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The “Kumano Goko” refers to a grand pilgrimage taken by retired emperors and Dharma Sovereigns (retired emperors who took Buddhist vows) that began in Kyoto, took them through Osaka, and finished at the Kumano Sanzan (Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, and Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple). It is said that this pilgrimage was the start of tourism in Japan. The history of the Kumano Goko begins with a pilgrimage made by Retired Emperor Uda in around 900 AD, and for the next 370 years or so many retired emperors and Dharma Sovereigns made more than 100 journeys here, including retired emperors Shirakawa, Toba, and Goshirakawa. Those who made the Kumano pilgrimage were believed to be “born again” by traversing the precipitous road; this belief gradually spread from the nobles to the samurai and commoners, leading to a huge surge in popularity in around 1600. At this time, the trails became known as the “Kumano Pilgrimage of the Ants,” because the numerous pilgrims resembled a long line of ants. Even now, people are drawn to pray to the deities of Kumano on this “road of prayer and rebirth.”

The emperors of this period deeply venerated Ise Grand Shrine, which worships their ancestor, the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami. Because of this, the retired emperors chose the gods and buddhas of Kumano, bringers of advantages in this life and peace in the next, as the recipients of their prayers. The Kumano Pilgrimage was not just a religious ceremony—it was a journey asking for peace for the retired emperors and their people, and for their rebirth. During his lifetime, Retired Emperor Goshirakawa is said to have made the pilgrimage 33 times. The number 33 has a symbolic meaning in Kannon’s efficacy (worship of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion). Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple, the final destination of the Kumano Goko, is also the first of the sacred sites of the Saigoku (“Western Provinces”) 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, which takes you around sites of Kannon’s efficacy. This tells of a world of devout belief, where the Kumano faith and Kannon’s efficacy were integrated.

Retired Emperor Shirakawa, who abdicated in 1086, wielded real power in politics as the retired emperor. During this time, he constructed a magnificent imperial villa in the south of Kyoto, known as “Toba Rikyu (Jonan Rikyu).” This became the starting point of the Kumano Pilgrimage, and successive retired emperors traveled from here to the Kumano Sanzan. The Kumano Goko was a challenging journey: a 600 km round trip over 20 to 30 days. Because of this, it was essential for the retired emperors to purify their bodies and carry out rituals to prepare their minds for around seven days before their departure. Every morning and evening of their stay, they would bathe in cold water (“mizugori”) and change into white clothing. After this, a court diviner—a traditional Japanese shaman—would speak words of purification, praying for the retired emperor’s safe journey. This was the start of a journey of prayer and rebirth.

“Retired Emperor Go-Toba held political power from the second half of the 10th century to the start of the 11th. It is said that Fujiwara no Teika, who accompanied him on his fourth Kumano Pilgrimage, was excited for his first long journey and departed in high spirits. Teika, who was blessed with a genius for waka poetry, visited Sumiyoshi Taisha where the god of waka was worshipped. He was also deeply impressed by the beauty of the Kii sea, visible from a high ridge, and he recorded his thoughts in his diary, the Chronicle of the Bright Moon. This was heart-stirring scenery, even for the people of the Heian Period who lived alongside nature. I’m sure that new inspirations for the body and mind await the people of this day and age who walk this path,” Mr. Toba, Head Priest of Jonangu, told us. On top of this, he himself visited the Kumano Sanzan in the spring of this year and enjoyed the sight of the cherry blossoms in full bloom. “It’s a place that is wonderful no matter how many times you visit, where you can feel the passing of the four seasons,” he said, with a gentle smile.

“Records of the retired emperors and imperial princesses that visited Kumano often mention them receiving ‘treasure seals (hoin)’ and ‘nagi leaves’,” Mr. Toba told us. Because they retain their greenery without dulling in color, even when they dry out, nagi leaves are symbols of vitality, and have been treasured as omamori talismans gifted from the gods of Kumano since ancient times. “A treasure seal is, as its name suggests, a seal. According to records, yamabushi (adherents of mountain worship who practice in the mountains) would press these seals to the foreheads of pilgrims. Originally, a treasure seal was only granted during special events, but they could be received at any time in Kumano. Because of this, Kumano is also said to be the birthplace of the ‘goshuin’ (a stamp received as proof of a visit to a shrine or temple). These are still received today as proof of divine protection. Goshuincho (a special book for recording seals) in hand, ancient pilgrims could enjoy a serene pilgrimage by receiving the seals of shrines and temples that they visited.” Pilgrims also receive an Ichigan Joju Omamori (literally “one wish fulfilled talisman”), which evokes the former rituals of departure in Jonangu. Their shape, modeled on the hexagonal pilgrim’s staff, leaves an impression. Write your wish on the inside of the omamori and wear it as you start your journey on a Kumano Goko just for you.

Small shrines known as oji stood along the Kumano Kodo, and pilgrims would offer prayers at each of them as they walked the pilgrimage trail. There are various theories about these shrines, but it is said that the original deities of the land, worshipped by the local people, came to be housed in these subsidiary shrines that presided over the milestones of the journey during the prosperity of the Kumano Goko in the Heian Period. The oji, where people performed ceremonies and dedicated dances, sublimated the journey itself into “continuous prayer.” Even now, the remains of the oji along the path serve as quiet guideposts, connecting the past with the present. Following the oji to reach Kumano offers a profound pilgrimage experience that will bring you face-to-face with nature and connect your prayers across time.

After you leave Jonangu, the start of the Kumano Goko, you’ll find that the remnants of the prayers and footsteps of pilgrims past still persist on the trails to the Kumano Sanzan. Among these, the Nakahechi, where precipitous mountains and calm satoyama scenery intertwine, is a route that retains much of the original scenery of the Kumano Pilgrimage. It is symbolized by the Daimon-zaka, which leads to Nachi. Walk along this approximately 650-meter shrine approach of stone paving and cedar trees and find your heart and mind become naturally clearer, making you feel even more like a pilgrim. The remains of the final oji, Tafuke-oji Shrine, are a witness of a history interwoven of worship and culture.

Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine is the first sacred site reached by pilgrims of the Kumano Goko. This shrine is a symbol of “resurrection”—of throwing away your past and moving toward the future—and it is said that the retired emperors and Dharma Sovereigns asked for spiritual rebirth here. The old shrine stood on Oyunohara, a sandbank of the Kumano River, and it is thought that the pilgrims purified their bodies in the waters of the river when they visited this sacred site. The Kumano Pilgrimage wasn’t just an act of prayer to the gods; it was also a journey to face one’s inner self and make a fresh start. The Hongu main shrine embodies this concept, and quietly and profoundly brims with the unchanging presence of prayers that transcend time.

Kamikura-jinja Shrine stands halfway up the steep Mt. Gongen-yama (Mt. Kamikura), near the mouth of the Kumano River. The shrine’s object of worship, the sacred Gotobiki-iwa Rock, is said to be the spot where the gods of Kumano descended, and the faith created from this still lives in this area. The current Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine was constructed to spread the Kumano Gongen (gods), who came down to Mt. Kamikura, and their teaching to the people in the area. In Kumano Gongen worship, which brings together gods and buddhas, the Hayatama Okami (god) is connected to Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha, said to offer freedom from suffering and worldly desires. Even now, if you stand in this shrine, it will seem that the determination to undertake a journey and a calm readiness for rebirth will stay, quietly, in your heart.

Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine was said to be a sacred site on the Kumano Goko route connected with the karma of the “transient world” (this life). Nachi Waterfall itself had been considered a deity since ancient times, and it was believed to have a power that acted as the source of all life and physical items, rooted in nature worship with waterfalls as objects of veneration. The neighboring Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple is the first sacred site of the Saigoku (“Western Provinces”) 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. This temple worships the Thousand-Armed Kannon, and embodies a fusion of the Kumano faith and Kannon’s efficacy. Standing before the roar of Nachi Waterfall will naturally provide you with a calm time to reconsider your inner self. This is still a space where gods and buddhas coexist, and more of the original form of the Kumano faith remains in the Nachi area than anywhere else.

“I believe that the people who come to Kumano are seeking solace,” Mr. Takagi, Chief Abbot of Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple, told us. The Kumano faith, which worshipped the gods and buddhas together, quietly continued in its vast natural world. It is said that the Kumano Goko pilgrimage was made over 100 times during the approximately 370 years from 907 to 1281. “Everyone feels suffering and pain, no matter what the era. The retired emperors of the past were no different from us today.” The Chief Abbot explained that the essence of the Kumano Pilgrimage is for a person with worldly desires to enter the vast world of nature, face gods and buddhas, and reconsider themselves. Our current age is one in which people search for mindfulness and spiritual retreats. “Kumano is a place that accepts everyone, without discrimination,” Mr. Takagi said, with a gentle smile.

Since ancient times, the Kumano area has not upheld restrictions such as being forbidden to women, and has accepted everyone, regardless of their status or ideology. “Kumano has acknowledged the ‘resurrection’ of all the people who visit, regardless of their faith, ethnicity, and gender, for over 1,200 years. It is an iconic place where gods and buddhas coexist, even today. Looking at the world now, this is an age of ceaseless competition, but Kumano is a land of tolerance, where many different religions and people respect each other. I hope that lots of people will visit Kumano and feel that spirit of mutual respect, and share world peace from Kumano." This is an era where we value diversity, and so Kumano could become a symbol of this. As Kumano is a place for people to relax minds and hearts tired from their everyday life, we hope you will take this chance to visit.

You can obtain a goshuin (seal stamp) Kumano Goko tour stamp book by asking at any of the locations providing goshuin in these shrines and temples.