he Kumano Hongu Shrine Spring Festival, held every year from April 13 to 15, is one of the most important Shinto events in Wakayama Prefecture. It takes place at Kumano Hongu Shrine, one of the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano and a key site along the Nakahechi Route of the Kumano Kodo, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unlike large-scale festivals in urban areas, this is a smaller, community-based event with fewer tourists.

Visitors can take part in traditional Shinto rituals passed down through generations. The festival honors the deities of Kumano and marks the arrival of spring through purification ceremonies, processions and spiritual performances. It’s the perfect reason to venture off the beaten path into Wakayama’s mystical mountains.

On April 13, the festival begins with Yunobori Shinji, a traditional pilgrimage and purification ritual. Fathers and their sons gather at Yunomine Onsen to cleanse themselves in its sacred waters. Dressed in white robes, they walk together along the Dainichi-goe, a steep section of the Kumano Kodo. The young boys are carried for the entire route since their feet are not allowed to touch the ground. The procession ends at Oyunohara, the original site of Kumano Hongu Shrine.

On April 15, the main event takes place. A mikoshi (portable shrine) houses the deities of Kumano Hongu Shrine. Local participants carry the mikoshi from the shrine to Oyunohara, making their way through the town in a lively procession. Along the route, the shrine shaken and spun at certain points to purify the surroundings. Once it arrives at Oyunohara, a series of Shinto rituals are performed.

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