One of the three Kumano Sanzan shrines, this sacred Shinto site sits beside Nachi Falls, Japan's tallest waterfall. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Kii Mountain Range, it has been a pilgrimage destination for over 1,000 years, venerating nature deities.
If you're walking the Kumano Kodō, Kumano Nachi Taisha is one of the four UNESCO-listed pilgrimage destinations on the route, often visited with the other two Kumano Sanzan shrines.
The Sacred Camphor Tree is about 850 years old and is said to have been planted by Taira-no-Shigemori (1138–1179).
Kumano Nachi Taisha is one of the three Kumano Sanzan shrines, and pilgrims historically visited all three to complete the Kumano pilgrimage.
Plan extra time to see Nachi Falls beside the shrine; the 133-meter waterfall is part of the sacred setting and linked to nearby Hiryū Shrine worship.
Look for the 850-year-old Sacred Camphor Tree between the shrine's heiden and Seigantoji; you can enter its hollow base to make an offering at a small altar.
