Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine
Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine
4.5
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Plan your visit
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
32 within 5 kms
Attractions
23 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
560 reviews
Excellent
291
Very good
234
Average
31
Poor
2
Terrible
2
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
みるく７３３８５１
Hirakata, Japan5,344 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
It is the center of the Kumano Sanzan and the head shrine of Kumano Shrine. Pass through the large torii gate and climb the 158 stone steps. Numerous Kumano Daigongen flags are lined up on both sides of the approach. Visit Haraedo-no-Okami, which is located halfway up the stone steps, purify yourself at the temizuya (purification fountain), and then head to the worship hall. Kokoko is characterized by having four worship halls lined up. First, visit Iezumimiko-no-Okami, the main shrine at the third hall. After that, visit the second hall, first hall, and fourth hall in that order. The next day, Yokozuna Terunofuji was preparing for his dedication ring-enter ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the World Heritage Site. There were commemorative goshuin books and cut-out goshuin. Next to the stone steps of the approach, there are also stone steps of the Kumano Kodo, which are a little difficult to walk on.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
roko.5101
Machida, Japan332 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
There are 158 steps from the parking lot to the main building, which takes about 10 minutes.
"People who have trouble climbing the 158 steps should go to Oyunohara, which is about a 500-meter (10-minute) walk from the parking lot with their backs to the stairs." (The Oyunohara is said to be the site of the former Hongu Taisha Shrine.) From the parking lot, you can see Oyunohara's Otorii.
Up the 158 steps, there were four main buildings.
In addition, three-legged crows can be seen throughout the temple grounds. This is also famous as the symbol of the Japan Football Association, the Yatagarasu (竅��Raven).
"People who have trouble climbing the 158 steps should go to Oyunohara, which is about a 500-meter (10-minute) walk from the parking lot with their backs to the stairs." (The Oyunohara is said to be the site of the former Hongu Taisha Shrine.) From the parking lot, you can see Oyunohara's Otorii.
Up the 158 steps, there were four main buildings.
In addition, three-legged crows can be seen throughout the temple grounds. This is also famous as the symbol of the Japan Football Association, the Yatagarasu (竅��Raven).
Automatically translated
Written 20 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J.G.YUN
Busan, South Korea5,682 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
Kumano Hongu Taisha is the central shrine of the Kumano Three Shrines, along with Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha.
The path from the shrine entrance to the shrine is a series of 158 stone steps decorated with banners on both sides. As you climb the stairs and pass through the shrine gate, you will see the shrine's splendid appearance with a roof covered with cypress tree bark.
Until the great flood of the Meiji period, it was located on Oyunohara, a sandbank on the Kumano River. In the great flood of August 1889, 8 of the 12 shrines were washed away, and the remaining 4 shrines are said to have been moved to their current location.
What's unique about the shrine is the black mailbox, which is decorated with the shrine's symbol, the three-legged crow "Yatagarasu" (八咫烏).
The path from the shrine entrance to the shrine is a series of 158 stone steps decorated with banners on both sides. As you climb the stairs and pass through the shrine gate, you will see the shrine's splendid appearance with a roof covered with cypress tree bark.
Until the great flood of the Meiji period, it was located on Oyunohara, a sandbank on the Kumano River. In the great flood of August 1889, 8 of the 12 shrines were washed away, and the remaining 4 shrines are said to have been moved to their current location.
What's unique about the shrine is the black mailbox, which is decorated with the shrine's symbol, the three-legged crow "Yatagarasu" (八咫烏).
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
taka0918
Edogawa, Japan2,668 contributions
Dec 2023 • Solo
It is the head temple of the 3,000 Kumano shrines across the country. The deity worshipped is Ketsumi Miko no Okami (another name for Susanoo no Mikoto), but eleven other deities are also enshrined, making it a place where an all-star cast of deities is enshrined. Within the grounds there is a magnificent shrine for each deity, and the order in which they are worshipped is also determined. It is no wonder that the saying goes, "Even if you don't visit all three Kumano shrines, if you visit Kumano Hongu Taisha, it counts as visiting them all."
Written 18 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bokuboku29
Otaru, Japan4,115 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This is the head temple of Kumano Shrine, where Susanoo-no-Mikoto is enshrined. The sight of flags lined up on both sides of the approach from the torii gate is overwhelming. The stone steps are long, but are all the same height and easy to walk up. There are signs informing visitors of the order of worship, which is helpful even for beginners. The four imposing and magnificent shrine buildings lined up are overwhelming.
Written 18 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
petertaylor57
Auckland Central, New Zealand421 contributions
June 2023
If you are traveling along the South Coast of the Kansai, you'll come across this important, and highly atmospheric shrine. We visited just as it had stopped raining and were practically the only ones there. Particularly impressive was the car blessing bay (see photo_
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GabyVM
Jakarta, Indonesia7,783 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
We followed the advise of our minshuku host, rode the bus to Kumano Hongu Taisha, stored our backpacks (500 yen per piece until 5pm), took the bus in front of the shrine to Hosshinmon oji and walked the last leg of the Kumano Kodo sacred ancient trail back. Many people did that.
The 6.9 km path was largely flat with inclination in some parts, some paved, through shady forests passing a few mountain villages where farmers had small stalls selling fresh produce. The difficulty rating of this trail was 1.5 out of 5, suitable for casual walkers (still best to leave heavy backpacks behind).
We took our time walking slowly soaking in the tranquility, imagining how former emperors and priests walked this very path, taking lots of photos, had simple lunch in the small cafe on the way and entered the shrine from the back gate (no need to walk up the long stairs up from the front gate). It took us over 4 relaxing hours to reach the shrine and it was the highlight of our visit to Kumano Hongu Taisha.
The shrine itself was simple and rustic, not vermilion painted like the other 2 grand shrines, with thatched roofs. Signage showed no photos but some people were taking photos openly (a reviewer here in TA said he/she asked the office staff and was allowed to take photos).
If you have the time, walk 15 minutes or so to Oyunohara, the original site of Kumano Hongu Taisha where the biggest Torii gate is.
The 6.9 km path was largely flat with inclination in some parts, some paved, through shady forests passing a few mountain villages where farmers had small stalls selling fresh produce. The difficulty rating of this trail was 1.5 out of 5, suitable for casual walkers (still best to leave heavy backpacks behind).
We took our time walking slowly soaking in the tranquility, imagining how former emperors and priests walked this very path, taking lots of photos, had simple lunch in the small cafe on the way and entered the shrine from the back gate (no need to walk up the long stairs up from the front gate). It took us over 4 relaxing hours to reach the shrine and it was the highlight of our visit to Kumano Hongu Taisha.
The shrine itself was simple and rustic, not vermilion painted like the other 2 grand shrines, with thatched roofs. Signage showed no photos but some people were taking photos openly (a reviewer here in TA said he/she asked the office staff and was allowed to take photos).
If you have the time, walk 15 minutes or so to Oyunohara, the original site of Kumano Hongu Taisha where the biggest Torii gate is.
Written 1 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
poolsider72
New York19 contributions
Dec 2013 • Friends
There are three grand shrines in this kumano kodo area and as a set it's referred as kumono sanzan. The extensive trail as the historical road reach to this beautiful shrine at the end. It's a quite experience even with the shortest path to hike, and you can feel the 1000 years of history walking on the same route.
Written 30 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffrey D
Griffin, GA2,934 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
The feeling of history is deep here as well it should be for a temple celebrating its 2050th anniversary this year. The Kumano Hongu Taisha is one of the three main shrines of the Kumano Sanzan and is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in the country. The original shrine was built closer to the river (at Oyunahara), but was moved to its current location long ago after flood and fire disasters. The structures are classic Shinto design and very lovely. To think of your place among all the multitudes of pilgrims that have arrived here through the centuries on the hike from Hosshinmon-oji gives you a special sense of time and place.
Written 2 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tomizuta1953
Funabashi, Japan1,373 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
Kumano-honguu is the first of the three shrines of Kumano Sanzan that you reach on the Nakahechi pilgrimage route coming from Kyoto. I’m sure our ancestors were overwhelmed by the natural beauty of this sacred area after the long journey. The current Kumano-honguu is on an elevated area, but originally the shrine stood on a sandbank called Ooyunohara in the Kumano River. The flooding in 1889 destroyed two of the three shrines (Upper, Middle and Lower) composing the shrine and it was only the Upper shrine that survived and transferred to the current site in 1891. The deity worshipped is God Ketsumimiko, who is God Susanoo, the younger brother of Goddess Amaterasu. It is 158 steps up to the shrine, but just before the entrance gate to the Goshaden (main shrine) we noticed a signboard on the left that told us that God Susanoo was a wood God. Wood is Ki in Japanese and that is where the name Kii derived it said. There are two interesting objects to see in the grounds in front of the Goshaden. One is an evergreen tree called Tarayou belonging to the holly species. You can write on the back of the leaves by just scratching, which is why the tree has been named the “postcard tree”. And next to the tree is a postbox with a Yatagarasu on top. Because Yatagarasu is believed to be the messenger for God Susanoo and Tarayou is a “postcard tree”, someone must have developed the idea to combine them all together. I don’t think you can mail a postcard from the postbox.
Written 14 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2019年一月中計劃自駕遊,和歌山市出發, 經白濱及那智勝浦, 到熊野本宮大社, 再沿田邊是中邊路駕車回和歌山市. 想請教旅程是否需用雪軚.
Written 15 December 2018
和歌山から本宮大社まで海沿いの有料道路と国道24号線は雪の装備は無い車でも大丈夫です。本宮大社から国道311号線を通る場合は、日によって道路が凍結します。車のタイヤをスタッドレスタイヤにするかチェーン装着が必要になる場合がありますので、その時の気象情報を入手して判断してください。
Written 16 December 2018
My plan is like this:
1) Koyasan 1 night stay: arrive around noon from Namba, going around Koyasan - stay in temple and leave early next morning.
2) take train from Hashimoto to JR Wakayama to hire a car & drive to Kawayu onsen or Wataze onsen to take a bath & around or even Hongu Taisha there if we have time. (any recommendation?) I have not yet decided accommodation yet but any reasonable budget place. Some Japanese friend suggested camping but no idea I can pull that off in my travel stage but sound fun.
3) morning and afternoon go around the area - or even a little hiking .
Head to Shirahama around 3pm and stay a night there ( drive early next morning Wakayama to return the car)
We have to be in the airport KIX the next morning to pick up my mother and sisters then head to kyoto.
Should we hire a car - just 2 of us? Or any pass that I should consider?
Bus from Gojo will take 3-4 hours to Kawayu onsen and 3200-4000yen one way and not frequent.
I am applying International Driver Permit, that would work in Japan right?
Hiring car for 2 days as checked if Tocco cost 12,900yen with ENG GPS. We will stay at Shirahama Green Hill which is 2km from the beach and around 10 mins by taxi as read on website.
Written 12 February 2015
Hi there,
I will try and answer your questions as best I can and based on my recent experience,
1) we didn't go to Koyasan but it will be top of my list for next trip. My only comment would be that you would need at least 2 nights to really get a feel for the place.
2) we hired a car in Tanabe for 4 nights and I think getting one in Wakayama would be fine; highly recommend staying in Kawayu spa at Ashitanomori, great value , lovely people running the place and the river has hot springs on the banks. We went to wataze onsen for a bath.. it was great and recommend it.
3) didn't go to shirahama but why go there when we have such beautiful beaches at home ?.. spend the time at Kumano hongu taisha or kumano Nachi taisha (highest waterfall in japan amidst mind blowing Shinto shrines in a forest on the side of a mountain)
4) bus services on Kii peninsula are good, locals are extremely helpful and friendly, local tourist bureau cant do enough to help (they will book a car for you if you contact them online), international drivers license is essential. lastly hiring a car is good value and gives you freedom to get around.. make sure you have a GPS and get someone to show you how to use it..
good luck -
Written 13 February 2015
Showing results 1-2 of 2
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing