Tracing the origin of Kumano worship ”Kumano Sanzan”

Belief derived from the depths of nature

From ancient times, Kumano was believed to be a sacred place where Gods went into hiding. It is a spiritual place where Shintoism and Buddhism coexist, after the two religions merged and nurtured various forms of worship. It is said that Kumano was originally written as ”Kuma No Tokoro” (Place of Kumano). Geographically, Kumano is located near Kyoto and Nara, however, there are more than 3600 mountain peaks in between, leading to the belief that it represented a spiritual ”land of the dead”.
Spiritual visits to Kumano became popular around the 11th century with the spread of ”Jodo Shinshu”, or the belief that one can go to heaven by reciting ”Namu Amida Butsu”. From the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period, it became almost like a competition for retired emperors to make a pilgrimage to Kumano. It is said that Emperor Shirakawa made an astounding 34 pilgrimages. The round trip from Kyoto to Kumano took about one month. Those starting a pilgrimage would purify themselves with water, refrain from eating any meat or fish, and leave for the voyage of penance. Since riding horseback would not be considered penance, it was customary for even retired emperors to travel on foot.

”Purified land on earth” registered as a World Heritage

Kumano has three great shrines known as ”Kumano Sanzan”. After the Heian period when Jodo Shinshu spread, the Gods at ”Kumano Sanzan” were known as follows.

The main deity of the Hongu Taisha shrine, ”Ketsumiko no Ookami”, is considered to be Amitabha, and the shrine is considered to be ”the western paradise”. Kumano-Hayatama-Taisha shrine’s ”Kumano hayatamao no kami” is considered to be Bhaisajyaguru (buddha able to cure all ills), and the shrine is ”the eastern pure land”. At Nachi shrine which enshrines Otaki Fall of Nachi resides ”Kumano fusumi no kami” which is Buddha of Thousand Arms, and the shrine is considered to be ”the southern Mount Potalaka Pure Land”. This is how Kumano which was regarded as ”the land of the dead” became to be regarded as the pure land on earth.

In July 2004, the so called Kumano old road was registered as a World Heritage Site as ”spiritual place and pilgrimage road of the Kii mountains”. In Kumano, one would be cleansed of impurities, to be reborn.
From the ancient times of Heian, people walked the road seeking salvage. The same road welcomes us now quietly and peacefully.