Takijiri-ōji

Kii Peninsula

LoginSave

Takijiri-ōji is one of five major ōji (smaller shrines along the Kumano Kodō). It marks the beginning of the passage into the mountains and today serves as the trailhead for the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodō. It was once a grand affair, where pilgrims in the 12th and 13th centuries performed ablutions before setting out (the river waters to the right were said to have healing powers), but it's now rather humble.

It's a 40-minute bus ride here from Kii-Tanabe Station; take a Hongū- or Shingū-bound bus for Takajiri (¥960).

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Nachi, Japan at the pagoda of Seigantoji and Nachi no Taki waterfall.; Shutterstock ID 693876538; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Kii Peninsula page online images for BiT

    Nachi-no-taki

    21.4 MILES

    At 133m, Nachi-no-taki is Japan's highest waterfall. It's the first of many still deeper in the Nachi mountains and has long been used in ascetic training.

  • Kumano Hongū Taisha

    Kumano Hongū Taisha

    15.75 MILES

    Kumano Hongū Taisha is one of the Kumano Sanzan (three great shrines of Kumano) and if you're following the traditional pilgrim route, it's the first one…

  • Shirara Beach, Wakayama, Japan

    Shirara-hama

    11.85 MILES

    Shirahama's main beach is famous for its white sand – though what's there now was imported from Perth in the '90s, as the original sand was lost to…

  • WAKAYAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 29: Danjo Garan Temple in Wakayama, Japan on October 29, 2014. Established in 816 by priest "Kukai" as meditating place and it's a part of Kongobuji temple in Mt. Koya; Shutterstock ID 303576560; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Kii Peninsula page online images for BiT

    Garan

    29.65 MILES

    The name of this temple, which is sometimes called Danjo Garan or Dai Garan, derives from the Sanskrit saṅghārāma, which means monastery. With eight…

  • A view of the zen garden of the Kongobuji temple, Koyasan, Japan; Shutterstock ID 59794360; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Kii Peninsula page online images for BiT

    Kongōbu-ji

    29.76 MILES

    This is the headquarters of the Shingon sect and the residence of Kōya-san's abbot. The main gate is the temple's oldest structure (1593); the present…

  • WAKAYAMA, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 19, 2015: Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine located in Nachi Katsuura Town, it's one the three most important Grand Shrines of Kumano region; Shutterstock ID 395348893; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Kii Peninsula page online images for BiT

    Kumano Nachi Taisha

    20.55 MILES

    Built on the side of a mountain, facing the waterfall Nachi-no-taki, this shrine is one of Kii's most spiritual places, a site of ancient nature worship…

  • Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan; Shutterstock ID 681671041; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Kii Peninsula page online images for BiT

    Kumano Hayatama Taisha

    26.57 MILES

    Located at the mouth of the Kumano-gawa, Kumano Hayatama Taisha is one of the Kumano Sanzan (three sacred shrines of Kumano), enshrining Hayatama-no-Okami…

  • Konpon Daito Pagoda at Danjo Garan Temple, Mount Koya, Wakayama, Japan; Shutterstock ID 661087084; Your name (First / Last): Laura Crawford; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Kii Peninsula page online images for BiT

    Konpon Daitō

    29.68 MILES

    The most interesting structure at the Garan is the Konpon Daitō, a 50m-tall, bright-vermilion pagoda seated at what is considered to be the centre of the…

View more attractions

Nearby Kii Peninsula attractions

1. Shirara-hama

11.85 MILES

Shirahama's main beach is famous for its white sand – though what's there now was imported from Perth in the '90s, as the original sand was lost to…

2. Senjō-jiki

12.87 MILES

Senjō-jiki is a wildly eroded point with layer after horizontal layer of stratified rock; this explains its name in Japanese, which translates to Thousand…

3. Sandan-beki

12.97 MILES

Sandan-beki is a 50m cliff face that drops away vertiginously into the sea – a particularly awesome sight when the big rollers are pounding in from the…

4. Hosshinmon-ōji

14.23 MILES

The last of the five major ōji (smaller shrines along the Kumano Kodō) before Kumano Hongū Taisha, Hosshinmon-ōji marks the outer limits of the grand…

5. Tōkō-ji

14.69 MILES

This temple in the middle of Yunomine Onsen is just above Tsubo-yu Onsen, and like many hot springs adjacent to temples, is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai,…

6. Ōtorii

15.71 MILES

In 2000 this giant torii (entrance gate to a Shintō shrine) – 33.9m tall and 42m wide, made out of steel, painted dramatic black and the largest in Japan …

7. Kumano Hongū Taisha

15.75 MILES

Kumano Hongū Taisha is one of the Kumano Sanzan (three great shrines of Kumano) and if you're following the traditional pilgrim route, it's the first one…

8. Kumano Hongū Heritage Centre

15.83 MILES

Part museum, part visitor centre, this contemporary multimedia complex has exhibits about Kumano's culture and natural environment, plus English-speaking…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "japan/kumano-kodo/attractions/takijiri-oji/a/poi-sig/1541802/1342694",
  "destination": "Kii-Peninsula",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Japan",
  "region": "Kii-Peninsula",
  "position": "superzone"
}