Pilgrimage is still a very popular activity in present Japan. Recent research had clarified a high number of aspects as the development of pilgrimage tourism or its social framework. In my talk, I want to connect to these results and try to outline a new approach. In contrast to analysing several distinct sites of one pilgrimage route, I will focus on Amida as the object of worship in the following three routes: the 88 temples in Shikoku, the 6 Amida-temples in Kyōto, and the 24 Jōdo Shinshū-temples in Kantō. The question will be, how the involved temples are creating a religious space that refers to the pilgrimage route as a whole while emphasising the temple’s individual character.

Although only an analysis of multiple factors can describe the religious structure of a space, the function of the primary object of worship may be called the most significant part. I will draw the focus on the different roles that Amida plays in the specific contexts to show that this Buddha undertakes not only one final task (e.g. representing the western Pure Land) as the sole usage of the name “Amida” could indicate. For this purpose, I will use doctrinaire texts to clarify his tasks within their particular spatial context. Such an approach allows us to explore various concepts of pilgrimage in Japan and the strategies in creating space that is meaningful to the pilgrim.