ABOUT
About this spot
Kumano Hayatama Taisha is a Shinto shrine in Shingū, Wakayama Prefecture, and one of the three Kumano shrines together with Kumano Hongū Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha. Its chief deities are Kumano Hayatama no Ōkami and Kumano Fusumi no Ōkami. It was formerly a Kanpei Taisha (major government shrine) and is now a Beppyō shrine of the Association of Shinto Shrines. In 2004 it was inscribed by UNESCO as part of "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range." According to the shrine's tradition, in the 58th year of Emperor Keikō the deities moved to the present site from the Gotobiki Rock on Mt. Kamikura, where they are said to have first descended. The original site is still worshipped as the auxiliary shrine Kamikura Jinja (the original shrine). By contrast, the shrine at the present site is called the "new shrine" (Shingū). In the Heian period twelve halls were built and the shrine was known as Kumano Jūnisho Gongen. The halls are divided into upper, middle and lower groups of four; Fusumi no Ōkami is enshrined in the first hall and Hayatama no Ōkami in the second. After the buildings were lost to fire in the Meiji era they were rebuilt, and the present halls date from a 1967 reconstruction. The shrine is notable for its many cultural properties. The sacred treasures designated National Treasures in 1955 consist of over a thousand craft and textile items and are regarded as benchmark examples of Nanbokuchō-period craftsmanship. Four wooden deity statues were also designated National Treasures in 2005. Palanquins, a ceremonial boat and swords are Important Cultural Properties, and the great Nagi tree in the grounds is a national Natural Monument, said to have been planted by Taira no Shigemori. The Kumano Sanzan are also a national historic site, and the Hayatama Festival and Onmatsu fire festival are Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. The Kumano Treasure Hall displays the shrine's treasures and is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The gate is open from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the amulet office from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Allow an hour to an hour and a half to walk the grounds and visit the hall. The other two Kumano shrines are some distance away: Kumano Nachi Taisha and Nachi Falls are about 11 km, and Kumano Hongū Taisha about 23 km, so Hayatama Taisha is a convenient starting point for a tour of the Kumano Sanzan. From JR Shingū Station it is about 5 minutes by car, or take a local bus to Hayatama Taisha-mae. Free parking is available, and temporary parking opens on busy days and festival days.
Last updated October 18, 2026