Super Randonnée Kii Mountains World Heritage
The Cultural Landscape is the key word for the World Heritage of “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”.
It has meaning of “landscape manifesting the interaction between humankind and its natural environment” and it contains a wide range of content beyond the general framework.
For example, “gardens” and “parks” where plants and spring water are arranged, “rice terraces” created on the slopes of mountains for generations, and landscapes of “vineyards” for wine breweries are typical one of the “cultural landscapes”. Mountains and trees can be considered “Cultural Landscapes” when they assume special value as “sacred mountains” or “sacred trees”
The sacred sites in the Kii Mountain Range is also one of the examples, and under the influence of the newly introduced Buddhism, the mountains which have long been worshiped as places where the gods dwell, become the mountain training place to acquire the mysterious power hidden in space and nature. Similarly it was already a practice to go the Pilgrimage Routes on foot and make repeated contact with nature.
The World Heritage site, “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain range” is not simply a group of shrines, temples, and roads, but is nothing less than “sacred sites of mountain worship and routes of mountain practices of religious ascetic Buddhism”.
These “Cultural Landscapes” include not only those designated as “Cultural Properties” such as shrines and temples, but also the surrounding nature that is the foundation. Please see with your eye, listen with your ears and feel the breath of the unique “Cultural Landscape” which has been inherited and nurtured from generation to generation, as part of our proud heritage to be presented to the world.
The purpose of this adventure is to go on a bicycle with its forged legs and visit the Pilgrimage Routes and spiritual mountains where the ancients went step by step.
Also, as shown in the following link, lots of sights also appear in places that do not set as PCs on the route and around. If you have the time, it is a good idea to visit as a personal option.
SR600 requires risk management and judgment more than BRM based on the self-responsibility. Before your application, please understand this is an event where those who can judge risks at their own risk and can complete themselves can participate.
Audax Kinki Yoshiaki KUWATA
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