‘Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (Japan)’ were inscribed as a World Heritage Cultural Landscape by UNESCO in 2004. The forest covering the mountains has been the main economic resource for the region for hundreds of years. The designation stressed that the region possesses a ‘living culture’ that spoke of religious beliefs associated with forestry. Through time, this economic activity has brought tremendous change to the forest and today's visitors have little to do with the pilgrims of the past. But these changes raise a significant number of questions. How are history and memory perceived today in this ever changing environment? What kind of relations do visitors entertain in this green environment? In this secluded and harsh forested mountain environment, sacred places first appeared many centuries ago. Pilgrims were looking for a relation to the forest which was part of ascetic practice. However, today, the walking boom and wellness concerns create a new perception of the Kumano forest. Visitors enjoy walking not only to keep healthy but also to feel the contact with a Japan of the past in this rather remote part of the country.