Cultural Japan

Kii Mountain Range

Site Ratings
5 locations
Connections for Kii Mountain Range
Kii Mountain Range by Can SARICA
Kii Mountain Range by Can SARICA 10

The Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range are testimony to the indigenous Shinto belief and its fusion into Shinto-Buddhism.

These three sacred sites with Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples lie in the forests of the sacred Kii Mountains. They have attracted pilgrims since the 11th century. Their architecture has had a profound influence on the building of temples and shrines elsewhere in Japan.

Community Perspective: Koyasan is the most visited component, and one can easily arrange a temple stay here. John went to all three main sites, and Frederik, Hubert and Nan ‘did’ Yoshino, which lies close to Nara.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (ID: 1142)
Country
Japan
Status
Inscribed 2004 Site history
History of Kii Mountain Range
2004: Inscribed
Inscribed
Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • ii
  • iii
  • iv
  • vi
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
Official
All Links
UNESCO.org
Official Website
News Article
  • 16 Apr 2022 mainichi.jp — NHK contractor damages World Heritage pilgrimage trail to Japan's Mt. Koya
  • 14 Jul 2020 japantimes.co.jp — Sacred rope replaced above 133-meter waterfall at Japan World Heritage site
  • 13 May 2019 7news.com.au — Australian woman plunges to her death at sacred Japanese world heritage site
  • 17 May 2018 japantimes.co.jp — Monk sues temple at Mount Koya World Heritage site over heavy workload
  • 31 Jul 2017 asia.nikkei.com — Japan's cash-strapped temples try their hand at tourism
  • 23 Jul 2013 thestar.com.my — Financial crisis at Koyasan
  • 17 Jul 2012 japandailypress.com — Nachi Falls violated by illegal climbers
  • 14 Sep 2011 yomiuri.co.jp — Typhoon No. 12 heavy rains damage WHS in the Kii Mountain Range
  • 30 Jun 2008 mdn.mainichi.jp — Gyuba Doji, an ancient stone statue along the World Heritage Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, was found vandalized with its head missing

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Religious structure: Buddhist
  • Religious structure: Indigenous
  • Cultural Landscape: Associative
Travel Information
One million visitors or more
One million visitors or more
In 2023, the World Heritage site attracted about 1.39 million tourists from abroad and …
Discriminatory Entry Policies
Discriminatory Entry Policies
Area around Mount Omine and Ominesanji Temple is out of bounds to women.
Kyoto hotspot
Kyoto hotspot
1h40 by train to Yoshino / 102km
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Connections of Kii Mountain Range
News
mainichi.jp 16/04/2022
NHK contractor damages World Herit…
japantimes.co.jp 14/07/2020
Sacred rope replaced above 133-met…
7news.com.au 13/05/2019
Australian woman plunges to her de…
Recent Visitors
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