Shugendō Now is a documentary that walks the line between illustrating transcendent spiritual practice and the everyday "world of desires and illusions." It is clear from the very beginning that nature holds a prominent role in the film. The film follows a pilgrimage of lay practitioners mostly from the urban environments of Tokyo and Osaka. Guided by Tanaka Riten from Kimpusen-ji temple, the pilgrims, in a practice called the Lotus Ascent,  ascend Mt. Ōmine, one of Japan's sacred mountains. Commenting on the effort to invite more people to practice shugyō (ascetic practice), the the Shugendo priest observes "that with the increase in participation by everyday people, we've seen a decline in participation by more seasoned ascetic practitioners." As the film follows the pilgrimage we are given glimpse into the private lives of both lay people and mountain ascetics.