Tamaki Shrine

Background

Said to have been founded in 37 BC (in the time of the tenth emperor, Sujin), it is the inner shrine of the three Kumano shrines and a training ground for Ōmine Shugendō; its shrine office and temple bell are Important Cultural Properties; the 'Jindai Sugi' cedar (said to be 3,000 years old) and the giant cedars in the grounds are Nara Prefecture Natural Monuments; the 'Tamaishi-sha', with no hall and a stone as its divine body, preserves the oldest form of worship.

Local customs

• The approach is a mountain path, so wear hiking boots
• for formal worship you can book a 'seishiki sanpai' (formal dress required)
• don't touch or climb the Jindai Sugi
• the weather on the mountain is changeable, so bring rain gear and water.

Religion & beliefs

• Shinto plus Shugendō: the principal deities are Kuninotokotachi, Izanagi and Izanami, Amaterasu and Emperor Jinmu. The Tamaishi-sha is the sacred spot where Shugendō practitioners pray first
• the grand festival is on 24 October. Pray with 'two bows, two claps, one bow', and put your palms together in silence before the giant cedars.

Travel tips

• Spring and autumn (autumn leaves in late October) are best
• roads may close in winter
• access: from JR Gojō Station take a bus about 3 hours to Totsukawa Onsen, then a reservation-only shuttle or taxi up the mountain — we strongly recommend driving and checking road conditions
• it's about 15–20 minutes' walk from the car park to the main hall
• stay a night at Totsukawa Onsen.