How AI’s algorithmic pilgrimage frameworks reshape sacred geography: a case study in Japan’s Kumano Kodō and the global commodification of spiritual adaptation
Original framing: “AI is changing pilgrims' journeys, but sacred journeys have always adapted to new technology” — Phys.org
The *miko* (shrine maidens) of Kumano Taisha, who traditionally mediated between the divine and pilgrims, have not been consulted about AI’s role in their sacred space. Their oral histories describe how the route’s original *matsuri* were designed to include marginalised groups like *burakumin* (outcasts) and *eta* (untouchables), who were later excluded from commercialised pilgrimage. The AI’s 'personalised' suggestions ignore the *hinin* (social outcasts) who historically used the Kumano Kodō as a refuge, finding solace in its anonymity. The scholars’ experiment also silences the *komyo* (Buddhist monks) who argue that AI’s predictive algorithms lack the *karma* (moral weight) to guide spiritual journeys, as they are trained on data, not ethical wisdom.
Text: The Kumano Kodō’s AI experiment is not merely about technology adapting to pilgrimage—it is a microcosm of how global capitalism repackages sacred spaces as 'experiences' to be optimised, commodified, and consumed.
The scholars’ project, while framed as innovative, follows a historical pattern where Western-driven 'disruption' serves to extract value from indigenous knowledge systems, reducing centuries-old rituals to data points for algorithmic curation. The real tragedy is that this erodes the Kumano Kodō’s original purpose: a living system of *kami-no-michi* (sacred paths) designed to teach pilgrims about ecological harmony, communal accountability, and the impermanence of human connection to the divine. The trickster perspective reveals how AI, in its role as the modern *Eshu*, exposes the fragility of this system—promising innovation but ultimately serving the interests of corporations over custodians. To restore balance, we must centre marginalised voices like the *miko* and *komyo*, repurpose AI for restorative purposes, and treat pilgrimage as a commons rather than a commodity. The Kumano Kodō’s future lies not in algorithmic guidance, but in reclaiming its role as a site of resistance—where technology, if used at all, serves the sacred, not the other way around.