Kawagoe Kumano Jinja

Kawagoe Kumano Jinja is an ancient shrine that was invited from the Kumano Hongu Taisha in Kii Province during the Heian period, watching over the city of Kawagoe. It enshrines the deities of the Three Sacred Mountains of Kumano and has been cherished by people since ancient times for its divine blessings of good fortune and matchmaking. This shrine is particularly famous for the "foot-stepping health road," a unique pilgrimage practice where visitors walk barefoot on the stone path within the precincts to pray for improved fortune in health. The eight-legged crow (Yatagarasu) is revered as a guiding deity, said to dispel life's confusion and lead one toward the correct path. Located in central Kawagoe yet maintaining a calm atmosphere, it continues to be beloved as an accessible and warm shrine for local residents.