese abundance of souvenir shops and restaurants: don't expect it to be very serene.

Most of the temples are grouped in the western part of town. Their designs are all very different. Okuno-In, the temple that houses the body of Kobo-Daishi, is on the other side of town. Going there you have to cross a large cemetery, covered in moss and hidden under huge dark trees.

An experience not to be missed here is staying overnight in one of the temples. The local Tourist Information can arrange this. The Fudo-In was my accommodation: very quiet (only 2 young monks seemed to be living there), with great food and a fine traditional bath.