Starting in Hanano Iwaya Shrine in Kumano, you head inland along the road to Hongu, then down along the Kumano River which you finally cross to reach Shingu. This course has many famous spots and historical places to visit on the way. You can also see some of the many faces of Kumano, views of the Sea of Kumano, the mountains, traditional villages and the Kumano river on this drive.

Maruyama Senmaida

Built in the heart of the mountains, terraced rice paddies march up the slope, one after the other to form this splendid view covering 7.2 hectares. There is a viewpoint with parking looking down on this window to old Japan.

The hall for Yojiyakushi

A big willow tree was cut down here to use in the construction of the Sanjūsangen-dō Temple in Kyoto. It is said that a dryad lived in the tree and later a memorial to her was built for the Dryad of the Willow.

Hisetsu Falls

For the people here, this waterfall is a place to find peace and solace. There used to be a tea house here for raftsmen who floated timber from up stream to the market down in Shingu. There were a lot of people passing by in the old days.

The three-sail riverboat

A thousand years ago, the imperial family and other royalty would travel between Hongu and Shingu in riverboats on their pilgrimages to the Three Grand Shrine of Kumano or Kumano Sanzan. This three-sailed riverboat was a thriving business about 100 years ago.