Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range is a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

located on the Kii Peninsula in Japan.

Selection criteria

The locations and paths for this heritage site were based on their historical and modern importance in religious

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

s. It was also noted for its fusion of

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

beliefs, and a well documented history of traditions over 1,200 years. The nature scenery on the Kii peninsula was also taken into consideration, with its many streams,

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of w ...

s and

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...

s. Technically, independent structures at nominated temples and shrines were nominated for this distinction, and not the entire establishments. Sections of the

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...

s were included for this nomination, but not the full length of their expanses. A total of 242 elements were selected from sites and pilgrimage routes for nomination.

List of sites

References

* ICOMOS (2004)
Advisory Body Evaluation.
Retrieved on 2009-07-27. * Agency for Cultural Affairs (2003)
''Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, and the Cultural Landscapes that Surround Them''
Retrieved on 2014-05-04. * Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in The Kii Mountain Range - UNESCO website (2004

Retrieved on 2018-11-4. Religious places Shinto World Heritage Sites in Japan Tourist attractions in Nara Prefecture Tourist attractions in Mie Prefecture Tourist attractions in Wakayama Prefecture Japanese pilgrimages Kumano faith {{wakayama-geo-stub

Selection criteria

List of sites

See also

References