Travel Routes before and after the Mountaineering in Prewar Pilgrimage in the Omine Mountains

Masayasu ODA

丂The author already elucidated pilgrimage routes in the Omine Mountains in modern times with special reference to the prewar pilgrimage organized by Shogoin Temple in Kyoto. This paper further attempts to make clear their travel routes before and after the mountaineering pilgrimage and their visit to shrines and temples on the way. It also pays much attention to modern transportation facilities used on the travel routes.

丂The findings obtained are summarized as follows:

丂From Kyoto to Yoshinoyama at the foot of the Omine Mountains, pilgrims used national railways in much of the route before 1927, but after the completion of another line by private railways in 1928, it came to be utilized. When they change trains, the Kashihara Shrine was visited.

丂There were two courses in the mountaineering pilgrimage. In case of the northern course, on their way back from the Omine Mountains to Kyoto, pilgrims took almost the same route as the route from Kyoto and visited some shrines and temples until about 1930. In case of the southern course, they were embarked on a steamship from Katsuura to Toba before 1930 and visited the Ise Shrine after landing at Toba. After the large change of the departure time in 1931, ship to Osaka came to be used. After a train route from Katsuura to Osaka was opened, trains were utilized in stead of ship on their return trip.

丂As mentioned above, pilgrims' travel routes were determined by the situation of the transportation facilities. Completion of the new lines and modification of the timetable brought about the change of travel routes. Their visit to shrines and temples on the way seems to have been for a kind of sightseeing, and disappeared as a result of the change of the travel routes and shortening of the travel time.