Dare to take the challenge? Japan’s vertical “Rocky Heaven Road” leads to a heavenly cliffside spot with endless blue seas

Reported and photographed by reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Japan

To enjoy hidden scenic wonders, sometimes you have to trek through mountains and rivers to reap the rewards of your hard work. In Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, there is a Kumano Shrine built into a mountainside. Visitors must climb up the nearly vertical “Rocky Heaven Road” using both hands and feet to reach the shrine, and from this vantage point, they can admire the stunning blue coastline of the Pacific Ocean and a panoramic view of Shingu City.

▲ From Kumano Shrine, you can overlook the scenery of Shingu City and the blue Pacific coastline.

▲ View from the entrance of Kumano Shrine.

▲ The path leading to Kumano Shrine is almost a vertically ascending “Rocky Heaven Road.”

Kumano Shrine is said to be the place where the Kumano Grand Deity first descended to Earth and is also the original site of Hayatama Taisha, one of the Three Kumano Shrines. It is regarded as an important sacred site by the Japanese.

But getting to Kumano Shrine is no easy feat. After passing through the torii gate, there is a stone path that winds gradually uphill along the mountainside. Following the terrain, the path becomes almost vertical in places. Due to its irregular shape and varying widths, every step requires caution and the use of both hands and feet. When you look back, the starting point is nowhere to be seen—earning it the name “Rocky Heaven Road.” For this reason, the shrine provides free bamboo walking sticks at the entrance for visitors.

▲ To make walking easier, free bamboo sticks are provided.

▲ The nearly vertical stone path requires careful steps at every move.

▲ You have to use both hands and feet to climb upwards.

But once you reach the main hall of Kumano Shrine, all the effort is worth it. From the shrine, you can take in the full view of Shingu City, and in the distance, the blue Pacific coastline stretches endlessly toward the horizon. This beautiful sight has even been chosen by travelers worldwide as one of the Japanese spots they’d love to visit again.

▲ Kumano Shrine.

▲ The view of Shingu City and the Pacific Ocean from Kumano Shrine.

Every year on February 6th, Kumano Shrine holds the “Torch Festival,” a celebration that only men are allowed to attend. Thousands gather within the shrine grounds, and when the time comes, everyone raises their torches and runs down the stone path from the shrine hall. The bright flames light up the entire mountain path, resembling a fire dragon winding through the hills. It’s a significant local event, but women are not permitted to enter the shrine to watch the festival on this day.

▲ Come to Kumano Shrine and enjoy the serenity and beauty.

Kumano Shrine
Address: 1-13-8 Kamikura, Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Transportation: A 30-minute walk from JR Shingu Station