An Unexpected Road Trip
We Saw all Three Shrines of the Kumano Kodo
The Kumano Kodo is a series of hiking trails that form pilgrimage routes to three significant shrines in Japan’s history. The three shrines are the Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha.
Legend has it that three deities descended here. While one deity was worshipped at each shrine in the beginning, nowadays all three deities can be worshipped at any of the three shrines. This is a unique example of the fusion between Buddhism and the native Japanese religion. The Kumano Kodo is one of only two pilgrimage routes in the world that are designated UNESCO world heritage sites — the other being the Camino de Santiago in Spain. You can get a stamp book that combines both pilgrimage experiences into one memorable souvenir.
We flew from Fukuoka to Osaka and then took a train down to Tanabe, where we spent two nights. Originally we planned on doing a day trip by bus to see just the Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, but our Airbnb host told us that there are only two buses a day and that it would cost over 2,000yen per person each way… so we decided to evaluate our other options. Our host suggested that we rent a car, which turned out to be a great idea because it would allow us to visit all three shrines. We originally wanted to see all 3, but we didn’t think it would be possible.
Kumano Hongu Taisha
The Kumano Hongu Taisha is the primary ending point for the two-day hiking pilgrimage of the Kumano Kodo. It was originally located beside the river but was partially destroyed in a 1889 flood, so the three remaining pavilions were rebuilt up the hill. Those three buildings were quite spectacular in architecture, but there was a sign for no photographs that we respected. Wikipedia and many travel brochures have images of the three pavilions though.
To accentuate the fact that the shrine is located on a hill, there is a large stone stairway leading towards it from the town, through a small forest of trees. We happened to park in the back so we entered through the rear and exited through the front.
We went down to the site of the original shrine, where the largest Torii shrine gate in the world is located. Built in 2000, the steel structure is 33.9m tall and 42m wide. It weighs 172 tons and took 6 months to make and another 6 months to assemble.
The scale of the shrine wasn’t apparent until we were walking back and we saw how small the people were in comparison.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha
We took a short drive to a spot on the Kumano Kodo trail for a stamp and then drove to the Kumano Hatayama Taisha shrine, which is about 45 minutes away. Whereas the other two shrines are deep in the woods, this shrine is at the edge of town in Shingu.
Kumano Nachi Taisha
While the first Kumano Hongu is significant for being the endpoint of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, the Nachi Taisha is significant for having the tallest waterfall in Japan and being a place of scenic beauty.
Down a river valley and high up on the mountain side, it is quite a hike to get from the parking lot to the shrine grounds. The effort makes for a special feeling, though there are a lot of vendors along the way selling drinks and souvenirs.
The temple buildings were undergoing renovations and were covered in hoarding. We did find the scared camphor tree that is 850 years old though. It’s around 3m in diameter and hollow inside.
From the shrine is the best view of Nachi waterfall. It is the tallest waterfall in Japan, standing high at 133m. This isn’t exceptionally tall compared to Canadian waterfalls, but it is still very scenic with the pagoda in the foreground.
It’s possible to get to the bottom of the waterfall, where there is a viewing platform.
Hashiguiiwa Rocks
From the temple, we drove down the coast to Hashiguiiwa Rocks. Legend has it that a monk once tried to build a bridge across the water but it fell down and all that remains are these stone pillars.
Geologically, the rocks are a vertical metamorphic rock striation that formed within a loose sedimentary layer that eroded away.
It was a really nice place to visit in the evening, just as the sun set behind the hillside. It would have been nice to stay here a bit longer for the evening, but we wanted to drive back along the coast and see the sunset.
Unfortunately, as soon as we turned towards the western coast we saw that the sun was setting into a deep haze. Shortly after, the sun disappeared into the haze and the sky started getting darker quickly.
Meotonami Point
Our last stop was Meotonami point. There is a small pull-off beside the road with a cafe and vending machine. The viewpoint is interesting because it is one of the few places in the world where you can see waves colliding into each other. Due to the formation of the islands, the waves come from either side and meet in the middle.
It was hard to tell because it was high tide and I didn’t realize I’d seen it until I looked at the photos we took. It is quite evident at low tide, per the travel brochure we got.
Although it was a long day, it was one of the best travel days we’ve had in a long time. Usually we get up late and only have half or a quarter of the day left, so we end up doing only one or two things. It was great to get up early and have a full day, as well as to have a car to tour around at our own pace without worrying about public transportation.
