Daimon-zaka is a particularly picturesque stone-stair and stone-paved path that retains the most colorful trace of the former Kumano Kodo (Kumano ancient pilgrimage route).
As the approach to Kumano Nachi-taisha Shrine and part of the Kumano Kodo (Kumano Pilgrimage Route) Nakaheji, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a “road” that pilgrims have walked for more than 1,000 years, which is rare in the world. It has also been selected as one of the 100 best roads in Japan.
Large trees line the sides of the moss-covered stone steps that lead for about 1 km to Mt.
The name of the road comes from the fact that there used to be a large gate at the entrance of the slope to collect tolls.
Passing through a couple of cedar trees that rise like gateposts on both sides of the slope, visitors follow a stone-paved path through deep cedar groves several hundred years old, with the last of the 99 Oji shrines, the Tatuki Oji, by their side.
The couple cedars are approximately 800 years old and stand 54.5 meters tall, with a trunk circumference of 8.5 meters at breast height and branch beams of 13 meters.
The rows of cedar trees that follow the couple cedars are said to be 200 to 300 years old, with about 200 trees growing on both sides of the stone pavement, and are designated as a natural monument by the prefecture.
The stone pavement is moss-covered, and the cedar-lined avenue is quiet even during the daytime, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering through the trees.
Along the way, there are the ruins of the Osaka-ya Ryokan, where Minakata Kumagusu stayed for three years for his research, and the ruins of the 11-bunseki, a barrier where tolls were collected.
The first of the 33 temples in the western part of Japan, Nachisan Seigantoji Temple, and Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, one of the Kumano Sanzan, are located next to each other on the hill, and the 133-meter-high Nachi Waterfall, the tallest in Japan, is just a short walk away.
The course to Nachi-taisha Shrine via Daimon-zaka is an easy walk and is popular among tourists visiting Nachi-Katsuura, as it is easily accessible from the station.
Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
20 min. by Kumano Kotsu Bus from JR Kii-Katsuura Stn. bound for Nachisan → 5 min. walk (about 500 m) from Daimonzaka Bus Stop