Exclusive Expeditions: Nara

Kinpusenji Temple Featuring Ryochi Gojo Nestled in the Kii Mountain Range on the slopes of Mount Yoshino, Kipusenji is considered one of the most important temples in Japan for a religious tradition called Shugendo. Founded in the mid-seventh century by a Japanese mystic called En no Gyoja, followers of Shugendo adhere to a form of strict mountain aestheticism that is notable for its physically demanding training. Ryochi Gojo is the current head of Kipusenji, responsible for the care and ongoing protection of its Tangible Culture Properties including the Zao Gongen, the most revered deities in Shugendo…