A journey through Shingon Buddhism often means winding paths, ancient temples, and the whisper of incense in mountain air. Three pilgrimage circuits stand out like lanterns guiding seekers toward spiritual insight.

Shikoku Henro (Shikoku Pilgrimage)
– Eighty-eight temples scattered around Shikoku Island, each linked to Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi). A full circuit stretches about 1,200 kilometers, threading through rugged coastlines, cedar forests, and sleepy villages. These days, modern pilgrims might swap traditional straw hats for lightweight gear, but the core ritual—prostrations, sutra chanting, stamping one’s nokyocho scroll—remains unchanged. Social media hashtags like #shikokuhenro show new generations embracing this thousand-year-old trek.

Mount Kōya (Kōyasan)
– The heart of Shingon Esoteric practice, where Kūkai established his monastic center in 819 CE. Pilgrimages here often combine stays in temple lodgings (shukubo) with visits to Kongōbu-ji’s rock gardens and the moonlit graves of Okunoin. The cemetery path, lined by centuries-old tōrō lanterns, evokes a sense of walking between this world and the next. Pilgrims still ring the massive bronze bell at dawn, letting its resonance settle like calm before the day’s rituals.

Kansai Kannon Circuits
– Saigoku (33 temples in Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama) and Bandō (33 temples in Kantō) cover Kannon worship across western and eastern Japan. Many of these temples belong to the Shingon family or share esoteric rites. While not strictly “Shingon only,” they reflect the sect’s deep influence on regional devotional life. The Saigoku route gains fresh buzz each spring when cherry blossoms frame temple gates, creating postcard-perfect scenes.

Beyond these, lesser-known trails—like Chichibu’s 34-temple loop or the Kumano Kōdō routes—offer detours that blend Shugendō, Tendai, and Shingon practices. Whether tracing Kūkai’s footsteps on Shikoku’s winding road or finding stillness beneath cedar canopies on Kōyasan, every pilgrimage treads the same timeless motto: awakening is less a destination than a lifelong journey.