Japan’s Ancient Pilgrimage Routes Get a New Way to Travel, Linking Sacred Landscapes by Rail and Air

For travellers who have already seen Japan’s headline destinations, the country’s most memorable experiences may now lie farther from the neon-lit streets of Tokyo and Osaka. A new collaboration between five of Japan’s leading transportation companies is putting the journey itself at the centre of travel, connecting three of the country’s most significant pilgrimage regions through rail, air and locally rooted experiences.

JR East, JR Central, JR West, JR Shikoku and Japan Airlines (JAL) have joined forces to connect Dewa Sanzan in Yamagata, the Kumano Kodo across the Kii Peninsula and the Shikoku Henro, a pilgrimage route linking 88 temples across Shikoku. Together, they represent three very different landscapes and traditions, but share an emphasis on movement, reflection and a deeper relationship with place.

It is a particularly timely proposition for international travellers looking beyond conventional sightseeing. Rather than moving from one landmark to another, the initiative encourages visitors to slow down and experience Japan through walking, nature, spirituality, cultural exchange and moments of quiet reflection.

At Dewa Sanzan, three sacred mountains in Yamagata traditionally associated with death, rebirth and renewal provide the backdrop for a journey rooted in centuries-old spiritual traditions. In the Kii Peninsula, the Kumano Kodo leads travellers through forested mountains and remote communities along a UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage network. Further west, the Shikoku Henro traces a circular route connecting 88 Buddhist temples, offering one of Japan’s most immersive examples of pilgrimage as a way of travelling through an entire region rather than simply arriving at a destination.

The transportation network becomes part of that experience. In Yamagata, JR East will incorporate its Joyful Train services, a collection of specially designed trains where the journey is treated as an experience in its own right. Rather than simply getting travellers from one point to another, the trains provide a way to appreciate the landscapes, culture and regional character unfolding beyond the carriage window.

That philosophy extends to the wider initiative. Rail journeys, domestic flights and local transportation are being positioned not merely as logistical connections, but as links between landscapes, communities and experiences. A train through the countryside or a walk along an ancient trail becomes part of the narrative of the trip, allowing travellers to experience the transitions between cities, mountains, villages and sacred sites.

The collaboration also arrives as Japan continues to experience unprecedented international demand. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, more than 42.6 million international visitors travelled to Japan in 2025, surpassing the country’s previous annual record. At the same time, wellness has become an increasingly influential force in global travel, with the Global Wellness Institute estimating worldwide wellness tourism expenditure at US$894 billion in 2024.

Japan’s pilgrimage traditions offer a natural meeting point between those two trends. These routes have never been solely about reaching a particular shrine, temple or mountain. Their significance comes from the act of travelling through the landscape, spending time on foot, encountering local communities and allowing the journey to become a form of reflection.

That makes the initiative particularly relevant to a generation of luxury travellers increasingly interested in experiences that feel restorative and culturally meaningful rather than simply exclusive. There is no shortage of five-star hotels or carefully packaged sightseeing itineraries in Japan; the appeal here is something considerably less tangible – the opportunity to experience the country at a slower pace and on a more human scale.

For the five transportation companies behind the project, it is also a way of opening up a broader map of Japan to international visitors. By connecting pilgrimage regions that sit well beyond the country’s best-known urban centres, the initiative encourages travellers to venture into smaller communities and discover a side of Japan shaped by mountains, forests, local traditions and centuries of spiritual heritage.

The result is a different proposition for exploring Japan: not a checklist of places to see, but a route to follow. From the sacred mountains of Yamagata to the forests of Kumano and the temples of Shikoku, the destination becomes inseparable from the journey—and sometimes, the journey itself becomes the most meaningful part of the trip.