[2024 Nachikatsuura ] Travel Guide for Kumano Nachitaisha (Updated Oct)

Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine and the Three-Story Pagoda Waterfall

Located in the mountains, it is considered the most expansive and beautiful shrine among the Kumano Sanzan, but correspondingly, it has the most challenging access. For those without a car, the journey begins with a walk from the bus stop. If you have a car, you can park closer, and the walk is fairly moderate. The most famous photo spot here is the three-story pagoda at the back. From the platform, you can capture both the pagoda and the waterfall, which are incredibly beautiful and spectacular. The whole trip takes about 45 minutes to an hour, not including the climb. There are mainly two shrines, one red and one wooden, giving the impression of one being new and the other old. Additionally, there's a large tree hollow nearby that you can pass through for blessings of safety, which is quite interesting.

Beautiful old Buddhist temple best know for its spectacular view of Nachi Falls. The stunning view is the ancient red Pagoda with the fall, it is magnificent view. The falls has been one of the best highlight of Kumano pilgrimage route, the view is so dynamic, definitely one of the most beautiful scenery in Japan. #givethanks #travelinspiration #historicallandmarks #scenicspotguide #newyearstrip #couplestrip #givethanks

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!

Japan Travel | I fulfilled a wish! 1-Day Hiking Strategy for Kumano Kodo!

| I fulfilled a wish! 1-Day Hiking Strategy for Kumano Kodo!. The thousand-year-old Kumano Kodo trail is really photogenic when hiking❗ Additionally, hiking sticks are free💰😂 Just remember to return them after use!!! - I only planned this ancient trail trip 2 months in advance, from confirming the route, hotels, buying train tickets, taking the bus🚌, everything was just right! A day trip back and forth to Kumano Kodo also counts as fulfilling a little wish. The original Kumano Kodo trail is over 1000 km long, and it takes at least 7 days to complete the entire trail. However, due to time constraints and limited equipment and physical strength, I only chose a one-day highlight section to experience it! 🏨Stay Ushima Hotel Ushima Hotel The hotel has point-to-point shuttle buses or turtle boats🚢 for transfer, and you can watch the sunrise and sunset from the hotel, which is a great experience. I will write a detailed hotel guide later, so I won't go into details here. 🚌Travel (2 hours) Hotel-Nankai Bus🚌-Daimonzaka Walking🚶🏻- Kumano Nachi Taisha - Nachisan Seiganto-ji (the prototype of the three-story pagoda from Spirited Away is nearby) - Nachi Falls 🚌 Return to Kii-Katsuura The bus🚌 is the Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus (you can buy tickets at the starting point, round trip is 1200 yen, or you can choose a one-way ticket for 480 yen) 📸Photography The entire ancient trail is very photogenic, with misty air like a secret realm. Along the way, there are different shrines where you can buy amulets (decide for yourself).

You must visit one of the world's only two pilgrimage trails once in your life

👏The two-day round trip bus tour of the ancient Kumano Trail, everything is worth it! 💰Bus tour cost: Adults 10000 yen/person, elementary school students 5000 yen/person. ✔️Charter bus fee ✔️English guide fee ✔️Accompanying staff fee ✔️Various experience activity fees ✔️Lunch fee 💫You can choose to depart from Shingu Station or Kii-Katsuura Station, and the bus will pick up people according to the previously booked time. 🌼Itinerary Day1: Nanki Kumano Natural Scenery Bus Tour ✨Nachi Falls, a mysterious 133m waterfall in the primeval forest and the gods of the mountains and forests. (Japan's first waterfall! A drop of 133m. As a holy place for cleansing the soul, it is a pilgrimage site for ancient emperors, nobles and commoners.) ✨Kozagawa Town Insect Eating Rock, a honeycomb-like landscape, if you are interested, you can try climbing, there is a trail. (The rock has been eroded by wind and rain, like countless bee nests, a wonderful landscape carved by nature.) ✨Kozagawa Town One Rock, a huge rock, there is also a guardian legend of a dog, the river water is clear and bright, and the landscape is beautiful. (A whole piece of giant granite stands on the side of the Kozagawa River, which is a relic of a volcanic eruption 14 million years ago, which is spectacular.) ✨Shionomisaki Sightseeing Tower, where you will have lunch, and there is a small project for handmade shell lamps, which is quite interesting. ✨Nanki Kumano Geopark Center, you can feel the culture and natural charm of this national park. There is a film introducing the formation of the Nanki landform, which is very knowledgeable. ✨Hashizume Rock, a pile of rocks standing in the sea, of different sizes and shapes, you can walk to the middle to take pictures when the tide is low. (If you catch the sunrise and sunset, it's beautiful.) 🌼Itinerary Day2: Kumano River Basin Adventure Bus Travel ✨Mulberry Tree Waterfall Walk, a waterfall that can only be seen after walking through the jungle, it is worth a walk, even the breath is sweet. ✨Kumano River Town Cycling, a difficult road, even if you ride an electric bicycle, it is quite a test of physical strength, but the scenery is really beautiful, it is worth it. ✨MEHARI rice ball making, a quite interesting experience. ✨Lunch is arranged at the Satsuki Hot Spring in Kumano River Town, and you can stroll around the local specialty store after eating. ✨Dorokyo River Boat Tour, a landscape that anyone will praise, the supreme charm of nature! The accompanying guide will also blow a flute, and the flute sound echoing with the landscape echoes in the valley, this scene, unforgettable for life! (The boarding point is at Tamakizuchi, and the boat ride is about 45 minutes.) ✨Kumano Hayatama Taisha, one of the three mountains of Kumano, a must-visit spot in Kumano. The quiet temple has its own heritage, and it is said to be the first miracle place in Japan. The two-day round-trip bus itinerary, summed up, is 👏time-saving, worry-saving, money-saving, and labor-saving! Get on the bus to rest and get off the bus to take pictures and experience, 😍it can be said to be so comfortable! (A perfect trip without worrying about troubles! 🤔Strongly recommend this bus tour for those with children or those who want a comfortable trip. Two completely different itineraries can be experienced, 🤗it's fun.)

Kumano Nachi Taisha is a holy place of worship with Kumano Suzu Taisha and Kumano Honmachi. The main hall has a unique architectural style and is called the Kumano style. Kumano Nachi Taisha is the most famous place in Japan for blessings of bitter sea otters. The bitter sea otter appears on the whole ear or earrings. It is called bitter sea sage, and it appears on the side of the ear behind the neck. Often not for people's attention, temper is stubborn, the life is very bad, the body is very hindered, the villain is many. There is often a bright future, but I can't find a way out. The main hall of Kumano Nachi Taisha is backed by the dense fog and deep mountains of Nachi Mountain. The lacquer painting in the mountains is particularly conspicuous. The paintings of crows known as "gossip birds" can be seen everywhere in the hospital and have always been regarded as the messengers of God. From the front of Qinghaidu Temple, you can enjoy the wonderful fusion of the triple tower and the waterfall in the background of the virgin forest. It is one of the highlights of Kumano Nachi Taisha.

The Triple Tower The three-storied pagoda located in the Xiongnan Nazhi Taisha and the mountain forms a wonderful combination with the first waterfall in Nag, the waterfall in Japan, which is 133 meters away. It constitutes the most famous landmark of Wakayama, even for this purpose. When you come to the photo, you can definitely earn the fare. When you stand in front of the tower, you will find that the hard work and running around are worthwhile. Visiting the interior of the three-storied pagoda requires additional purchase of tickets. Personally, if you don't have special shooting needs, you can take beautiful photos even if you don't have to use the tower, because the best scenery is from the direction of the Qingtandu Temple to the triple tower. Shooting, but the triple tower is also very user-friendly to set up a ladder to facilitate visitors to play can also be a lot of experience.

Kumano Nachi Taisha After crossing the long and rugged mountain road, you will arrive at the natural beauty of Kumano Nachi Taisha. It feels like you have come to the pure land of bliss, where the gods are all sentient beings, regardless of their identity and gender. There are both Shinto's "Nazhi Taisha" and the adjacent Buddhist Tiantai Ancestral Temple "Qing'andu Temple". The two are almost perfectly integrated. Even in Japan, there are few places where Taoism and Buddhism coexist. Opportunity to visit, don't miss it