Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage

"Where the pilgrimage begins — Nachi Falls, one of Japan's tallest, roars beside Temple 1"

• ·Nachi Falls (133m) beside Temple 1 — the tallest single-drop falls in Japan
• ·Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine adjacent — collect both a temple and a shrine seal
• ·Remote location means few crowds; the sea of trees around Nachi is ancient cedar

"Japan's oldest temples and the deer-filled ancient capital of Nara"

• ·Temple 8 (Hase-dera): 400 stone-lantern steps lead to the cliff-face main hall
• ·Nara Park: free-roaming sacred deer surround the route between temples
• ·Temple 4 (Seigai-ji) on Mt. Kongo — remote mountain approach

"The emotional heart of the pilgrimage — eleven temples spread across Japan's cultural capital"

• ·Kiyomizu-dera (Temple 16): the wooden stage cantilevered 13m over a forested cliff
• ·Rokkaku-do (Temple 18): birthplace of Ikebana (flower arranging), 1,500 years old
• ·Temple 17 (Rokuhara Mitsu-ji): displays death masks of famous warlords

"Lake Biwa's sacred shores and the final temple 1,000km from where it all began"

• ·Temple 30 (Chikubu-shima): only accessible by boat, on an island in Lake Biwa
• ·Lake Biwa sunset views from temples 31–32 hillside paths
• ·Kegon-ji (Temple 33): ancient cedar avenue leads to the last stamp — the pilgrimage complete

Japan's tallest waterfall at 133 meters. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage 'Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range'. An iconic symbol of Kumano alongside Seiganto-ji.

The Ohechi section of the Kumano Kodo ancient pilgrimage road near Nachi. UNESCO World Heritage listed, connecting to Seiganto-ji. A coastal trail with dramatic Pacific Ocean views.

Hilltop castle of the Kishu Tokugawa clan, with a striking white keep atop Torafusu-yama. About 20km from Temple 2 Kimii-dera. Central tourist attraction of Wakayama city.

Japan's most celebrated cherry blossom site, with ~30,000 trees blanketing the mountainside. UNESCO World Heritage listed as part of the Kii Mountain Range. Also a sacred Shugendo site centered on Kinpusen-ji.

Houses a 14.98-meter bronze Great Buddha (Vairocana) in the world's largest wooden structure. UNESCO World Heritage at the heart of historic Nara. A must-visit near Temples 8–9 in the Nara cluster.

Around 1,200 free-roaming wild deer, considered messengers of Kasuga Grand Shrine. Designated as national natural monuments, famously known for begging tourists for deer crackers.