Database: Medieval Pilgrimages

During the 11th and 12th centuries, pilgrimages to temples and shrines were quite popular among the nobles of the imperial court. Many were undertaken to the sacred sites of Kannon (Guanyin), associated with the Buddhist belief in the blessings of this life, such as the Hase-dera Temple in Yamato Province and the Nachi-san (Seiganto-ji) Temple in Kumano, Kii Province. The Kumano Pilgrimage and Shikoku Pilgrimage were focused on the desire to be reborn in paradise (Pure Land Buddhism). There were other pilgrimages to Ise Shrine which came to be the center of Shintoism, as well as to Mount Fuji which was naturally associated with mountain worship. In the 13th century, such pilgrimages were extended to the warrior class, then in the 15th and 16th centuries, to the lower classes, due to their growing economic power. Also, temples and shrines became more involved in the organization of pilgrimages, making them more accessible to the public. Low-level priests, known as oshi (or onshi in Ise), would, personally or through subordinates, visit believers in various regions to encourage them to visit the temples or shrines. The oshi also provided lodgings in the area and offered services, including prayers and directions. Once the pilgrims arrived, a junior priest (sendatsu) would lead them to the temple or shrine gate. By the 15th century, the oshi had devised a system giving them exclusive rights to pilgrims from specific regions. These rights could also be traded or sold between priests.