I visited the tour spots in Wakayama prefecture spending four days.
I believe that Wakayama prefecture is one of the best tour spots in Japan as theme park of both mountain worship sacred places and magnificent nature landscape which was created by enormous rising of the land caused by the earthquakes occurred in ancient period of 15million years ago with excellent hot spring resorts thanks to the nature history.
Kii mountains located in the prefecture of Wakayama, Nara and Mie has been the objects of the nature worship sacred places and the mountain ascetic practices from ancient period.
The mountain worship sacred places consists of three which are Mt.Koya, Kumano-Sanzan and Yoshino-Oomine.
Those were registered as World cultural Heritage registered as “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”.
At this time, I visited following tour spots in Wakayama prefecture.
- Mt.Koya where Kukai who established Shingon Buddhism sect
- Kumano-Sanzan as sacred place where ancients gods descend and the place where Emperor Jinmu made eastern expedition guided by a crow named “Yatagarasu” and Nachi-waterfall.
- Nature landscape such as Onigashiro/stone wall in Mie prefecture, Daimon-zaka/slope, Hashikluiiwa/rocks, Sandanheki/stone wall and Senjyoujiki/stone carpet in Wakayama prefecture
- Hot spring resort such as Ryujin-Onsen and Nanki-Katsuura Onsen.
I would like to introduce these tour spots we visited in four days (three nights and four days) each by each in my blogs.
Following is the itinerary outline in this blog.
Itinerary outline:
Starting from Nanki-Katsuura onsen = Kamikura shrine = Kumano Hayatama Taisha = Hananoiwaya shrine = Daimonzaka
= Kumano Nachi Taisha = Nachisan Seigantoji temple = Nachi waterfall
1) Kamikura shrine:
Kamikura mountain is located in Shingu city of Wakayama prefecture by 15 minutes walking from Kumano Hayatama Taisha.
Kamikura shrine is located on half way up Kamikura mountain and this shrine is the Auxiliary shrine of Kumano Hayatama Taisha.
The 538 stone steps toward Kamikura shrine was made by Yoritomo Minamoto in 1193 who was the top Samurai worriers established Kamakura period (1192 – 1333). This stone steps was built up by unprocessed nature stones and very steep on some portions that has let this path as the most famous and tough Kodo (old path).
After climbing up these stone steps by using maximum physical strength and mental power, we found at first the Torii gate on the summit of the mountain with several big rocks on a giant monolith. This monolith is the sacred object of Kamikura shrine named “Gotobiki-Iwa” because this rock looks like toad. This sacred place is said to be the one where Gods deified in Kumano Sanzan for the first time had descend.
Kumano Gongen deities were transferred to Kumano Hayatama Taisha and enshrined in 128.
According to “Nihon Shoki” as the oldest Japanese historical book, during Emperor Jinmu’s expedition to the east Japan, he climbed up this mountain and after getting some kinds of important message, he went Nara to dominate there and establish Yamato Imperial Court.
About Kumano Sanzan:
Kumano Sanzan consist of three shrines named Kumano-Hongu Taisha, Kumano-Hayatama Taisha and Kumano-Nachi Taisha whose main enshrined deities are the ones described as mythology in “Nihonshoki” as the oldest Japanese history book finished in 720. According to this “Nihon Shoki”, two gods named Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-Mikoto were the wife and husband who had created islands in Japan at the first time and Susano-no-Mikoto was the son of them who created actual country on earthly world in Japan.
These three gods are enshrined in three shrine buildings (from 1st to 3rd)each for Kumano Sanzan which are Kumano-Hongu-Taisha, Kumano-Hayatama-Taisha and Kumano-Nachi-Taisha.
God named Amaterasu-Oomikami who was the daughter of zanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-Mikoto is enshrined in the fourth shrine of Kumano-Hongu-Taish. Amaterasu-oomikami (the Sun of Goddess) is the female god who is the Imperial ancestor and this god has been also enshrined in Ise Jingu shrine which is the headquarter of all 80 thousands shrine in Japan.
There are several arguments if these historical description of deities are true or not, however, thanks to this mythology of Gods, Japan has kept Imperial Household of same family on more than 1400 years without be killed or ruined by any Samurai worriers who had dominated Japan.
2) Kumano Hayatama Taisha:
Total twelves numbers of Gods including Izanagi-no-Mikoto, Izanami-no-Mikoto and Susano-no-Mikoto are enshrined in Kumano Hayatama Taisha.
3) Hananoiwaya shrine:
This shrine made by the rock cave is said to be the oldest shrine where Izamani-no Mikoto who was the mother of all gods was buried after her death due to being burned when she bear her son named a fire god.
There have been festivals held named “Reitaisai” twice a year from ancient period where dancing offered to the god is held and a big rope of 170 meter length are connected from the sacred object on the rock cave as 45 meter height to a sacred pine tree in the precinct.
4) Daimonzaka:
Daimonzaka is the path made by stone steps toward Kumano Nachi Taisha. After climbing up 467 stone steps of the path, you can reach Kumano Nachi Taisha. I felt that you can get much more benefit from the shrine by praying after you take much more effort to climb the long and steep steps.
5) Kumano Nachi Taisha:
Total twelves numbers of Gods including Izanagi-no-Mikoto, Izanami-no-Mikoto and Susano-no-Mikoto are enshrined in this shrine.
Also, the sacred object of this shrine is Nachi waterfall. Nachi fire festival is held every year on July 14th by twelves gods being transferred to 12 numbers of portable shrines whose shape look like waterfall of 6meter height and being purified by torches lined up on during through the path from Nachi Taisha to Nachi waterfall Nachi.
6) Nachisan Seigantoji temple:
It is said that the thatched hut in which Indian priest named “Rakei” enshrined Kannon statue is the origin of this temple.
This temple was burned out once and was re-built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1590.
7) Nachi waterfall:
The waterfall with a fall of 133 meter and water quantity is the number one in Japan.
This waterfall had been shaped by a nature movement occurred about 15 million years ago.
This area was located on the boundary between hard granite and soft sedimentary rock. By soft sedimentary rock being vanished due to the erosion, only quay wall made of hard granite rock has remained due to the strong tolerance against erosion that has created Nachi waterfall.
This fact means that Nachi waterfall has been created by combination of both nature miracle occurred 15 million years ago and the summit of Shinto religion where ancient gods dwell.
According to “Nihon Shoki”, after Emperor Jinmu came on shore of Nachi, he safely arrived at Yamato/Nara thanks to unexpected occurrence that he could look up Nachi waterfall on Nachi mountain shining and a crow named “Yatagarasu” became a guide for him.
If you become interested in visiting these Wakayama tour spots, please contact me. I can support you and I recommend the best tour in Wakayama for you. By Kashima
