There are many other Kannon circuits throughout Japan.The Chichibu circuit is dominated by the Soto 曹洞 and Rinzai 臨済 sects of Zen Buddhism, which in particular revers the Shō Kannon (the non-esoteric form of the Goddess of Mercy & Compassion). Most of the temples on the Saigoku and Bandō circuits belong to the Tendai 天台 and Shingon 真言 denominations, although the Sōtō sect (two temples) and Jōdo 浄土 sect (two temples) are represented in the Bandō circuit.Making the circuit to all 100 sites ( Saigoku, Bandō, Chichibu) is said to save the believer from hell and to open the gates to everlasting life.34 Kannon Temples of Chichibu (Valley in Saitama) 秩父三十四観音霊場.33 Kannon Temples of Bandō (Kanto area first four in Kamakura) 坂東三十三観音霊場.33 Kannon Temples of Saigoku (Kansai area) 西国三十三観音霊場 or Saigoku Junrei 西国巡礼.Three Traditional Kannon Pilgrimage Circuits By this time, both the Saigoku and Bandō pilgrimages were formally linked to a third circuit, the Chichibu 秩父 Pilgrimage (Saitama area) to 34 Sites Sacred to Kannon, making a complete circuit of 100 sites (Hyakuban Kannon Fudasho 百番観音札所). But the Bandō pilgrimage remained little used and mostly unknown to commoners until after the Genroku Period (1688-1703 AD), when it became popular among lay people. In later years, Sugimoto-dera also became the first temple in the Kamakura Pilgrimage to 33 Kannon Sites.

According to this text, Kannon Bosatsu appeared to Emperor Kazan in a dream, saying 'I have divided into 33 bodies throughout the eight provinces of the Bandō area, and a pilgrimage to these 33 sites will bring release from suffering.' Emperor Kazan, it is said, visited Sugimoto-dera in Kamakura and designated it as the first temple on the Bandō Pilgrimage. According to the Sugimoto-dera Engi 杉本寺縁起 (Legends of Sugimoto Temple) of 1560 AD, the Bandō Pilgrimage was designated in 988 AD by Emperor Kazan (aka Emperor Hanayama, 968-1008 AD).

Records are somewhat unclear on the origin of the Bandō Pilgrimage. Of these, the Bandō (Bando) 33 route is considered the most important after the original Saigoku pilgrimage. Over 236 copies of the route spread throughout Japan, with more than 30% of these circuits located in eastern Japan. By the Tokugawa period, the popularity of the Saigoku route led to its replication. It was rediscovered by Emperor Kazan 花山 in 988 AD. The Kannon Pilgrimage to 33 Sites in Saigoku 西国 (Western Japan, Kansai) dates from the Heian Period (794-1185 AD), but was reportedly founded earlier, in 718 AD, by the monk Tokudō Shōnin (Tokudo Shonin) 徳道上人, although it did not become widely known. Help For People in Distress in the Earthly Realm

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