Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route: Nachi Mountain Edition

Itinerary: Kii-Katsuura Station 🚌 Nachi Mountain 31 Nanchisan Line (One-way 630 yen, round-trip ticket 1100 yen, unlimited rides between Daimonzaka and Nachi Mountain on the same day) You can also get off at Daimonzaka and walk up the mountain Nachi Mountain ➡️ Nachi Taisha Approach (about 10 minutes of stair climbing) Nachi Taisha ➡️ Nachi Waterfall (550m) Nachi Waterfall ➡️ Daimonzaka (1.1km) Attractions: 📌 Nachi Taisha & Seiganto-ji Temple Kumano Nachi Taisha and the adjacent Seiganto-ji Temple, symbolizing the coexistence of religions, were once combined, becoming a place where followers of traditional Japanese Shinto and foreign Buddhism worshipped together. For a long time, these two existed as a whole, but in the 19th century, the Meiji government forced the separation of Shinto and Buddhism. Here, the two shrines are still connected, representing harmonious coexistence in nature; both are dedicated to Nachi Waterfall, which has been an inspiring natural wonder long before the shrines were built. Nachi Taisha and Seiganto-ji Temple are among the few places in Japan where a shrine and a temple stand side by side. 📌 Sacred Tree Inside the shrine, you will see a giant camphor tree, with branches extending over the shrine's roof. It is nearly a thousand years old and is revered as a sacred tree. There is a natural hollow in the trunk that you can enter to feel its ancient breath. 📌 Three-storied Pagoda & Nachi Waterfall Don't miss the view of the three-storied pagoda and Nachi Waterfall together. I've seen it countless times on promotional posters, and this time I finally saw it in person. However, the downside was that we arrived at noon, and the light was too strong. I prefer the view of Nachi Waterfall shrouded in mountain mist. After completing the pilgrimage on the Kumano Kodo, we returned to Kii-Katsuura and took the 🚄 Kisei Main Line train to our next destination—Shirahama, where we experienced camping on a deserted beach in Japan. Stay tuned for that!