Kumano Hongû Taisha

Kumano Hongû Taisha is a major shrine located in the mountains on the south side of Wakayama Prefecture. As one of the Kumano Sanzan, the three great shrines of the Kumano area, it is highly regarded by many pilgrims and shares the icon of the yatagarasu, the three-legged raven, an ancient symbol for the imperial family, with its sibling shrines: Kumano-Nachi Taisha and Kumano Hayatama Taisha. The shrine has several satellite shrines nearby which are recommended for visitation to complete the holy cycle of worship.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 8.

I will say, this shrine is not particularly easy to get to without a car. Well, the entire coast is not easy to get to without a car. So ya, having a car is your best option in the long run. But aside from that, it’s a beautiful place to visit. The shrine is surrounded by breathtaking cedar and cypress trees which reach towards the heavens above. Unlike its sibling shrines, Kumano Hongû Taisha is not finished with a sheen of vermilion paint, but rather the natural dark brown of the wood is left as is to blend into the surrounding forests.

Visitors will likely notice the massive torii gate on the other side of the street, and will with good reason be confused why it’s not in front of the actual shrine. Well, funny this is that it IS in front of the actual shrine! Kumano Hongû Taisha was originally built on the banks of the river, but when a flood all but destroyed it in the 19th century, it was moved to its present location atop a small hill. The torii marks the original holy grounds of the shrine all while being the largest torii in the world, standing at 40 meters tall (131 ft.). Practically nothing remains of the original shrine apart from the stonework establishing the shrine layout and two stone shrines that survived the flood. Other satellite shrines include a shrine for the protection of women, and a shrine for the local ancient water well bubbling from the mountain.

Even the komainu are doing their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19!

 

Kamikura Jinja

Kamikura Jinja is a small shrine on the cliff face overlooking the coastal town of Shingû in Wakayama Prefecture. The shrine is known for two things: its steep staircase, and a massive boulder which is said to be where several gods first stepped down on Earth following its creation.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 2.

Ok, first things first, the stairs are legitimately steep. Basically, you go up. The photo below doesn’t do it complete justice, but for sure it’s quite the climb. That being said, it’s not long and it levels out fairly quickly. If you’re out of shape like me, I recommend bringing a camera so that you have plenty of excuses to stop and catch your breath. If you’re fit, then this should be fairly simple. If for whatever reason you feel you need some help climbing the stairs, there’s a small collection of walking sticks visitors can use, just be sure to put them back when you come down.

The experience ascending and descending the stairs is part of why I wanted to rank this so high for casual visitors, but it’s also because of the view. The shrine itself is hanging on a small outcrop on an otherwise vertical cliff. Therefore, the view of the town and of the sea is just really beautiful. Many visitors take a moment to take it all in at the top which makes this lovely atmosphere of people elated to climb the stairs, but also bewildered by the beauty of the views. So no, this is not a major shrine, but I do recommend people visit when they have the chance.

 

Hiro Jinja

Established at the base of the Nachi Falls in Wakayama, Hiro Jinja is a shrine to the god of the Nachi Waterfall. It’s founding timeline is largely unknown, but it is known that so long as people have been living in the area the falls have been worshipped, even predateing the famed Kumano-Nachi Taisha only a few meters away. The waterfall is the largest uninterrupted in Japan with a height of 133 meters (436 ft.) and an average width of 13 meters (43 ft.), it is one of the most popular falls in the country.

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 8.

If you love stone paths and gorgeous looming cedars, then this is the shrine for you. Though I gave it a little knock for the “educated” visitor, I still highly recommend going especially if you are already going to Kumano-Nachi Taisha. The waterfall is the draw to the valley to begin with, so why wouldn’t you visit? Though the shrine itself is extremely subdued in nature, devoid of flashy buildings or even a hall for worship, it channels all its focus on the falls themselves. The wafting mist generated from the intense pounding cools visitors, keeps the stone walkways slick, and promotes a healthy growth of moss in the surrounding areas. For a small entrance fee, guests can enter past the shrine to special observation decks that also provide dragon fountains of crisp water from the falls to drink (you also get a little ceramic cup with the shrine’s name on it). It is said that the water from the falls promotes health and longevity to those who drink it, so it’s a great gift to have access to, not to mention that the water tasted damn good. Just by seeing the entrance you can tell that this shrine is very old because some of the trees are growing up through the stone path and there is a general wear on everything which evokes a sense of time and peace. In comparison to its famous neighbor, Hiro Jinja is a reprieve from stress and a more honest worship of natural beauty.