Tamaki Shrine

Contexto cultural

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.

Costumbres locales

• 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.

Religión y creencias

• 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.

Consejos de viaje

• 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.