Sankeisankei / 参詣

Making a journey to visit a shrine or temple for worship, with emphasis on the travel itself.

Sankei places emphasis on the journey to a sacred site rather than the act of worship itself. The character "kei" (詣) means "to arrive at a destination," giving sankei a nuance of pilgrimage. Expressions like "Ise sankei" or "Kumano mode" highlight this travel-oriented aspect of sacred visits.

During the Edo period, pilgrimages to Ise Grand Shrine became a major cultural phenomenon, with ordinary people saving money through mutual aid groups called "kō" (講) for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Along the pilgrimage routes, teahouses and inns flourished, creating a unique Japanese travel culture where faith and tourism were inseparably intertwined.

• Sanpai sanpai / 参拝

  Visiting a shrine or temple to pray and pay respects to the deities.

• Sankei sankei / 参詣

  Making a journey to visit a shrine or temple for worship, with emphasis on the travel itself.

• Sandō sandō / 参道

  The pathway leading to a shrine or temple, designed to transition visitors from the secular to the sacred.

• Omote-sandō omote-sandō / 表参道

  The main and most prestigious approach path to a shrine or temple.

• Seichū seichū / 正中

  The center of the approach path, considered the pathway reserved for the gods.

• Shagōhyō shagōhyō / 社号標

  A stone pillar inscribed with the shrine's name, standing near the entrance of the grounds.

• Keidai keidai / 境内

  The sacred grounds within the boundary of a shrine or temple.

• Gejō / Geba gejō / geba / 下乗・下馬

  A stone marker instructing visitors to dismount from horses or vehicles before proceeding to worship.

• Monzenmachi monzenmachi / 門前町

  A commercial district that developed along the approach to a shrine or temple, serving pilgrims and visitors.