Where God Resides: Kumano’s Kamikura Shrine and the Sacred Stone

When you think of Japan’s Shinto shrines, you may think of the grand architecture of those of Nara  or the refined elegance of Ise Shrine, but Kamikura shrine (jinja) shows us something more fundamental, more primitive, less polished. It shows us what is at the core of a spirituality that became refined into the sophisticated minimalism and austerity of Ise and the gloriously bright structures of Kasugataisha Grand Shrine in Nara. It is simply an enormous boulder atop a hill, a boulder that dwarfs the little shrine marking its boundaries. It is so enormous and so oddly-balanced that it simultaneously unnerves and inspires awe.

Kamikura Jinja lies along the route of the Kumano Kodo, a UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage route that winds through the Kii Peninsula, and that has  become increasingly popular in recent years both within and outside Japan. The shrine is closely connected to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, one of the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano, it is believed to be the original site where the Kumano god descended to this world, inhabiting the massive boulder known as the “ Gotobiki-iwa”.

One reaches the top of the hill by ascending a steep flight of rather uneven steps – 500 in total, it is said. It’s absolutely worth the climb, not only for the wonderful view over Shingu City and the Pacific Ocean, but to experience in a very immediate way, what a “shintai” is. A shintai is – literally – the “body of the god [kami]”. Kami are intangible and difficult to understand, but they are essentially spirits or life-force, and they can be contained within “vessels”. Sometimes those are mirrors (which can often be seen at shrines) or swords. But here? It is a giant rock.

There is another impressive aspect to the faith we find at Kamikura Jinja and this is the unforgettably dramatic Fire Festival (Oto Matsuri) which takes place every February 6^th (too late this year, but please add it to your bucket list for your next visit to Japan!). On the normally chilly night of February 6^th, over a thousand men dressed in white robes and carrying torches race down the stone steps in front of the shrine in a blazing torrent of light and flame. The festival is said to purify the town and solicit the gods for the coming year.

This shrine is a wonderful place to experience Japanese religiosity, which is a combination of reverence and celebration, and recognises the invisible life-forces that inhabit our world. The same beliefs and impulses are found on a larger scale or in a more refined way at many of the major Shinto shrines you will encounter in Japan. Here at Kamikura they are found in their most fundamental form, and sit within the very nature they are believed to produce. I recommend, if you can, a sunrise or sunset visit, for an even more beautiful encounter with the gods.

Access:

Location: Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture

Access: 15-minute walk from JR Shingu Station

Admission: Free

Caution: The stairs are steep and can be slippery—good shoes and caution are essential.