Oku Japan

Intro: A path of enlightenment from the Kii-peninsula to Ise. The basis for Japan’s focus on nature in its indigenous Shinto religion goes back to the Heian Period when Shugendo was firmly established. The practice of mountain worshipping wasn’t new to the Japanese people, who were used to referring to various elements around them as kami (deities) that provide bountiful harvests and protect them from ill omens. What made Shugendo appealing is that it incorporated elements of Buddhism. While both religions were forced to be clearly split in the Meiji Period by Imperial orders, the reclusive and ascetic nature of the ascetic mountain monks known as Yamabushi have allowed Shugendo to endure to this day. Followers of Shugendo saw mountains as the ideal location to meditate and self-reflect, thus the Yamabushi were born. The three holy mountains known as Kumano Sanzan on the Kii-peninsula became the perfect base for the construction of religious sites and the routes between became a means of ascetic training, and thus the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage was born. The main stops are Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha, and Hayatama Taisha located on the Kumano Sanzan. Shugendo is known for its openness; it does not reject any religion…