Schedule
Route:
(1)Train:Tokyo-Nagoya(1h39m)-Shingu(3h36m)
(2)Rental car:Tokyo-Kumano Shrine 571km (7hours, through New Tomei Hwy)
(3)Haneda-Shirahama airport (1h15m)
Day1:Tokyo-Shingu
Day2:Kumano Shrines (Kumano Hongu shrine, Hayatama shrine, Nachi shrine)
Stay in Hot spring
Day3:Shingu-Tokyo
Record
'Kumano Kodo and its sacred place in Kii Mountain' was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
In this route, you can enjoy various routes. I recommend to visit three main shrines and some pilgrimage path depend on your schedule. This pilgrimage path was used by Imperial family first in 908AD.
http://www.hongu.jp/en/
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The Kii Mountain Range has been regarded as a special place where the Gods were appeased since the mythical age. When Buddism was introduced into Japan from China, Japanese Buddists likened the deeply forested Kii Mountaines to Jodo or the Pure Land where Amitabha or the Goddess of Mercy resided, and made the Mountains the center for mountaineering asceticism in order to acquire the same power as the Buddha had.
Consequently, the three mountainous sacred places such as Yoshino-Ohmine, Kumano-Sanzan and Koyasan developed, each having its distinctive origin and character, as did the pilgrimage routes leading to the sacred places. Those places have attracted many pilgrims from all over the country and have had a great influence on religious-cultural development and exchange in Japan.
Thus "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes" characterized by the surrounding cultural background would not have developed without the nature of the Kii Mountain Range.
Kumano Hongu shrine, it was rebuilt at mountain side from riverside. Original position of Kumano Hongu shrine
Kumano Hayatama shrine Kumano Nachi shrine Beautiful scene with Nachi big fall
Kumano Gongen-yama Kamikura shrine and Kotobiki rock, Kumano Kodo is well maintained but it is sometime same as car road.
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