Kii Peninsula
The last of the five major ōᾱ (smaller shrines along the Kumano Kodō) before Kumano Hongū Taisha, DzԳDz-ōᾱ marks the outer limits of the grand shrine's precincts and literally means 'spiritual awakening gate'. It's a small building, painted red, and has a stone torii.
From here it's a gentle 7.5km, mostly downhill hike to Kumano Hongū Taisha. Buses run from Hongū Taisha-mae stop to DzԳDz-ōᾱ (¥460, 15 minutes, seven daily April to November, five daily December to March).
26.66 MILES
Oku-no-in, whose name means 'inner sanctuary', is perhaps the most intensely spiritual place in Japan. At its farthest reaches is the ҴDzō, the crypt…
12.53 MILES
At 133m, Nachi-no-taki is Japan's highest waterfall. It's the first of many still deeper in the Nachi mountains and has long been used in ascetic training.
2.01 MILES
Kumano Hongū Taisha is one of the Kumano Sanzan (three great shrines of Kumano) and if you're following the traditional pilgrim route, it's the first one…
26.69 MILES
The wooden, thatched roof gate here is as far as you can go in Oku-no-in. Beyond it lies the crypt Kōbō Daishi entered in 835, never to leave. Pilgrims in…
26.51 MILES
The name of this temple, which is sometimes called Danjo Garan or Dai Garan, derives from the Sanskrit saṅghārāma, which means monastery. With eight…
26.51 MILES
The most interesting structure at the Garan is the Konpon Daitō, a 50m-tall, bright-vermilion pagoda seated at what is considered to be the centre of the…
26.47 MILES
This is the headquarters of the Shingon sect and the residence of Kōya-san's abbot. The main gate is the temple's oldest structure (1593); the present…
13.05 MILES
Built on the side of a mountain, facing the waterfall Nachi-no-taki, this shrine is one of Kii's most spiritual places, a site of ancient nature worship…
1.9 MILES
This temple in the middle of Yunomine Onsen is just above Tsubo-yu Onsen, and like many hot springs adjacent to temples, is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai,…
2.01 MILES
Kumano Hongū Taisha is one of the Kumano Sanzan (three great shrines of Kumano) and if you're following the traditional pilgrim route, it's the first one…
3. Kumano Hongū Heritage Centre
2.18 MILES
Part museum, part visitor centre, this contemporary multimedia complex has exhibits about Kumano's culture and natural environment, plus English-speaking…
2.3 MILES
In 2000 this giant torii (entrance gate to a Shintō shrine) – 33.9m tall and 42m wide, made out of steel, painted dramatic black and the largest in Japan …
12.53 MILES
At 133m, Nachi-no-taki is Japan's highest waterfall. It's the first of many still deeper in the Nachi mountains and has long been used in ascetic training.
13.05 MILES
Built on the side of a mountain, facing the waterfall Nachi-no-taki, this shrine is one of Kii's most spiritual places, a site of ancient nature worship…
13.06 MILES
This wooden temple, absent of colour and next to the Shintō shrine Kumano Nachi Taisha, was last rebuilt in 1590, making it the oldest building in Kii …
14.23 MILES
Takijiri-ōᾱ is one of five major ōᾱ (smaller shrines along the Kumano Kodō). It marks the beginning of the passage into the mountains and today serves…