🗺️ Hanazukijinja Shrine

According to Japan's oldest historical book, the "Nihon Shoki," the Hanano Iwaya Shrine is the oldest shrine in Japan. It enshrines Izanagi no Mikoto, the deity who created the land and gave birth to the gods, and Kagutsuchi no Kami, the fire god. It is named "Hanano Iwaya Shrine" because it offers seasonal flowers to the deities, meaning "the cave of fresh flowers." It is the original shrine of the Kumano Sanzan and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range." Historically, there has been no shrine building; instead, a massive rock about 45 meters high facing the Kumano Sea serves as the sacred body. It preserves the ancient form of nature worship, allowing worshippers to directly touch the sacred body, which is quite rare among Japanese shrines. Annual grand festivals are held on February 2 and October 2. A large rope, about 170 meters long, is tied between the sacred body and the sacred tree at the southern end of the inner precinct, known as the "Otsuna Kake Shinji," which is designated as an intangible folk cultural asset of Mie Prefecture. At the "Otsuna Chaya" within the grounds, visitors can enjoy dishes made from the local specialty ancient rice "Izanami rice (イザナミ米)," such as soy sauce dumplings, udon noodles, rice balls, and Kumano's famous Megumi sushi. Various Kumano specialty products suitable as souvenirs are also available for sale.

The "Nihon Shoki" also records that it is said to be the oldest shrine in Japan. The sacred object is a giant stone about 45 meters tall. It enshrines the mother of all gods. The biannual grand festival is worth seeing. There are also tea houses where you can taste local specialties.