Bandō Sanjūsankasho

The Bandō Sanjūsankasho (坂東三十三ヵ所) is a pilgrimage of thirty-three Buddhist temples throughout the Kantō region of Japan, similar to the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage and the Shikoku Pilgrimage. From its beginning at Kamakura's Sugimoto-dera to its end in Chiba's Nago-ji, the circuit is over 1300 km long. The principal image of each temple in the route is Kannon Bosatsu, the Bodhisattva associated with compassion. Kannon Bosatsu is the common Japanese name for Avalokiteśvara. She was first given the appellation "Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess" by Jesuit missionaries in China. There is considerable variation among the styles of images of Kannon Bosatsu, and the attributes each style possesses. The Bandō Sanjūsankasho is just one of over 70 different Kannon pilgrimage circuits existing in Japan, each including 33 temples because the goddess is believed to have 33 different manifestations.

It is traditional for pilgrims to wear white clothing and conical straw hats and to carry walking sticks. While the route was historically traveled by foot, today pilgrims usually use cars or trains. Pilgrims record their progress with a prayer book (納経帖, Nōkyō-chō), which the temple staff mark with red stamps and Japanese calligraphy indicating the temple number, the temple name, and the specific name of the Kannon image. Some pilgrims receive the stamps and calligraphy on wall scrolls (for a decorative hanging) and on their white coats (to be cremated in) as well. Even though women were allowed to pray at individual temples, the circuit was originally reserved to male pilgrims. Now however most of the pilgrims are women. Pilgrims traditionally left behind a slip of paper or a sticker as a proof of their visit, and many of these can be seen plastered on temple walls and pillars.