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Kumano Ancient Road |
In Heian era, Kumano-san-zan has become worshipped as No.1 miraculous place in Japan, and the pilgrimage to this place has become the ardent wish of the people aspiring the profit of this world and paradise after death.
There are roads such as "Naka-hechi", "Oh-hechi" from Tanabe to Kumano, sacred sites of Shugendo, "Omine Okugake" from Yoshino to Kumano, sacred sites of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, "Ko-hechi" from Koyasan to Kumano, and "Ise-ji" from Ise shrine to Kumano.
Among these 5 pilgrimage routes, "Naka-hechi" was the main route and was also called as "Miyuki-michi" where retired emperor led many attendants to walk through.
Walking on foot was regarded as a principle of the mountain training to acquire the power of the nature and the universe, and people were comforted and contented through an extraordinary experience.
1.Koyasan-Choishi-michi
There are several pilgrimage route to Kongobu-ji Temple, however, among them, the main route that Kukai paved the way and afterwards most frequently used is "Koyasan Choishi-michi". Along the road, Choishi (stone markers) engraving the distance from Danjo Garan, the center of Kongobu-ji Temple, are built in every Cho (about 109m). The distance from Jison-jin, at the base of the mountain, to Danjo Garan is about 20 km. From Danjo Garan to Gobyo of Okuno-in Hall, the grave of Kukai, is about 4 km. These make up to 24 km.
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2.Kumano pilgrimage route
From Kyoto, the Imperial capital, and also from around the country to the Sacred Site "Kumano-san-zan" , multiple routes have been opened according to the place of each pilgrim's departure. The pilgrimage route leading to "Kumano-san-zan" are roughly divided into three types according to the routes. The first one is that passes along the west coast of Kii Peninsula , which is described as "Kiro" in historical documents. This route is divided into two on route, which makes "Kumano pilgrimage route Naka-hechi" which crosses Kii Peninsula and goes through the mountains, and "Kumano pilgrimage route Oh-hechi" which goes along the coast. The second route is "Kumano pilgrimage route" which goes along the east coast of Kii Peninsula, which is described as "Ise-ji" in historical documents. The third route is "Kumano pilgrimage route Ko-hechi" which goes through the center of Kii Peninsula and connects the sacred site "Koyasan" and "Kumano-san-zan".
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3.Kumano Pilgrimage Route "Naka-hechi"
It is the route most frequently used among routes for pilgrims to Kuman-san-zan from Kyoto or western Japan. It starts from Tanabe, west coast of Kii Peninsula, to eastward crossing the peninsula, the route around "Kumano-san-zan". Many pilgrimage records remain from 10th century. The interspersion of "Ouji", enshrining Miko-gami of Kumano-kami, or its ruins on the way is the greatest feature.
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4.Yunomine Onsen
It is a Yugori place located in the mountain about 2km from southwest of Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine, which is also the place of Yakushi belief based on the medical virtues of Onsen said to have been discovered before the dawn of history. Kumano-gongen is the center of the belief to cure fatal disease. Rebirth legend of East land samurai, Oguri, existed 600 hundred years ago, has spread all over Japan and has been handed down until today, making many pilgrim take the bath.
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5.Kumano River
This river has its drainage area of 2360sq km and its overall length of 183km originated from the north of Kii Mountains flows to the south and flows into Kumano-nada, about 40km from Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine located at the mid basin to Kumano Hayatama Grand Shrine located at the mouth of the downstream is included in the recommended assets. When people pilgrim "Kumano-san-zan" through Kumano pilgrimage route "Naka-hechi", many people use water way to shuttle. It is precious as the "sacred pilgrimage river route " for there is little similar examples.
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6.Kumano pilgrimage route "Oh-hechi"
It is a route of about 120km parted with Kumano pilgrimage route "Naka-hechi" from Tanabe at the west coast of Kii Peninsula, and goes down to south along the seacoast to Kumano-san-zan. The distance is rather long compared with Kumano pilgrimage route "Naka-hechi", it was the route were practitioners of Okugake and special religious people called "Sanju-san do Gyoja" who pilgrims West country 33 times.
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7.Kumano pilgrimage route "Ise-ji"
This route connects "Ise shrine" which enshrines Amaterasu-Omikami, the Emperor's ancestor God, worshipped since ancient times located at the center of east coast of Kii Peninsula and Kumano-san-zan. The length of the route is about 160km, total about 34km among them is preserved in good condition as slaps across the forest like stone-paved route. There is also "Kumano no Onigajo-Tsuketari-Shishiiwa" which is known by pilgrims as a scenic place along Shichiri Mihama-michi, forming good cultural landscape.
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8.Shichiri Mihama
It is a flat gravel seashore which has been used as part of the pilgrimage route. In the beginning, pilgrims walked the seashore, but since the plantation of black pine shelter wood in the beginning of 17th century, people walked inside the shelter wood. The magnificent scene spreads across 22km attracts people as the best scenic area of Kumano pilgrimage route, retains its good cultural landscape even today.
9.Hana-no-Iwaya
This shrine worshipped by many people is located at the seashore, the interchange point of Kumano Pilgrimage Route "Ise-ji" with the legend of the grave of Izanami-no-mikoto, the ancestor God who created Japan in Japanese mythology. The principal image is the 45m-tall-Giant Rock itself, which reminds us of ancient nature worship having no hall to worship.
10.Kumano no Onigajo-tsuketari-Shishi-Iwa
This is a place of natural scenic beauty whose unique land features were created by erosion of wave and wind on the quartz trachyte rock face. Onigajo is a stir-like cave having several steps, and Shishi-Iwa has the shape of lion whose name indicates so. This is a good cultural landscape pleasing many pilgrims as a popular venue along the Kumano Pilgrimage Route.
11.Kumano Pilgrimage Route "Ko-hechi"
This route runs north and south in the central region of the Kii Peninsula and connects the both sacred sites of "Kumano-san-zan" and "Koyasan" by the most direct way. The route is one of the most tough one with three times of getting over the pass of more than 1000meter above sea level in about 70km travel. Other than the ruins of small temples and inns, there are guideposts and stone Buddhist images roadside, also there are stone pavement scattered around which was laid down by breaking up the local rocks.
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Pilgrimage Route