Hana-no-Iwaya Jinja (Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine)

Overview

The enshrined deities are Iza-no-Mikoto and Kagu-tsuchi-no-Mikoto. The site lacks a traditional shrine building; instead, the massive rock—approximately 45 meters high and facing the Kumano Coast—serves as the Goshintai and is believed to be the mausoleum of Iza-no-Mikoto. It is considered one of Japan's oldest ritual sites, as the Nihon Shoki (Records of<image|> Ancient<image|> Japan) states: 'When Izanami gave birth to the fire god, her lower body was burned, and she was buried in Arima Village, Kumano Province.' In 2004, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the 'Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.' Twice a year in spring and autumn, the 'O-tsunagakake Shinji' (a prefectural intangible folk cultural property) is performed, where a massive rope of about 170 meters is pulled from the giant rock toward the coast.

Highlights

• ・Goshintai giant rock approximately 45 meters high
• ・One of the oldest shrines in Japan (recorded in the Nihon Shoki)
• ・O-tsunagakake Shinji (prefectural intangible folk cultural property)
• ・World Heritage site