
by Philbert Ono
- Overview
- Why visit Kumano Sanzan?
- Visiting Kumano Sanzan by bus/train
- Visiting both Koya-san and Kumano Sanzan
- Kumano Sanzan history
- Kumano Hongu Taisha and Oyunohara
- Yatagarasu sacred crow
- Suzuki rice straw piles
- Kumano Hayatama Taisha
- Kumano Nachi Taisha
- Seigantoji Temple
- Nachi Falls
- Getting to: Hongu Taisha | Hayatama Taisha | Nachi Taisha and Falls
- Kumano Map
Wakayama Prefecture’s triumvirate of famous attractions is Koya-san (高野山), Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山), and Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) on the Kii Peninsula, one of the most sacred areas of Japan not too far from Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara.
Koya-san is the Shingon Buddhist sect‘s headquarters, Kumano Sanzan is a trio of headquarters Kumano Shinto shrines, and Kumano Kodo are ancient pilgrimage trails leading to Koya-san and Kumano Sanzan. They are all part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site called “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” since July 1, 2004.
Kumano Sanzan shrines are Kumano Hongu Taisha (熊野本宮大社), Kumano Hayatama Taisha (熊野速玉大社), and Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社) all in southern Wakayama Prefecture. They worship twelve Kumano deities collectively called Kumano Gongen (熊野権現).



Although the three shrines worship the same twelve deities, each one has a different main deity from among the twelve. The three main deities have fancy (i.e. hard to remember) Shinto and Buddhist incarnate names, but are better known as Susano-o, Izanagi, and Izanami respectively. Kumano Gongen deities are basically gods of nature, creators of the Japanese archipelago, and deity of good relationships.
Due to the fusion of Buddhism with the native religion, Kumano Gongen gods were believed to be incarnations of buddhas such as Amida-Nyorai (Anitabha), Yakushi-Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru-vaiduryaprabha), and Senju-Kannon (Sahasrabhuja). These buddhas have different efficacies which people can also pray for. This coupling of Buddhism with native gods helped Buddhism to spread in Japan. Kumano epitomized Japan’s fusion of Shinto and Buddhism.
Kii Peninsula (紀伊半島) is Honshu island’s largest peninsula with a long coastline and many mountains in the interior. It’s mostly associated with Wakayama Prefecture occupying the southern and western part of the peninsula. Southern Osaka Prefecture, Nara, and Mie Prefectures are also on the peninsula.
Wakayama Prefecture was once known as Kii or Kishu Province (紀伊国, 紀州) last ruled by one of the three dominant Tokugawa shogun families during the Edo feudal period until 1868. The name “Kii” or “Ki” may have originated from the word ki (木), meaning wood, as a nod to the peninsula’s abundant forests.
Kumano (熊野) is the mountainous area in southern Kii Peninsula which includes southern Wakayama, Nara, and Mie Prefectures. This place name was first mentioned in the ancient Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan).

Sanzan (三山) literally means “Three Mountains” and usually refers to three Buddhist temples. However, in Kumano, it refers to these three Kumano Shinto shrines deifying their respective trio of mountains and natural features. The Sanzan moniker is a remnant of the shrines’ past association with Buddhism.
Taisha (大社) means “grand shrine.” The three Kumano Sanzan grand shrines are collectively the headquarters for the 4,000+ Kumano shrines founded all over Japan by splitting off the god’s spirit from one Kumano shrine to another. Most are simply called “Kumano Jinja” (熊野神社) or Kumano Shrine. To avoid confusion, we must also mention the Kumano shrine’s location when talking about a specific one.
Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) are medieval pilgrimage trails in the mountains and forests leading to Koya-san and Kumano Sanzan shrines from Osaka, Kyoto, Wakayama, Nara, and Ise in Mie Prefecture. Pilgrims believed that completing the pilgrimage to all three Kumano Sanzan shrines would grant them entrance to the Buddhist Pure Land in the afterlife.
The trails go through both serene forests and tough terrain. Along the way, you might see ancient stone signposts pointing the way and small buddha statues for pilgrims who died along the way. Most of the Kumano Kodo trails are part of the World Heritage Site.

Today, parts of Kumano Kodo trails are not passable or safe enough for modern pilgrims and tourists on foot. However, there are segments which are safe enough to hike on for a few hours or days, especially along the Nakahechi trail. Information on these sections can be found online.
https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/maps/
Why visit Kumano Sanzan?
- Explore one of Japan’s major cradles of nature worship, native religions and mythology, spawning both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs which coupled and later decoupled.
- Enjoy forest bathing in the serene and sacred Kumano mountains and forests. Spend time for contemplation, reflection, spirituality, and rejuvenation. Shed some old skin and renew yourself. You don’t need to be a believer to visit Kumano. Open to all regardless of race, gender, age, social status, etc.
- It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range) in Japan.
- See the spectacular Nachi Falls.
- Visit other nearby sights in Wakayama such as hot springs and scenic coasts.
Visiting Kumano Sanzan shrines by train/bus:
People who don’t have the time or energy to make the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage on foot can easily visit all three Kumano Sanzan shrines by low-cost, local buses running from major train stations in Wakayama Prefecture and between the three shrines. It would take at least two days to see all three shrines (including Nachi Falls) by train and bus. If you also want to walk on the Kumano Kodo or visit a nearby hot spring, allow more days.
The traditional sequence to visit Kumano Sanzan starts with Kumano Hongu Taisha, followed by Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha. This is also convenient transportation-wise and pretty much follows the Nakahechi Kumano Kodo trail.
Sample itinerary for visiting Kumano Sanzan by train/bus (Travel times are approx.)
- Go to JR Kii-Tanabe Station from Osaka or Wakayama Station by train. Best to arrive at least one day before you visit Kumano Sanzan. Lodge the night before near Kii-Tanabe Station which also has a tourist information center (9 am–6 pm).
- Next morning, from Kii-Tanabe Station’s bus stop 2, take a bus to Kumano Hongu Taisha (100 min.). Get off at Hongu Taisha-mae bus stop. (Pay the bus fare at the end of the ride. Video on how to use the bus.) Store luggage in lockers near the bus stop (8 am–6 pm) if necessary.
- After visiting Kumano Hongu Taisha, take a bus from Hongu Taisha-mae to Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu city. If you have luggage, best to get off the bus at JR Shingu Station (last stop) where you can store luggage. Then walk to the shrine.
- After visiting Kumano Hayatama Taisha, go to JR Shingu Station and take the JR Kishu Line train to JR Kii-Katsuura Station (25 min.). Lodge overnight near Kii-Katsuura Station. (Or lodge near JR Shingu Station.)
- Next morning, store luggage at JR Kii-Katsuura Station if necessary, then take the bus from JR Kii-Katsuura Station (or Nachi Station) to Nachisan bus stop (30 min.).
- Walk up the stairs to Kumano Nachi Taisha and also visit Seigantoji Temple, then walk to Nachi Falls.
- From Nachi Falls, walk to Nachi-taki-no-mae bus stop and take the bus back to JR Kii-Katsuura Station. You can then take a train to Wakayama, Osaka, or Kyoto. Or in the opposite direction, take the train toward Ise and Nagoya along the east coast of Kii Peninsula.
English bus schedule: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/bus/
When getting off at each stop, before heading off, be sure to check or remember the bus/train schedule for your return or forward journey. Buses/trains don’t run that often in rural Wakayama.
Detailed directions to each Kumano Sanzan shrine are provided in the respective sections/links below:
Getting to: Kumano Hongu Taisha | Kumano Hayatama Taisha | Nachi Taisha and Falls


Right: Local bus running between Kumano Sanzan and train stations. This video shows how to ride local buses in Kumano.
Visiting both Koya-san and Kumano Sanzan
You can also visit Koya-san before or after visiting Kumano Sanzan shrines. If you’re coming from Kyoto/Nara, Osaka, or Wakayama, it would be more efficient to visit Koya-san first, then Kumano Sanzan. Visiting Koya-san would require at least a day and a half when including the travel time.
Be aware that Koya-san is quite far from Kumano Sanzan shrines in southern Wakayama. Travel time from Koya-san to Kumano Hongu Taisha (the closest Kumano Sanzan shrine) can take 5 hours by bus (runs only from April to Nov. costing ¥5,000) or 7 hours by train/bus year-round. But once you reach Kumano Hongu Taisha, getting to the other two Kumano Sanzan shrines is easy by bus.
Helpful tourist information offices can be found at gateway train stations, Koya-san, and the Kumano Sanzan area to find out bus schedules and other info. Their locations are on the map below or click here.
I visited Koya-san and Kumano Sanzan in autumn 2024 when the shrines were marking the 20th anniversary of its UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. It took a long time to find out all the detailed information I needed to know to plot my trip. Kumano Sanzan official websites are in Japanese only as well.
Since the major sights are so spread out, requiring days of travel, planning a trip to Kumano can be daunting for first timers. So I wrote this comprehensive guide to visiting Kumano Sanzan. Most everything you need to know if you’re traveling on your own.
Enlarge the above map to see pins for gateway train stations, bus stops, shrine/temple locations, and tourist information centers.
Kumano Sanzan history
- Early nature worship
- Introduction and fusion of Buddhism
- Kumano pilgrimages
- Separation of Shinto and Buddhism
- Preservation of cultural and natural properties
Early nature worship in Kumano
Wakayama Prefecture saw its first human settlers around 25,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period. The mountainous interior, lush forests, rivers, waterfalls, flora, and fauna were no doubt awe-inspiring to early inhabitants.
They sensed god-like qualities of the natural environment, things that humans could no way create nor imagine on Earth. They were in such awe that they started deifying the mountains, rocks, forests, rivers, waterfalls, and other natural features since prehistoric times. Kumano was the place where the gods descended and dwelled.
Early nature worship in Kumano continued to develop as small shrines were built out of small huts or shacks where people could give prayers.
Over time, the forerunners of the three grand Kumano Sanzan shrines were founded: Kumano Hongu Taisha (founded in 33 BC), Kumano Hayatama Taisha (128 AD), and Kumano Nachi Taisha (317 AD). They were founded independently in different periods of history while initially worshipping disparate, nature-related deities.
Stories of their origin or founding are largely mythical. (Outlined in their respective sections below.) Kumano became intertwined in other stories of Japanese mythology, especially about Japan’s first emperor Jimmu in 662 BC and the yatagarasu sacred crow guiding him through Kumano to Yamato (Kashihara, Nara) where he established Japan’s first national capital.
Introduction and fusion of Buddhism
Buddhism arrived in Japan in the 6th century and gained influence as the state religion to maintain social stability. Buddhist temples such as Todaiji in the old capital of Nara were built by the late 7th century.
By the 9th century, major Japanese Buddhist sects were founded. One of them was the Shingon Sect founded by priest Kukai (aka Kobo Daishi) around 818 on Mt. Koya (Koya-san 高野山). Kukai had specifically requested the Koya-san basin to be his monastic center. It was believed that mountains were the place for religious training to attain Enlightenment. Koya-san was well north of Kumano Sanzan and south of the capital of Nara or Kyoto/Heian.

In the 10th and 11th centuries, the ascetic Buddhist sect Shugendo (修験道) took root in Kumano. Its practitioners, known as yamabushi or mountain ascetic priests trekking through the mountains, engaged in rigorous ascetic training to attain supernatural abilities. They wore distinctive wardrobe and eventually became guides for pilgrims in Kumano.
The divine ambience of Kumano attracted all these different religions/beliefs, priests, practitioners, and believers awed by the god-like and Buddhist-like (Pure Land) natural environment.
By the 12th century, under the influence of Buddhism, the three Kumano Sanzan Shinto shrines which had been worshipping disparate, nature-related deities merged their deities with various buddhas and came to worship a collective of twelve Kumano deities called Kumano Gongen (熊野権現). The native deities were now regarded as incarnations of buddhas.
Gongen literally means “temporary appearance” in reference to the native god (kami) temporarily transforming into a buddha for the salvation of all people. This made Buddhism more palatable to the masses, helping it to spread along with Kumano shrines all over Japan. The idea of a deity having the powers of both the native god and buddha must have been appealing as well.
All three Kumano Sanzan shrines still worshipped their respective principal deity which was one of the twelve Kumano Gongen. At the same time, they all worshipped the same collective of twelve Kumano Gongen deities and essentially became a unified trio of shrines in Kumano for the Kumano Shinto religion. An arrangement that continues till this day.
Kumano pilgrimages
From the 12th century (Kamakura Period), there were fears surrounding the decline of Buddhism (Mappo) thought to have started in 1052, one thousand years after Buddha’s death. The Buddha’s power would degenerate and people would suffer hardship. With constant civil strife and government corruption, the Mappo decline did seem plausible. The question in people’s fearful minds was how to be Buddhists during the decline and how to be reborn into the Buddhist Pure Land upon death.
Kumano Sanzan shrines were thought to represent the Buddhist Pure Land which is like a paradise or the land of ultimate bliss in the afterlife. (In contrast, humans were in the Impure Land with inescapable earthly desires and passions [煩悩] causing much suffering.)
Hongu Taisha was in the Western Pure Land (西方極楽浄土) having Amida Buddha’s presence, Hayatama Taisha (Shingu) was in the East Joruri Pure Land (東方浄瑠璃浄土) having Yakushi Nyorai’s presence, and Nachi Taisha in the south was in the Mt. Potalaka Pure Land (南方補陀落浄土) with Kannon. The Kumano region was therefore regarded as a Pure Land on Earth.
From the 11th to 13th centuries, retired emperors, aristocrats, and samurai increasingly turned to Kumano, believing its mountains to be the Pure Land where gods and buddhas dwelled. They sought salvation through pilgrimages and building many grand Buddhist temples.
They went on Kumano pilgrimages in large entourages guided by mountain ascetic priests. Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa (1127–1192), for example, made the pilgrimage 34 times. Being relatively close to the Imperial capital (Nara or Kyoto/Heian), Kumano had a major influence on the Imperial family and aristocrats and vice versa.
A rare but often cited Kumano practice was the oceanic ritual called fudarakutokai (補陀落渡海), in which priests first prayed at Fudarakusan-ji Temple near the Nachi beach, then set sail for Kannon’s mythical Pure Land on Mount Potalaka in the ocean south of India. They never returned. Historical records show that between 868 and 1722, at least 19 or 20 priests embarked on these one-way voyages.
Donations from the Imperial family, nobles, and samurai daimyo lords enabled Kumano shrines and temples to prosper much more than other religious sites. However, when the government was taken over by the warring samurai from the 14th to 16th centuries, the shrines suffered from a decline in patronage from the social elite. They also lost much of their income-producing lands confiscated by daimyo lords.
Due to their huge influence on the public, not to mention sometimes their militant warrior monks, major Buddhist sects were considered to be a threat to the warring samurai seeking to conquer key provinces. Seigantoji Temple at Nachisan was destroyed by top warlord Oda Nobunaga in the 16th century.
However, Kumano shrines and temples still retained the respect of the public and received donations to rebuild or repair their buildings. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who succeeded Nobunaga as Japan’s top warlord, helped to rebuild Seigantoji in 1590.
From the late 15th century, the masses also started going on Kumano pilgrimages popularized by the Imperial family and aristocrats. Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails started to be mentioned in historical texts during this period.
Organized pilgrimages from all over Japan were arranged and guided by ascetic priests. The human gridlock of pilgrimage trails gave rise to the common saying of “Kumano pilgrimage of crawling ants.” They included Buddhist nuns called Kumano Bikuni (熊野比丘尼) who showed a mandala to people and told Buddhist stories to solicit donations to help maintain the shrines.
The Kumano crowds were compounded by pilgrims going on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage of 33 Kannon temples since Nachi Taisha’s Seigantoji Temple was the first Kannon temple to be worshipped on the pilgrimage route. They would then traverse Kumano Kodo to the next Kannon temple (Ki-Miidera) on the western coast.
Kumano was also a holy place for the salvation of one’s past, present, and future as outlined below. The Kumano gods and buddhas would save everyone regardless of their social status, whether they were weak or strong, rich or poor, good or bad, or believers or non-believers. This gave it mass appeal.
- Kumano Hayatama Taisha (Hayatama-no-Okami aka Izanagi) – Pray to cleanse PAST sins and renew yourself.
- Kumano Nachi Taisha (Fusumi-no-Okami aka goddess Izanami) – Pray to form bonds and connections in the PRESENT life.
- Kumano Hongu Taisha (Ketsumiko-no-Okami aka Susano-o) – Pray for salvation in the FUTURE next life.
By going on a pilgrimage to Kumano Sanzan, people believed they could obtain peace and security for their past, present, and future lives. Kumano was a most sacred area as the original base for Shinto, Buddhism, a fusion of Shinto and Buddhism, Shugendo, and Kannon buddha worship. It became a place to pray, reflect, repent, build memorials, or be buried.
The surge in pilgrimages contributed to the development of pilgrimage trails, lodging, shrine buildings, and support staff. Japan’s tourism industry started with these religious pilgrimages.
During the peaceful Edo Period (early 17th century to 1868) with Tokugawa samurai dictator shoguns ruling Japan from Edo (Tokyo), Kumano shrines and temples retained their religious relevance and influence and continued to receive patronage from the government and public even though they had lost much of their income-producing lands.
Thoroughfares to the Kumano area and pilgrimage trails were improved to make the holy journey easier. Besides staunch religious devotees, regular people also started visiting tourist sights along the way and tourist guide books were published.
Separation of Shinto and Buddhism
In 1868, the emperor-led Meiji government ousted the Tokugawa samurai government, and the new government ordered Shinto and Buddhism to become separate religions under separate organizations. Emperor Meiji, Shinto’s highest priest, understandably did not like foreign elements mixed in his native religion.
Kumano Sanzan shrine-temples were thereby ordered to choose their religion, Shinto or Buddhism, not both. Very hard to do since they had been worshipping both Shinto gods and buddhas as virtually the same for centuries.
All three Kumano Sanzan shrines ultimately chose Shinto. In view of the emperor being Shinto, it was obviously more favorable to be Shinto instead of Buddhist at the time. The three shrines changed their names to reflect their religious affiliation and proceeded to dismantle their Buddhist temples, Buddhist monk facilities, etc.
The exception was Nachi Taisha‘s Kannon Buddhist temple named Nyoirindo (如意輪堂) since it was the important first temple on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage circuit. Its Buddhist objects were emptied out and moved to Fudarakusanji Temple near the Nachi coast. The temple worship hall remained and laid empty until people clamored for its restoration in 1874.
This Buddhist temple was then restored and reorganized as a Tendai Buddhist temple and renamed “Seigantoji” (青岸渡寺). Today, it remains right next to Nachi Taisha with a number of structures such as the famous pagoda. Fudarakusanji Temple is also a branch temple near JR Nachi Station and the beach.
Preservation of cultural and natural properties
The Meiji government’s purge of Buddhism from Shinto and elimination of samurai relics resulted in an alarming outflow of historical and cultural artifacts to overseas collectors. The government finally came around and enacted the Ancient Shrines and Temples Preservation Law in 1897 and National Treasures Preservation Law in 1929 to protect and preserve the nation’s religious and cultural properties.
For the natural environment, the Law for the Preservation of Historic Sites, Places of Scenic
Beauty and Natural Monuments was enacted in 1919. In 1931, the National Parks Law took effect and the area of Kumano, Yoshino, Omine, Kumano Sanzan, and Kumano Kodo trails were designated as Yoshino-Kumano National Park in 1936.
After World War II, the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties was enacted in 1950 to consolidate the old National Treasures Preservation Law and Law for the Preservation of Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monuments. All these laws were designed to help preserve Kumano’s cultural and natural properties for generations to come.
On July 1, 2004, Kumano Sanzan proudly became part of a World Heritage Site called “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”
Major sources: https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/nominations/1142.pdf
Kumano Sanzan signage and official websites, Wikipedia, and personal travels.
Kumano Hongu Taisha

Kumano Hongu Taisha (熊野本宮大社) is the central hub of the Kumano area connected by Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails from Koya-san, the other two Kumano Sanzan shrines, Yoshino in Nara, and even Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture. It’s usually the first Kumano Sanzan shrine to visit and the oldest of the three Kumano Sanzan.
The shrine roofs are made of hinoki cypress bark and the entire sanctuary retains its natural wood color for a distinguished appearance against evergreen trees. The structures hardly use any nails. The architectural design dates back to at least the early 19th century when it was accurately reconstructed.
Hongu Taisha highlights
- Main deity: Ketsumi-Miko-no-Okami (家都美御子大神) aka Susano-o and incarnate of Amida Buddha
- Yatagarasu sacred crow monuments including a black mailbox.
- Holly tree with large leaves used as postcards.
- Giant torii (Otorii) and Oyunohara, shrine’s original location.
- Kumano Hongu Heritage Center and Kumano Hongu Tourist Association next to bus stop.
- Getting to Hongu Taisha (Map included)
According to legend, Kumano Hongu Taisha was founded in 33 BC on a sandbank named “Oyunohara” where three rivers converged. It was founded upon the divine order of the gods when three moons landed on a large yew tree on Oyunohara.
Kumano Muraji (熊野連), the grandson of Amenohoakari (god of sunlight and heat) who was the ancestral god of Kumano Province’s governor (熊野国造), was perplexed to see the moons and asked why they came down so low when they supposed to be in the sky.
The middle moon then replied, “I am Shosei Daigongen (aka Ketsumiko Okami or Susano-o 證誠大権現), and the moons beside me are Ryosho Gongen (aka Kumano Fusumi no Okami and Hayatama no Okami 両所権現). Build us a shrine and worship us.”
These three deities happen to be Kumano Sanzan’s three main Kumano deities. Ketsumi-Miko-Okami (Susano-o) is the main deity for Hongu Taisha, Kumano Fusumi-no-Okami (Izanami) is the main deity at Nachi Taisha, and Hayatama-no-Okami (Izanagi) for Hayatama Taisha.
Hongu Taisha first appeared in historical texts in the 9th century.



Right photo: Approach path to the shrine.
The first torii and entrance to the shrine grounds is just across the road from Hongu Taisha-mae bus stop. The layout of the shrine grounds is straight forward and it’s not a huge, complicated compound like Ise Jingu or Izumo Taisha Shrine.
After the first torii, it’s a short walk through the cedar forested path to the shrine. Note that we are requested to walk along the side of the path since the middle part is reserved for the gods. (Oops!)
There’s some upward steps and the Temizu wash basin to purify yourself, then you see the amulet office, shrine office, and worship hall. Go further through the Shrine Gate to enter the main sanctuary where you see the Honden main halls dedicated to multiple deities and incarnate buddhas (top photo).


When you enter the main sanctuary, you’ll see the Honden’s three fancy roofs. The separate buildings worship different gods. Kumano Sanzan shrines worship gods considered to be incarnations of buddhas. Collectively, the gods are called Kumano Gongen (熊野権現).
The shrine in the middle is for the shrine’s main deity, Ketsumiko-no-Okami (家津美御子大神) known as Susano-o, god of the sea and storms and incarnate of the Amida Nyorai buddha. Both Susano-o and Amida supposed to provide salvation to all people in their current and future lives regardless of their social status, beliefs, etc.
When praying at these shrines, there’s a proper sequence. Pray at this middle shrine first. To pray, you can throw in money into the offertory box, bow twice, clap your hands twice, and then bow once.


Izanagi and Izanami are among the most famous gods in Japanese mythology. They are married brother and sister (!) who created the Japanese archipelago and birthed major deities including Sun Goddess Amaterasu and her younger brother Storm God Susano-o.
At Kumano Sanzan, they are considered to be incarnations of the Yakushi Nyorai (medicine and healing) and Senju Kannon (Thousand-Arm Goddess of Mercy) buddhas respectively.

Amaterasu is the older sister of Susano-o and incarnate of the Eleven-face Kannon. Next to this shrine on the right is a small shrine…

Kumano Hongu Taisha’s Honden main sanctuary worships only four of the twelve Kumano Gongen deities. The remaining deities are enshrined at Oyunohara, the shrine’s original location.

Outside the main sanctuary is the Reimeiden worship hall where priests conduct prayers for paying worshippers. Anyone can also pray in front of the hall which has three-legged sacred crow monuments.
Yatagarasu three-legged sacred crow


Right: About yatagarasu sacred crow. (Click to enlarge.)
At Kumano Sanzan shrines, you’ll often see depictions of the yatagarasu (八咫烏) sacred crow, a mythical bird with three legs. It’s the god’s messenger, servant of Susano-o, and official mascot of the Kumano shrines. The three legs are a trio of auspicious symbols subject to different interpretations depending on who you ask.
The origin of this sacred crow comes from Japanese mythology (as written in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki). The basic narrative concerns Japan’s legendary first emperor, Jimmu, who was a descendant of Sun Goddess Amaterasu.

In 662 BC, prominent clans were jostling for dominance to rule Japan. One family consisting of four brothers, including Jimmu, moved eastward from Miyazaki, Kyushu to find a better place to rule Japan. This is known as Jimmu’s Eastern Expedition (御東征). They sailed through Seto Inland Sea and reached Osaka where they battled the local chieftain, but was defeated with the death of one elder brother.
Jimmu realized that they were defeated because they had faced eastward against the sun. So he decided to go to the east coast of Kii Peninsula and fight the enemy while facing west with the backing of the sun (his ancestor).
However, while in Kumano, they got lost until the yatagarasu crow (dispatched by his ancestor Sun Goddess Amaterasu) guided them to Kashihara in Nara Prefecture where Jimmu fought and defeated the Osaka chieftain and established the Yamato Imperial Court to become Japan’s first emperor.
Yatagarasu is therefore regarded as people’s divine guide to the best path. Sounds like a worthy mascot to carry around when traveling around Japan. All the Kumano Sanzan shrines include a shrine for yatagarasu hailed as a deity in its own right.
Yatagarasu is also famous in Japan for being in the logo of the Japan Football Association (JFA) overseeing pro soccer and futsal in Japan..


Right: Tarajo holly tree whose leaves were used like postcards. That’s why the black mailbox is next to it…
Other interesting things at Hongu Taisha is an old-fashioned, black mailbox (left photo) with a small gold torii, Yatagarasu crow, and globe on top. (Japanese mailboxes are normally vermillion.) It celebrates the 20th anniversary of World Heritage Site status in 2024 and hopes for world peace and the preservation of nature.
The shrine sells a wooden postcard-size ema prayer tablet (¥800, seen in the photo below) with a picture of the black mailbox which you can send through this functioning mailbox. They even sell the ¥120 postage stamp. Write your prayers and send it to someone (maybe yourself). The postmark even has a yatagarasu crow design.
Next to the mailbox is a large, tarajo holly tree (多羅葉). This evergreen tree native to India has such large leaves that ancient people used a sharp tip to write religious sutras or letters on the back of the leaves. The Japanese word for “postcard” is hagaki (葉書) which literally means “leaf writing.” This is how the word originated! How about that! Learn something new every day…



Oyunohara and Otorii

When visiting Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, also see this nearby giant Otorii built in 2000. Made of concrete, It stands 34 meters high and 42 meters wide. Japan’s highest torii.
The walking path going to the imposing torii is part of the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi pilgrimage trail.
Otorii giant torii map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yC15xsqwqWgdu3BG7

The giant torii serves as the entrance to Oyunohara (大斎原), the original location of Kumano Hongu Taisha. Being a sandbank next to three converging rivers (Kumano, Otonashi, and Iwata Rivers), the site suffered river flooding a number of times and the shrine was rebuilt each time. However, in August 1889 an especially devastating flood destroyed most of the shrine.
The shrine was then relocated to its present location in 1891. However, only four of the twelve deities were relocated to the current location. The remaining eight deities were enshrined in two small stone monuments on Oyunohara.
Today, Oyunohara is a flat, park-like space with two small stone monuments enshrining the remaining deities. It also serves as the site for the shrine’s Yata Fire Festival (八咫の火祭り) held on the last Saturday of August.


Left photo: Sign points the way to the giant torii and Oyunohara. It’s near the Hongu-mae bus stop next to the Kumano Hongu Heritage Center and Kumano Hongu Tourist Association.
Right photo: Illustration of the original shrine at the old Oyunohara site. (Click to enlarge.)
Kumano Hongu Taisha
Hours: 7:00 am–5:00 pm (Shrine office opens at 8:00 am)
Location: Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture
Website: https://www.hongutaisha.jp/english/
Getting to Kumano Hongu Taisha
There are two three ways to get to Kumano Hongu Taisha by train/bus:
a. Go to JR Kii-Tanabe Station and go to Bus stop No. 2 to take the bus to Hongu Taisha-mae stop (bus fare ¥2,100). Buses run once or twice an hour from around 6:16 am. Takes about 100 min. This bus also stops at Takejiri in about 40 min., a popular entry point for the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi trail.
See English bus schedule: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/bus/
If you’re staying in Shirahama, you can also catch a bus from Shirahama Bus Center, but fewer buses run.
From Osaka Station, it takes about 2 hr. 15 min. by express train to Kii-Tanabe Station.
From Wakayama Station, it’s about 75 min. by express train to Kii-Tanabe Station.
b. Or if you are visiting Koya-san first, there’s the Ryujin bus (Seichi Junrei bus) going to Hongu Taisha. Takes about 5 hours including one bus transfer. This bus runs only from early April to the end of November. Board the bus at Koya-san Station, Senjuinbashi, or Okunoin.
If this bus is not running, you’ll have go to Hashimoto Station, transfer trains for JR Wakayama Station and take the train to JR Kii-Tanabe Station to catch the bus as above (a). This will take 7 hours or longer.
From Hashimoto Station, you can also go to JR Gojo Station (Nara) and take the bus to Hongu Taisha.
c. If you’re coming from Nagoya or Ise, take the train to JR Shingu Station and first visit Hayatama Taisha. Then take a bus to Hongu Taisha.
*Before or after visiting Kumano Hongu Taisha, if you have time, visiting Yunomine Onsen (湯の峰温泉) nearby is worthwhile. Yunomine has a strong association with the Kumano pilgrimage and Yakushi Nyorai, the medicine and healing Buddha. It has low-cost public hot spring baths and ryokan inns to stay overnight if you wish. Short walk from Hongu Taisha.



Left photo: Hongu Taisha-mae bus stops in front of Kumano Hongu Heritage Center.
Center photo: Inside Kumano Hongu Tourist Association with helpful pamphlets and staff to answer questions.
Right photo: Lockers are a short walk near the Hongu Taisha-mae bus stop. (Click to enlarge.)


Right photo: Kumano River as seen from the bus from Hongu Taisha to Shingu.
From the Hongu Taisha-mae bus stop next to Kumano Hongu Tourist Association and Kumano Hongu Heritage Center, I took the bus to the Hayatama Taisha in Shingu. It drove along the scenic Kumano River and took about an hour to reach Shingu Station.
In the old days, instead of walking it, many pilgrims took a boat on Kumano River from Hongu Taisha to Hayatama Taisha near the river mouth. This segment of the river between Hongu Taisha and Hayatama Taisha flowing for about 40 km is part of the World Heritage Site.
Suzuki rice straw piles in Kumano

In autumn in Kumano, you might see stacks of rice straw. These are made by farmers as a gesture of prayer to have the rice seeds blessed by the gods for an abundant harvest next season. The straw would later be used to make shimenawa sacred ropes to hang on a shrine’s torii. It’s a Kumano custom.
In the Kumano dialect, stacks of rice straw are called “suzuki” (スズキ). In normal Japanese, it’s called “wara-zuka” (わら塚). In ancient Japan, they were called “Hozumi” (穂積).
Since they are closely associated with prayers for a good harvest, early Kumano shrine priests adopted “Suzuki” as their family name.
Devout Kumano believers also adopted “Suzuki” as their surname and they spread throughout Japan together with Kumano shrines. That’s how “Suzuki” became Japan’s second most common surname after “Sato.”
The kanji used today for “Suzuki” (鈴木) literally means “bell tree,” but they are only ateji characters (chosen only for their pronunciation and not for the meaning). It actually refers to these piles of rice straw.
And so people named “Suzuki” have an ancestral connection to a Kumano shrine and/or Kumano/Wakayama.
More details: https://photoguide.jp/log/2023/06/suzuki-surname-origin/
Kumano Hayatama Taisha

Unlike the woody Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha is bright vermillion. The main shrine is not on a mountain, so it’s an easy walk. It’s quite near central Shingu city (20-min. walk from Shingu Station).
Hayatama Taisha highlights
- Main deity: Hayatama no Okami (速玉大神) aka Izanagi and incarnate of Yakushi-Nyorai
- Main shrine on flat terrain near the center of town in Shingu.
- Kamikura Shrine (神倉神社), a nearby branch shrine worshipping a huge, sacred boulder.
- Ancient nagi tree
- Kumano Gou-hoin sacred crow paper talisman
- Getting to Hayatama Taisha (Map included)
Kamikura Shrine (branch shrine)

Kumano Hayatama Taisha originated during prehistory when a shrine was built to deify a huge boulder named Gotobiki-iwa (ゴトビキ岩) on a precipice called Amano-Iwadate (天ノ磐盾) on Mt. Kamikura (Gongenyama).
The boulder was where Kumano gods Kumano Hayatama no Okami (Izanagi) and Kumano Fusumi no Okami (Izanami) first landed during the prehistoric Age of the Gods. They were a married couple, but brother and sister birthing a slew of gods. Kumano Hayatama Taisha is therefore the shrine to pray to have good relations, bonds, and connections.
Since this forerunner shrine required an exhausting and precarious climb up 500+ uneven stone steps, the shrine was moved to its present location in 128 AD on flat land and initially named “Shingu” (新宮) or New Shrine. The city takes its name from this shrine which was later renamed Kumano Hayatama Taisha after one of its main deities. The new shrine made it easier for worshippers to reach.
The site of the old, original shrine is now a branch shrine named Kamikura Shrine (神倉神社), a short walk from Kumano Hayatama Taisha. It still has hazardous stone steps. Don’t go up in high heels or weak physical condition.
Kamikura Shrine is the site of the annual Kumano Oto Matsuri fire festival (お燈まつり) held in the evening of February 6 when lit torches are carried down the stone steps. It looks like a fiery waterfall or descending dragon.
Main shrine (Kumano Hayatama Taisha or Shingu)


Hayatama Taisha’s main deity is Kumano Hayatama no Okami (Izanagi), the Incarnation of Yakushi Nyorai medicine and healing buddha. The shrine also worships Kumano Fusumi no Okami (Izanami) as another main deity.




Left photo: Upper portion of one of the Honden shrines behind the fence.
Right photo: Within the shrine grounds is Nagi-no-ki (Podocarpus nagi), an 800-year-old tree planted by Taira Shigemori in 1159 when the shrine was rebuilt. It’s another object of worship at the shrine.


Shrine grounds entrance has a small, vermillion taiko arch bridge. Then the Shinmon shrine gate.


Left: Temizu wash basin. Right: Kumano Sacred Treasure Museum (熊野神宝館) open 9 to 4 pm.


Kumano Sanzan shrines sell a special paper talisman called Kumano Gou-hoin (熊野牛王宝印) printed with a pictograph of five kanji characters designed with yatagarasu sacred crows. The talismans are to ward off evil and bad luck. Each Kumano Sanzan shrine sells a unique version of the talisman pictograph as a souvenir of your visit. It can be displayed at home.
The above photo is Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine’s talisman depicting the three kanji characters for Kumano-san (熊野山) on the top row right to left and Hoin (宝印) on the bottom row meaning talisman imprint. This talisman design has remained unchanged since the 16th century.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha’s talisman design has 48 sacred crows. Each sacred crow wishes to save all people and living things from illness, disasters, etc.
The back of the talisman could also be written with a promise, pledge, oath, or agreement to be issued to the desired party. Samurai used it to ensure loyalty among themselves, and courtesans used it for their clients to ensure payment. Even powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi seeking to unify Japan under his rule in the 16th century issued Kumano Hayatama Taisha’s Kumano Gou-hoin to his daimyo lords to promise their loyalty.

Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine
Hours: Unknown, but 8:00 am–5:00 pm is a good guess.
Location: Shingu, Wakayama
Website: https://kumanohayatama.jp/
Getting to Hayatama Taisha
Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine is a 15- or 20-min. walk from JR Shingu Station. From Kumano Hongu Taisha (¥1,560), buses run to Hayatama Taisha-mae bus stop and Shingu Station. If you need to store luggage, best to go to JR Shingu Station (last stop) to find a locker, then walk to the shrine.
See English bus schedule: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/bus/
Kumano Nachi Taisha in autumn

Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社) is perhaps the most popular Kumano Sanzan shrine because of Nachi Falls, the shrine’s main object of worship in scenic surroundings with Seigantoji Temple’s iconic pagoda. The shrine is halfway up a mountain named Nachi-san at an elevation of 500 meters, so be prepared for some steps going up unless you have a car. The local bus does not go all the way up.
Nachi-san (那智山) is a sacred mountain area mainly consisting of Nachi Taisha, two Buddhist temples including a pagoda, Nachi Falls, and Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails. Nachi Taisha originated from the nature worship of the elegant Nachi Falls deified as the god Hiro Gongen (飛瀧権現).
Kumano Sanzan’s fusion of Shinto and Buddhism is most evident at Nachi Taisha since its two Buddhist temples still remain (one was reconstructed) and were not destroyed like at the other two Kumano Sanzan shrines when Shinto and Buddhism were forced to be separated by the Meiji government in the late 19th century.
Nachi Taisha highlights
- Main deity: Kumano Fusumi-no-Okami (熊野夫須美大神) aka Izanami and incarnate of Senju-Kannon
- 467 steps to the shrine (no problem for normal people).
- Picturesque natural surroundings.
- Yatagarasu sacred crow rock (not publicly viewable).
- Walk-through, sacred camphor tree
- Seigantoji Temple
- Three-story pagoda
- Nachi Falls
- Fudarakusanji Temple
- Getting to Nachi Taisha or Nachi Falls (Map included)


The shrine worships thirteen deities in multiple buildings behind the Reiden. The main deity is Kumano Fusumi-no-Okami (熊野夫須美大神) known as Izanami, Creator goddess who created the Japanese archipelago and major deities together with her brother/husband Izanagi. Another main deity is Izanagi, Izanami’s brother/husband.


The shrine got its start in 662 BC during the time of Japan’s first (legendary) emperor, Jimmu (神武) who was a descendant of Sun Goddess Amaterasu. According to Japanese mythology, Jimmu was venturing eastward with his brothers from Miyazaki, Kyushu to find a more central place to establish a national capital or Imperial Court.
When they got to Kumano (Nachi beach), they walked toward a light-shining mountain and came across Nachi Falls. Since the god Onamuchi-no-Kami (大己貴神) appeared in the falls, they worshipped the falls.
Sun Goddess Amaterasu sent her messenger, a yatagarasu sacred crow with three legs, to safely guide Jimmu’s party through Kumano to Kashihara in Yamato (Nara) where he successively defeated the local chieftain, established Japan’s first Imperial Court, and became Japan’s first emperor on February 11, 660 BC.
The Kumano gods later descended on Mt. Hikarigamine (光ヶ峯) in Nachi and the waterfall was worshipped as a deity. Finally in 317 AD, a proper shrine was built halfway up Mt. Nachi-san and the Kumano gods and waterfall deity were moved there. This was the origin of Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha and the yatagarasu sacred crow



After guiding Jimmu, the yatagarasu sacred crow flew back to Kumano and landed here in Nachi and transformed into a rock to rest. A shrine named Miagatahikosha was built here for the sacred crow.
This rock, called “Crow Rock” (烏石), is still here at Nachi Taisha Shrine! But it’s in the shrine’s Honden inner sanctum (behind the Reiden prayer hall and fence) and not viewable by the public. To see the Crow Rock, you need to to pay a prayer fee for a priest to conduct prayers for you, then take you to see the Rock. Official website has a photo of it here. (Spoiler alert: It’s not shaped like any bird.)
More about Emperor Jimmu and yatagarasu here.


Next to Nachi Taisha’s Haiden prayer hall is this sacred camphor tree 27 meters high and 850 years old. Said to have been planted by warrior Taira Shigemori (1138–1179).
The tree trunk (8.5-meter circumference) is hollow and large enough for people to walk through to attain happiness. This ritual is called Tanai Kuguri (胎内くぐり) or passing through the womb.
Buy a gomagi prayer stick (護摩木) for ¥300 or ema prayer tablet (¥500), write your name and wish, then hold the stick or ema while passing through the tree trunk. There’s even a ladder inside to climb out. After you exit, put your prayer stick or ema into the provided box. They will burn it in a fire ritual on the 18th of the month.



Going up to Kumano Nachi Taisha


As I mentioned, it’s uphill to Nachi Taisha Shrine. The bus does not go all the way up to the shrine. Need to climb these 467 steps lined with a few souvenir shops. At the bottom of the steps, there’s this box of walking sticks you can borrow for free.
Wheelchair users, small children, and physically challenged visitors can drive up to the shrine’s parking lot (parking fee charged) by car and use the shrine office’s elevator to the 4th floor.


The last flight of steps to Nachi Taisha’s last torii. Along the way, there’s this small Kannon-do hall (観音堂) housing a statue of Kannon. This belongs to Seigantoji Temple, not Nachi Taisha.

The Treasure Hall (homotsuden) is partially visible on the left.

Kumano Nachi Taisha
Hours: 6:00 am–6:00 pm
Location: Nachi Katsuura, Wakayama
Website: https://kumanonachitaisha.or.jp/
Getting to Kumano Nachi Taisha
The closest train stations are JR Kii-Katsuura Station and JR Nachi Station on the JR Kisei Line (Kinokuni Line). Both stations have lockers for luggage. Local buses (No. 31) run from both stations once or twice an hour starting at JR Kii-Katsuura Station from 6:45 am, taking about 30 min. Bus fare ¥630. Slightly shorter ride from Nachi Station where the bus also stops.
Get off at Nachisan bus stop which is the last stop next to the gift shop and restrooms. Then follow the signs to find the bottom of the 400+ steps leading to Nachi Taisha.
Before the Nachisan bus stop, you can also get off at Nachi-no-Taki-mae bus stop (那智の滝前) to see Nachi Falls first. If you want to see both the shrine and waterfall, it’s better to get off at Nachisan (last stop 那智山) and see the shrine first, then walk downhill on the Kumano Kodo trail to Nachi Falls.
English bus schedule: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/bus/
You can also get off the bus earlier to walk up the Daimonzaka cobblestone path on the Kumano Kodo to Kumano Nachi Taisha.
Seigantoji Temple

Right next to Nachi Taisha is Seigantoji Temple (青岸渡寺) dating back to 1590 when it was reconstructed as ordered by Osaka samurai warlord and ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi since the previous temple hall was set afire by warlord Oda Nobunaga.
Dedicated to Kannon, the buddha of compassion. It used to be part of Nachi Taisha until Shinto and Buddhism in Japan were ordered to be separate organizations/religions in the latter 19th century. Today, it’s a Tendai Buddhist temple, and the oldest original building in the Kumano area. It’s most famous for the three-story pagoda often photographed together with Nachi Falls in the background. The temple is part of the World Heritage Site.
It’s the first temple in the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage of 33 Kannon Buddhist temples in the Kansai region (西国三十三所) dating back to 1161. Kannon is the Goddess of Compassion. People pray here for family safety, business prosperity, safe travels, repose for your ancestors, etc.

Right above the main hall’s entrance is a large, round hanging bell called waniguchi (鰐口), the largest of its kind with 1.4-meter diameter. Donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Kannon buddha worshipped inside the temple is normally hidden from view and we can see it only on ceremony days on Feb. 3 (Setsubun), the second Sunday in April (temple founding day), and Aug. 17 (Kannon pilgrimage obon service).


Seigantoji Temple was founded over 1,600 years ago in the 4th to 5th century. This was well before the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. According to legend, a monk from India named Ragyo Shonin (裸形上人) drifted ashore on the Kumano coast and practiced austere training at Nachi Falls. While training, he sensed a small Kannon object at the base of the waterfall and built small grass hut for it to be worshipped.
Later in the 7th century, a priest from Yamato (Nara Prefecture) named Shobutsu (生仏) visited and carved a large, wooden Kannon statue and installed Ragyo Shonin’s Kannon object in its chest, then made it the object of worship (named Nyoirin Kannon 如意輪観音) in a newly built temple named Nyoirindo (如意輪堂).
The temple eventually merged into neighboring Nachi Taisha Shrine and together called itself Nachisan Kumano Gongen or Nachi Gongen. Gongen (権現) refers to Shinto gods as incarnations of Indian Buddhas.
In 718, the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage of 33 Kannon Buddhist temples in Western Japan (西国三十三所) was started by Tokudo Shonin (徳道上人), a Buddhist priest from Hasedera Temple in Yamato. Nyoirindo Temple (now called “Seigantoji”) became the first temple on this pilgrimage.





Left photo: Seigantoji has Japan’s oldest hokyointo stone pagoda (宝篋印塔) made by a Buddhist nun in 1322. Similar to a stupa. National Important Cultural Property. The small pavilion behind it is the Mizuko-do (水子堂) containing Kannon statue for the repose of miscarried fetuses.
Right photo: Seigantoji’s temple bell originally built in 1342 (梵鐘). It is rung every morning at 7:00 am to echo the time in the Nachi mountains.


Originally built in the 12th century (late Heian Period), the three-story pagoda (三重塔) is always photographed with Nachi Falls in the background. It belongs to Seigantoji Temple, not Nachi Taisha. It’s another pair of symbols of the historical Buddhist-Shinto fusion.
The way the pagoda is commonly photographed together with the waterfall makes it look like they are right next to each other. They are actually quite far apart and not next to each other. From the pagoda, it’s a 20-minute walk to the waterfall.
When I was there in December 2024, it was still being renovated, so the scaffolding had a life-size picture of it instead. Renovations were completed by the end of 2024. Pay admission to enter the pagoda and there’s an elevator to go to the top floor. Open 8:30 am–4:00 pm.
Seigantoji Temple
Location: Nachi-Katsuura, Wakayama, Japan
Hours: 7:00 am–4:30 pm (Pagoda open 8:30 am–4:00 pm)
Website: https://seigantoji.or.jp/
Getting to Seigantoji Temple
It’s right next to Nachi Taisha, so see Getting to Nachi Taisha above.
Nachi Falls in autumn


From Nachi Taisha, it’s a pleasant walk down the steps of the Kumano Kodo through a forest. Soon you will reach the torii entrance to the path to the waterfall. Near the torii entrance, first check the bus schedule for your ride back to the train station. Then walk along the path to the waterfall.
The path to the waterfall is also the main venue for the famous Nachi Fire Festival (那智の扇祭り) held annually on July 14. A parade of torch bearers dressed in white go up and down the stone steps to purify the shrine path and welcome the annual homecoming visit by the Nachi gods.

You’ll soon reach the viewing spot at the base of Nachi Falls.

The famous Nachi Falls (那智の滝) is one of Wakayama’s world-class sights with a 133-meter drop. The top of the waterfall is not publicly accessible. There’s only a sacred rope hung above the drop, replaced twice a year by shrine priests.
See the falls at the base where there’s a small Nachi Taisha branch shrine called Hiro Jinja (飛瀧神社). Nachi Falls is believed to unite the Shinto gods and buddhas.
Pay a small admission (¥300) to go slightly further up to the viewing deck to get a closer look or pray to the waterfall where the god dwells. The god is named Omunachi-no-Mikoto (大己貴命), the god for good marriage partners and marital bliss.


It truly is a beautiful waterfall. Not only that, it sounds elegant too. Instead of a raucous roar of falling water, it’s a gentle, soft sound of water that pacifies you. It even has a rainbow at the bottom. It must be a female waterfall, if there’s such a thing. I can well understand how it became an object of worship.
From 1918, excavations near the base of Nachi Falls uncovered numerous Buddhist artifacts (Nachi kyozuka 那智経塚) dating from the 12th to 13th centuries. They included Buddha statues, ceremonial implements, mirrors, coins, jewelry, and pottery.
Nachi Falls
Lookout deck hours (admission charged): 7:00 am–4:30 pm
Location: Nachi Katsuura, Wakayama
Website: https://kumanonachitaisha.or.jp/
Getting to Nachi Falls

The closest train stations are JR Kii-Katsuura Station and JR Nachi Station on the JR Kisei Line (Kinokuni Line). Both stations have coin-operated lockers for luggage.
Local buses (No. 31) run from both stations once or twice an hour starting at JR Kii-Katsuura Station from 6:45 am, taking about 30 min. Bus fare ¥630. Slightly shorter ride from Nachi Station where the bus also stops.
Get off at Nachi-no-Taki-mae bus stop (那智の滝前) to see Nachi Falls first. If you want to see both Nachi Taisha shrine and the waterfall, it’s better to get off at Nachisan bus stop (last stop 那智山) and see the shrine first, then walk downhill on the Kumano Kodo trail to Nachi Falls.
English bus schedule: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/bus/

Photo: Simplified map of Nachi-san (Mt. Nachi) consisting of Nachi Taisha Shrine and Nachi Falls. Nachisan bus stop is on the lower left ⑫ in the parking lot (P) where there’s a gift shop and restrooms. Short walk to the bottom of the steps ⑬ to the shrine. At the T intersection, go left to go through the torii and climb more steps to the shrine.
Seigantoji Temple is right next to Nachi Taisha (15-second walk). You can then walk down to the vermillion Sanmon Gate or take the longer route toward the pagoda.
From the pagoda, it’s a winding downhill trail through the forest until you reach the torii ① at the entrance to Nachi Falls. You will see the bus stop to go back to Kii-Katsuura Station near ①. Then more steps through the forest down to the river and waterfall. (Click to enlarge.)
After visiting Nachi
Most people take the bus back to JR Kii-Katsuura Station. Being a tourist hotspot on the coast, Kii-Katsuura is a fishing port with waterfront hotels and ryokans. Seafood is big there with a fish market and tuna auctions in the early morning. The coastal boat cruise is also enjoyable.
A short train ride away is quiet JR Nachi Station next to a sandy beach. Charming, retro train station, but hardly any hotels nor tourist buzz. It’s where you can visit Fudarakusanji Temple.
Fudarakusanji Temple
Near JR Nachi Station is Fudarakusanji Temple (補陀洛山寺), a Tendai Buddhist temple and branch temple of Seigantoji Temple near Nachi Taisha. Also part of Kumano Sanzan and World Heritage Site. It worships an Eleven-face, thousand-arm Kannon statue.

Fudarakusanji Temple is associated with the Fudarakutokai ocean crossing ritual (補陀落渡海) by monks sailing to the mythical Mt. Fudaraku (Mount Potalaka) believed to be the Pure Land of Kannon in the seas south of India. There’s a record of 19 monks who tried to reach this Pure Land since the 10th century. Before their departure at nearby Nachi-no-hama beach, the monks would hold a prayer at the temple before their one-way journey. They sacrificed themselves for the salvation of humankind.

The temple also displays a replica of the boat (補陀落渡海船) used by the monks. The monk was nailed inside the roof portion with little food and water. No doors nor windows. The monk just sat and chanted sutras. The replica boat was once actually floated on the water in 1993.
Hours: 8:30 am–4:00 pm (free admission)
Website: https://www.fudarakusanji.or.jp/
Location map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G2Buiga1FzKoPADS9
Final travel tips for Wakayama Prefecture
Although it’s not usually on the “Golden Route” between Tokyo and Osaka for overseas tourists in Japan, Wakayama has a robust tourist industry thanks to Koya-san, Kumano Sanzan, hot springs, and a long, scenic coastline. You can easily spend a week in Wakayama to see the major sights. Including Ise in Mie Prefecture is also a good idea if time permits.
Public transportation to the major sights in Wakayama is very good, but you need to check the bus/train schedule in the rural areas. During peak tourist season from spring to autumn, you should get to the bus stop earlier rather than later to make sure you can get on the bus or get a seat. (No reservations accepted.) Video on how to ride local buses in Kumano.
The tourist infrastructure is very good in Wakayama. Tourist information centers and restrooms are at key locations, signage in English, lockers in train stations, convenient bus stops, etc. Wakayama would be an ideal destination for a second trip to Japan after visiting the famous sights along the Golden Route. Safe travels!