Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

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Seven Prefectures, One Ancient Circuit

Japan's oldest pilgrimage (718 CE) spans Wakayama, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Hyogo, Shiga, and Gifu — each region with distinct character and temple styles.

About the Route

Key Waypoints

1. Seiganto-ji

   0km from start · 250m

   First temple of the Saigoku circuit, perched above the 133-metre Nachi Falls — Japan's tallest single-drop waterfall — beside the UNESCO World Heritage Nachi Grand Shrine. The 10th-century Emperor Kazan, having abdicated to become a monk, is credited with reviving and codifying the 33-temple Saigoku pilgrimage after years of wandering the Kinki region. The iconic view framing the three-storey pagoda, main hall, and Nachi Falls together is among Japan's most recognized landscapes. The falls themselves are a Shinto deity, worshipped by Shugendo mountain ascetics who perform waterfall austerities here. Stamp at the main hall; many pilgrims also collect the Nachi Shrine seal next door.

2. Fujii-dera

   200km from start · 15m

   Fifth temple of Saigoku, a quiet Shingon sanctuary set amid the urban sprawl of southern Osaka. The principal image — a Thousand-Armed Kannon designated a National Treasure — is exceptional even among Kannon sculptures: carved in the 8th-century Tenpyo period, it possesses 1,007 actual arms, the highest number of any surviving Senju Kannon in Japan. The temple is attributed to the monk Gyoki, who founded it in 724, with later involvement by Kobo Daishi. The modern city of Fujiidera takes its name entirely from this temple. Stamp at the main hall.

3. Kofuku-ji (Nan-en-do)

   320km from start · 95m

   Ninth temple of Saigoku, housed in the octagonal Nan-en-do hall of the UNESCO World Heritage Kofuku-ji — the great clan temple of the Fujiwara, who dominated Japanese court politics for centuries. The hall was built in 721 by Fuhito's son Fusasaki to pray for his father's soul. The principal image, Fukukensaku Kannon, is an absolute secret Buddha unveiled only once a year on October 17th. A legend of Fuhito receiving a dream oracle from a 'White-Headed Elder' regarding Kannon's blessings gave rise to a faith tradition of praying here for recovery from eye ailments. The freely wandering deer of Nara Park, considered sacred messengers of the Kasuga Grand Shrine since antiquity, add an ethereal atmosphere to morning visits. Stamp at the temple office.

4. Ishiyama-dera

   460km from start · 55m

   Thirteenth temple of Saigoku, built atop a natural outcrop of wollastonite beside the Seta River. Famed as the place where Murasaki Shikibu conceived The Tale of Genji; her writing room survives on the grounds. Renowned for autumn foliage and moon-viewing. Stamp at the main hall.

5. Choho-ji (Rokkaku-do)

   487km from start · 40m

   Eighteenth temple of Saigoku, the hexagonal Rokkaku-do (Six-Cornered Hall) in the heart of Kyoto. Prince Shotoku is said to have carved its principal Nyoirin Kannon himself; arriving here to gather timber for Shitennoji temple, he bathed in the sacred pond and received a divine dream, founding a hermitage on the spot. The name 'Ikenobo' derives from a monk's cell beside the temple pond — it was from this cell in the Muromachi period that the monk Senkei is said to have originated ikebana (flower arranging), and the Ikenobo school of ikebana continues here today. A stone marking Kyoto's geographical center ('navel stone') sits in the precinct. Doves gather in large numbers, lending the compact courtyard a serene urban calm. Stamp at the main hall.

6. Anao-ji

   570km from start · 70m

   Twenty-first temple of Saigoku, a quiet ancient temple in the rural Kameoka basin. The main hall's 'surrogate Shakyamuni Nirvana' statue lies hidden under a quilt; worshippers rub the corresponding body part of the statue to pray for healing — a beloved tradition. Stamp at the main hall.

7. Banshu Kiyomizu-dera

   690km from start · 500m

   Twenty-fifth temple of Saigoku, the 'Other Kiyomizu' — a mountain temple in Harima (Hyogo) distinct from the Kyoto namesake. The founding legend is extraordinary: the temple was opened by Hodo Sennin, a legendary ascetic said to have come from India, during the reign of Empress Suiko (7th century), with later involvement by the monk Gyoki and the founding Tendai patriarch Saicho. An ancient well in the precinct, the 'Okage no Ido', is said to reflect one's past, present, and future to those who gaze into it. The mountain summit at 500 metres commands sweeping views over the mountains of Harima and Tajima, with outstanding spring greenery and autumn colour. Stamp at the main hall.

8. Matsuo-dera

   830km from start · 270m

   Twenty-ninth temple of Saigoku, nestled in cedar forests of Mount Matsuo. Founded by the Tang monk Ikko in 720, enshrining a Bato (Horse-Headed) Kannon as principal image — venerated for traffic safety and protection of horses. Stamp at the main hall.

33 waypoints total · Sacred Trails app contains full detail for every waypoint.

Points of Interest

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