Mt. Nantai San, Japan
Soaring above beautiful lake Chuzenji and the ancient temple-studded town of Nikko is the sacred mountain of Nantai San. Also known as Kurokiyama and Futaarasan, the 2484 meter peak has been a place of Shinto pilgrimage since at least the 4th century AD. Local legends tell of a powerful mountain spirit that assisted hermits and monks in spiritual realization, and by the 8th century Nantai San was a favored site for Buddhist practitioners on solitary retreats. Each year from August 1-7 thousands of pilgrims climb the mountain from the Chugushi shrine.
Martin Gray is a cultural anthropologist, writer and photographer specializing in the study of pilgrimage traditions and sacred sites around the world. During a 40 year period he has visited more than 2000 pilgrimage places in 165 countries. The World Pilgrimage Guide at sacredsites.com is the most comprehensive source of information on this subject.Japan Travel Guides
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