Wakayama: Epicentre of Spirituality
From pristine forested mountains to sublime hot springs, sacred shrines to UNESCO heritage trails, Wakayama offers travellers an escape to heal the mind, body and soul.
With its imposing mountains, rugged coastline, picturesque waterfalls, scenic rivers, and huge old-growth trees, the Kii Peninsula has been considered a mystical abode of the gods since ancient times. It is here that Shinto, Japan’s ageold tradition of Nature worship, would flourish, eventually fusing with the Buddhist beliefs introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula.
The Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples that emerged in the dense forests of the Kii Mountains have attracted pilgrims from all levels of society for more than a millennium. The network of pilgrimage routes, the Kumano Kodo, or “old ways”, are the key part of the region’s UNESCO World Heritage designation, along with three revered sites: Koyasan (the centre of Shingon Buddhism), Yoshino and Omine (centres of mountain worship), and Kumano Sanzan (the three grand shrines of Kumano). The complex web of tracks and paths links the sites together as well as to the ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto.
The pilgrimage trails were more than a means to reach the sacred sites: They became a religious experience in themselves, testing the spiritual – and physical – resolve of pilgrims through the difficult, and sometimes dangerous, terrain. Today, there are six designated pilgrimage routes, with varying levels of difficulty: the Nakahechi Route, the Kohechi Route, the Ohechi Route, the Iseji Route, the Kiiji Route, and the Omine Okugake Michi Route.
Nakahechi Route
Bu hikaye ASIAN Geographic dergisinin AG 161 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye ASIAN Geographic dergisinin AG 161 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Green Dreams
With its tea plantations and rice paddies, dense jungles and expansive forests, the region is well known as a green paradise. But many of the most impressive Asian landscapes have names you may never have heard of. Journey with us as we reveal just some of the incredible locations that make the rest of the world green with envy!
Life On The Edge
In the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, in the remote northern Russian Far East, indigenous ethnic groups like the Chukchi and the Yupik live in the most extreme conditions, hunting seals in their traditional kayaks as they have for millennia
The Karakoram Anomaly Decoded
For decades, scientists have believed that glaciers in the Karakoram Range are defying the trend of those across the globe-resisting glacial melt due to human-induced global warming. But as we trek up the Karakoram's second-longest glacier in July, as the United Nations announces the world's hottest ever month on record, does the melting ice beneath our feet suggest the so-called Karakoram Anomaly is slowing? Or is there a ray of hope it will continue to delay the inevitable?
Green Water Revolution
Southeast Asia's Quest to Sustainable Wastewater Management in an Era of Climate Sensitivity
Green Philippines
The Philippine Archipelago may be synonymous with perfect beach holidays, but the Southeast Asian nation is also a great choice for your next ecotourism adventure
Why so Green?
From the Green Dome of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina to the fluorescent greens of flags and political campaigns, Islam has established itself as the world's \"green\" religion
Pilgrimage To Japan
The Land of the Rising Sun is as eclectic as it is fascinating, an exotic blend of ancient and modern. But two destinations in particular offer visitors an authentic taste of this unique nation: Wakayama, its spiritual centre, and Kyoto, its cultural heartland.
The Silk Road Through Uzbekistan
High-speed trains may ply some of this route today, but the historical, religious and cultural significance of the great cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva remains intact
10 Awe-Inspiring Reasons To Visit Sri Lanka
From eye-popping temples and tea estates to jaw-dropping national parks and natural wonders, the "teardrop island" has it all
Nepal: In The Shadow Of Giants
Sandwiched between China to the north and India to the south, Nepal receives influences from Asia's two major powers, but this unique land bordered by the greatest mountain range on Earth promises experiences offered nowhere else