Visit the spiritual heart of the Kumano pilgrimage — Kumano Hongu Taisha — then stand beneath the world's largest torii gate at the ancient riverside site of Oyunohara, where the original shrine stood before a great flood in 1889. Profoundly moving and utterly unique.
What to expect
Your private car delivers you to the hillside shrine of Kumano Hongu Taisha, where 158 stone steps lead through ancient cedars to the main hall. Your guide walks you through the four enshrined deities and the significance of the three-legged Yatagarasu crow — symbol of guidance and the mascot of Japanese football. From there, you descend to the river flats of Oyunohara, where the colossal steel torii frames a vast, silent gravel expanse — the original sacred site before the flood. The juxtaposition of scale and stillness is extraordinary.
Good to know
Hongu is roughly 90 minutes from Kumano port by private car. Allow 2.5–3 hours on site. The Oyunohara is a short walk from Hongu — flat and easy underfoot. Confirm all-aboard logistics with your guide, as the drive time is significant.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Kumano — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.