Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
The Kii Mountains (Japanese纪 伊 山地, Kii - sanchi ) are located on the Kii Peninsula, one of the largest peninsulas on Honshu, the main Japanese island. The region is one of the prefectures of Wakayama, Nara and Mie.
The tradition of the area as " Holy Mountains" can be traced back 1200 years.
The mountain consists of rugged mountains from 1,000 to 2,000 meters above sea level and is characterized by high rainfall of 3,000 mm / year. It therefore has many streams, rivers and waterfalls.
In 2004, the UNESCO three places in the densely forested mountainous region recognized as a World Heritage Site:
- Yoshino and Omine, mountainous regions in the north of the peninsula
- Kumano - Yong Jiang at the southern tip of the peninsula consisting of: Kumano Taisha HONGU
- Kumano Taisha Hayatama
- Kumano Nachi Taisha
- Seiganto -ji
- Fudarakusan -ji
These sanctuaries of Shinto and Buddhism are connected by ancient pilgrimage routes to the ancient capitals of Japan, Nara and Kyoto.
In addition to these sanctuaries and its natural beauty, the mountain also offers a whole range of individual natural monuments (Source: UNESCO):
- Large cherry trees that date back to the 10th century in and around the shrine Yoshinoyama Kimpusen -ji
- A According to the legend of 1159 derived Podocarpus nagi at Kumano Taisha Hayatama
- The current as shrine Nachi Primeval Forest as part of Kumano - reserve
- Up to 500 years old trees at a cemetery on Kōya -san
- Since the 15th century protected silver fir stands on the pilgrimage route Omine Okugakemichi as well as old stocks of Siebold's magnolia (Magnolia sieboldii ) in the vicinity
- Old, probably to 3,000 -year-old cedar trees on a terrain cry at the pinnacle of Tamakisan
- Planted in the 17th century black pines as a windbreak on the coastal pilgrimage route
The area is visited annually by 15 million visitors.