Is a place where a sage once practiced necessarily suitable for practice today?

Not necessarily. A sage having lived and practiced there and the place's present condition are two matters to consider separately. Over time, people, affairs, and surroundings can change. Calling somewhere sacred does not establish that it must now possess the best energy.

I discuss this to encourage judgment, not to criticize others' beliefs. From my faith perspective, a place once worthy of commemoration does not necessarily remain exactly as it was after various changes. Who once stayed there alone cannot establish that it is now the best place for you.

Learning the sage's spirit matters more. Visiting where a sage was born, lived, or practiced does not make you the same as that sage. Commemorating a place cannot be confused with whether you have truly absorbed the learning yourself.

At the time I shared this, I did not personally feel a strong need to visit particular distant sacred places. I could learn beside the deities and Buddhas of my faith in everyday life. I could also ask what I actually hoped to learn by traveling outward on this occasion. This is my choice, not a requirement that no one undertake pilgrimage.