Hana no Iwaya Shrine 花の窟神社

Hana no Iwaya is one of Japan’s oldest shrines and is written about in the “Nihon Shoki”, the second-oldest book of Japanese history. The main point of worship is a 45-meter high rock that towers over visitors as they stand at the base of the rock face.

The shrine is dedicated to a towering 45-meter high rock that looms over visitors as they approach and enter the enclosed area at the base of the rock. Worshippers from across Japan are drawn to pray at the base of the immense rock on the picturesque Mie coast.
Twice a year in February and October, the shrine hosts a festival featuring a rope hanging ritual where worshippers suspend a 170-meter long rope from the top of the massive sacred rock to a tree.
There is no charge for visitors to enter the shrine and there is an extensive gift shop near the entrance with products for all budgets and interests. For visitors traveling by car, there is also a free parking lot adjacent to the shrine entrance.

Address
熊野市有馬町　
Phone
0597-89-0100
Official website
Visit Website
Online reviews (TripAdvisor)
Visit Website
Price
Free
Access by public transportation
About 15 minutes on foot from Kumanoshi Station.
〈Access to “Kumanoshi” Station〉
[From Osaka] Take about 4 and a half hours by Kintetsu and JR Railway.
[From Nagoya] Take about 3 and a half hours by JR Railway.

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