Kumano Kodō

Starting in the 10th century, members of the imperial family walked from Kyoto down the Kii Peninsula to the three grand shrines of Kumano, Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha, and retired emperors and aristocrats made the same arduous journey. Here the pilgrimage itself is the sight, rather than any single building: forest trails that still connect the shrines. The Nakahechi route from Tanabe on the west coast is the one the imperial pilgrims used, and the best introduction for a first walk. The shrines and routes became a World Heritage Site in 2004. Limited express trains reach Kii-Tanabe in about two hours from Shin-Osaka, and buses run inland from the coast to the shrines.