Highlights of Kumano City
Kumano city is located on the southern part of Mie prefecture and is on the pilgrimage route starting from Isejingu to Kumano Sanzan (three grand shrines of Kumano), so called Kumano Kodo "Iseji" route, which is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". The pilgrims started from Ise heading to Hayatama-Taisha grand shrine walk across many mountains and finally pass "Matsumoto-toge pass", where still remains beautiful stone pavement steps which had strongly built in order to prevent mountain path from crumbling caused by large rainfall and impresses us by amazing skills and wisdom of the people in those days.
Climbing up the stone steps surrounded by sounds of breeze, murmuring stream, and birds singing calms travelers. You can choose to drop by at the top of the pass, and there is a breathtaking views of the World Heritage Site "Shichirimihama" coast line curving 22 km long where the Kumano Grand Fireworks Festival with more than 300 years history is held, the Kumano-nada sea on the left, and the sacred mountains on the right side. Back to the route, and discover historically and geographically important heritages along the Kumano Kodo such as "Shishi-iwa" 25 meters height rock resembles to a roaring lion against the ocean, the oldest shrine in Japan "Hananoiwaya" where the gigantic rock mountain stands as the goddess Izanaminomikoto's grave who created many gods of Japan, and scenic site "Onigajo" which was the result of sudden graund uplifts and wild waves of Kumano sea. The travelers gradually come to understand the reason of why the pilgrims have headed to Kumano where people worship nature.
If you head to Hongu-taisha grand shrine with taking the route branch to mountain side from the coast line, historical sites where have been consisted of beautiful harmony of human beings and nature, such as Maruyama Senmaida rice terraces with 1340 rice paddies and Akagijo Castle Ruins of the best 100 castles in Japan, take the travelers breath away.
