UNESCO World Heritage Site #3: Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range

Nachi Taisha

Kumano Nachi Taisha is one of the three Kumano shrines and one of the main destinations of theKumano Kodo pilgrimage routes. Nachi no Taki waterfall is Japan’s tallest at 133 meters. A beautiful site to visit, along with hiking a section of the Kumano Kodo trail and experiencing the nearby hot springs, the Kii peninsula is one of Japans gems.

From the UNESCO website:

The monuments and sites that form the cultural landscape of the Kii Mountains are a unique fusion between Shintoism and Buddhism that illustrates the interchange and development of religious cultures in East Asia.

These sites, the connecting pilgrimage routes, and surrounding forests form a cultural landscape that reflect the fusion of Shintoism, rooted in the ancient tradition of nature worship in Japan, and Buddhism, which was introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula.