Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine

It is the center of the "Kumano Sanzan" (Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, and Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine) and the head shrine of thousands of Kumano shrines throughout Japan. The shrine pavilionare the only ones built of white wood among the Kumano Sanzan shrines and are believed to be the deities of traffic safety, great fishing satisfaction, family happiness, conjugal harmony, and longevity. The three-legged crow "Yatagarasu," which can be seen throughout the shrine grounds, is a messenger of God who is said to guide things in the right direction and is also well known as the symbol of the Japanese National Soccer Team.