Twelfth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Over the last fifty years, pilgrimages to sacred sites have increased and gained in popularity. Globalization, the ever-accelerating exchange of information, and the ease of international travel has contributed to the rise of tourism, which has allowed even more people to embark on a pilgrimage experience to a sacred site. The growth of tourism has led to the wide commodification of these pilgrimage routes. Examples of this commodification are the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Kumano Kodo in Japan. These two pilgrimage routes are the only ones designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The cities of Santiago de Compostela and Tanabe City created the Dual Pilgrim Program and labeled the Camino the “Pilgrimage of the Setting Sun” and the Kumano the “Pilgrimage of the Rising Sun.” The purpose of this program was to increase international tourism and cultural exchange between the two countries. It was not originally created with the intended purpose of interfaith dialogue. Very little research has been done on the Dual Pilgrim Program even though the program could provide an extensive space for interfaith dialogue to occur. By looking at reports, conducting interviews of dual pilgrims, and personally completing the Camino de Santiago, this paper seeks to illustrate how this unique pilgrimage experience helps pilgrims understand and appreciate other faiths through the context of interfaith dialogue. This paper contributes to the narrow pool of research of the under-studied Dual Pilgrim Program.