Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine

Start afresh by making a pilgrimage to Hayatama Shrine!

Takako Sakamoto Jan 17, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>When you pass through the big torii entrance gate and walk straight on a stone-paved pathway, you'll see this red Shinmon (God's Gate).</p>

<p>Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine is one of three major shrines in Kumano, Kumano Sanzan, which are together designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kumano Sanzan includes Kumano Hongu Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha.</p>

<p>The sacred straw rope in the shrine signifies the boundary between the sacred area and the secular world</p>

<p>In the prayer hall, a Shinto ritual was taking place</p>

<p>At the prayer hall I prayed fervently and clapped my hands</p>

<p>A holy atmosphere permeated this sacred area</p>

<p>Kami-sanden hall in brilliant vermilion and green</p>

In January 2011, I visited Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine in Wakayama, after visiting Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, both of which are the part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Kumano Kodo (a series of ancient pilgrimage routes in Kumano region) is called, 'The Route of Life'. Pilgrims in olden times walked this route seeking redemption and salvation. Climbing this rough-and-tumble route to reach Kumano must have been a series of unimaginable hardships, but they believed they would be given the courage and determination to start a new life at the end of the penance. This is why Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine is called 'A Place of Resurrection'.

Three Major Shrines in Kumano 1. Nachi Taisha Shrine and Nachi Falls 2. Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine 3. Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine

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Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...