Dramatically perched on a tree-covered ridge, Hongu Taisha is the spiritual climax of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage and one of the three grand shrines of the Kumano faith. After days of walking through forested mountains, pilgrims arrive here and the emotional weight of the journey hits. The shrine buildings are classically austere, framed by ancient cedars, and the torii gate behind the heritage centre is Japan's largest — 39.9 metres of dramatic black steel rising from rice paddies. The Kumano faith is deliberately undefined and universally open, making this one of the few sacred sites that welcomes any interpretation.