Japan - Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range

"Set in the dense forests of the Kii Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean, three sacred sites – Yoshino and Omine, Kumano Sanzan, Koyasan – linked by pilgrimage routes to the ancient capital cities of Nara and Kyoto, reflect the fusion of Shinto, rooted in the ancient tradition of nature worship in Japan, and Buddhism, which was introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula. The sites (495.3 ha) and their surrounding forest landscape reflect a persistent and extraordinarily well-documented tradition of sacred mountains over 1,200 years. The area, with its abundance of streams, rivers and waterfalls, is still part of the living culture of Japan and is much visited for ritual purposes and hiking, with up to 15 million visitors annually. Each of the three sites contains shrines, some of which were founded as early as the 9th century." 

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1A - Koyasan
An awesome postcard of Danjo-Goran monastic complex in Mount Koya, Japan - a UNESCO World Heritage. Thanks to Shaliza of Malaysia who visited Koyasan and using nice stamps of sushi and Year of Sheep 2015 stamp with special cancellation of Koyasan. Doumo arigatou gozaimashita.

Postcard 1B - Koyasan

Sacret mountain Koyasan in Wakayama - Buddhist monastery from Bentendake. Nice train stamps. Ghanks to Claus of Germany for sending from Japan.

Postcard 2 - Sanzan

Sanzan of Wakayma is located at the southeastern part of the Kii Mountain Range. It includes three shrines: Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha, and two temples of Seigantoji and Fudarakusanji that are distributed 20 to 40 km apart from each other and connected by Kumano Sankeimichi Nakahechi.

This beautiful postcard of Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine of Kumano Sanzan is a milestone as it is my 500th UNESCO World Heritage site. Very nice stamps used on an envelope to send the postcard. Thanks so much to Fukiko-san of Japan. Hontou ni, doumo arigatou gozamashita.