Hitotsutaki Jinja

A rare shrine that enshrines the Nachi Waterfall itself, one of Japan's three most famous waterfalls, as its sacred body. The magnificent waterfall, which falls from a height of 133 meters, has been revered since ancient times as a sacred place where divinity dwells. It is said that En no Gyoja, the founder of Shugendo, also practiced asceticism here. During the Heian period, it was an important pilgrimage site for the Kumano pilgrimage, visited by many imperial family members and nobility. The waterfall's water has been believed to possess spiritual power for longevity and healing of illness, and people have long visited seeking cure from diseases. Currently, at the Nachi Fire Festival each July, gratitude and prayers are offered to the waterfall, and sacred rituals renewing reverence for nature are performed.