Sacred Shrines and Temples

Wakayama Prefecture serves as Japan's spiritual heart, housing the UNESCO-listed Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. This collection features the Shingon Buddhist headquarters at Mount Koya, including the extensive Okunoin cemetery and Kongobu-ji temple. It also encompasses key stops along the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail, such as the Kumano Hayatama Taisha and the grand torii gate at Oyunohara. These sites showcase traditional Japanese architecture, from the vermillion structures of Shinto shrines to the historic pagodas of Tendai Buddhist temples.