We think 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”.

1) The place where you can experience:
(Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes):
Mt.Koya, Kumano-Sanzan and Yoshino-Oomine as the mountain worship sacred places are connected each other by the approach (Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes).  Many people had visited there from ancient period, specially, lots of monk-emperors and retired emperors such as Goshirakawa and Gotoba had visited there many times from mid of Heian period (792 – 1192) to Kamakura period (1192 – 1333) that led theses sacred places be famous in all over Japan.
The people who walk through Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes visit the places to pray for their safety of the travel and accomplishment of their hopes.

Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes as a short distance experience is about 7km from Hosshinmon gate to Kumano Hongu Taisha by about 3 hours walking.

Hosshinmon-Ouji:

Mizunomi-Ouji:

Fushiogami-Ouji:

Haraido-Ouji:

2) The place where you can enjoy:
(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.

God named Amaterasu-Oomikami who was the daughter of Izanami-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 thousand Shrine in Japan.

There are several arguments if these historical descriptions 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.

(a) Kumano Hongu Taisha:
Kumano Hongu Taisha is the headquarter of all 3000 numbers of Kumano shrines and a crow named “Yatano-Karasu” which is the messengers of Gods is set in Haiden-hall (Hall of worship). This crow has become the symbol of Japan Football Association.
The Gods of Izanagi-no-Mikoto, Izanami-no-Mikoto and Susano-no-Mikoto are enshrined in from the first to the third shrine hall.   The God named Amaterasu-Oomikami who was the daughter of Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-Mikoto is enshrined in the fourth shrine of this shrine.

(b) Oounabara (The former site of Kumano Hongu Taisha):
Twelve gods of Kumano Hongu Taisha used to be enshrined in this area.  It is said that gods of Kumano at the first time had descent this place where three rivers of Kumano, Otonashi and Iwata joined together to create the sandbank.
Eight gods had flown away due to the catastrophic flood occurred in 1889 and remaining four gods has been transferred to current shrine of Kumanohongu Taisha.

(c) Tsuboyu (small bathtub for a single person) of Yunomine onsen/hot spring:
This hot spring was found 1800 years ago and the spring source of temperature 92 degrees Celsius gashing out from the bottom of bathtub made by nature rocks. This hot spring is one of the components of World cultural Heritage registered as “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”.  This Tsuboyu had been used to wash their bodies before worshippers visit Kumano.
You can take the bath as chartered one every 30 minutes.

Japan Van prepares various tour itineraries for you to enjoy the view in Japan.
The minimum itinerary days is more than 5 days.
Contents of our service: We can arrange a car and a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter for your trip.

Car charter and a guide condition
1Number of tourists:  2pax – 12pax
2Charter time and guide condition:  12 hours (including 4 hours resting time)