Begin with an introduction to the Kumano faith and the ancient practice of Shugendō, the mountain ascetic tradition that shaped the spiritual identity of this land. Inside the World Heritage Kumano Hongu Heritage Center, learn how pilgrims over the centuries sought purification and renewal through these mountains, where Shintō and Buddhism harmoniously intertwined.

Walk along the tranquil approach lined with centuries-old cedars, purifying your hands at the temizuya and learning about Japan’s profound notions of impurity and cleansing. Pass through the shrine gate into the main precinct, encounter the deep reverence for the Three Deities of Kumano, and hear stories that connect their divine roles to the natural landscape and the spiritual ideals of rebirth and salvation.

Continue to the sacred former site of Ōyunohara, marked by one of Japan’s largest torii gates, where the Kumano River once defined the border between the human and divine realms. Here, the guide shares the story of the great flood that transformed the shrine’s location and how the waters remain a symbol of life, death, and renewal within Kumano’s worldview.

An optional early-morning version of this tour invites you to experience the shrine in profound silence before dawn—mist rising from the forest floor, the vast torii emerging in pale light, and the air carrying the scent of cedar and river stone. Whether in daylight or dawn’s stillness, this journey offers a deep encounter with the living spirituality of Japan’s sacred mountains—a place where the ancient pilgrimage continues to breathe.