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:
(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) 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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(d) 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.

2) The place where you can enjoy:
(Nature Landscapes):
The landscape along by the beach of Kii peninsula and the mechanism how this geography has been created:
About 18 million years – 15 million years ago, the depression looks like a tray on underground layer of 1500 km depth from sea surface, sands and mud flew out from the land had been accumulated and formed as the sedimentary formations as the base of the land. After the occurrence, about 15 million years – 14 million years ago, enormous magma had appeared on underground and those magma had pushed up to the original formations.  Then, those magma had become the solid-state by being cooled and the igneous rocks had been created.
As such, Kii peninsula consists of various type pf land layers mixed that has let this Kii peninsula created beautiful landscape, various plants & animals, various onsen/hot springs and special culture related with the belief in Kumano.
(a) Sandan-heki /stone wall:
Sandan-heki is a big stone wall built up along by the beach by about 2km long and maximum 50 meter height. On 36 meter under the ground, the sea cliff has been created.
It is considered that the sedimentary rock layer had been disappeared by the sea water erosion with only the igneous rock layer has been remained that has created Sandan-heki.

(b) Senjojiki/matts:
Senjojiki is a matts made by white soft sands rocks.
This land layer is made by the rocks of interbedded sands and mud which had been accumulated 14 million years ago. This landscape of Senjojiki has been created thanks to the erosion by raging waves washing the shore.

(c) Shirarahama/beach:
Shirarahama is the beach spread in front of Shirahama onsen/hot spring. The sands of Shirarahama are made by white sands which are decomposed from quartz sands due to disturbance by sea water.
This beach sands seem to be white and brightened which looks like snow because those contain quartz.

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)