A coloring page of an old pilgrimage path in Japan, drawn in the style of a ukiyo-e woodblock print. This free page for adults invites you into the world of traditional Japanese art as you color. Download the PDF and print it — no registration required.
🗣 Conversation Starters — for care activities and family time
Have you ever walked a pilgrimage route, such as the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage (o-henro)?
What do you know about Kobo Daishi (Kukai) or the Kumano Kodo trails?
Does the idea of travelling on foot along an old highway appeal to you?
Do you enjoy visiting shrines and temples?
What are the best-known pilgrimage routes in Japan?
The best known is the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage (o-henro), associated with the monk Kukai, also called Kobo Daishi. Walking the full circuit covers roughly 1,400 km, and pilgrims traditionally wear a white robe and a conical hat and carry a wooden staff. The Kumano Kodo trails (a World Heritage site) and the Saigoku 33 Kannon pilgrimage are also famous routes.
What does “dogyo ninin” mean?
“Dogyo ninin” — literally “two travelling together” — is a phrase from the Shikoku pilgrimage. It means that Kobo Daishi is always walking beside the pilgrim. Written on the pilgrim’s hat, it expresses the belief that even a solitary journey is never made alone.
What is the Kumano Kodo, the World Heritage pilgrimage trail?
The Kumano Kodo is the network of routes leading to the three Kumano shrines — Hongu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha, and Nachi Taisha — across Wakayama, Mie, and Nara prefectures. In 2004 it was inscribed as part of the World Heritage site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.” Emperors and nobles made the journey frequently during the Heian and Kamakura periods.
