One of five important Oji shrines along the Kumano Kodo, Takijiri-oji marks the beginning of the pilgrimage's passage from the civilized world into the sacred mountains. For over a thousand years, pilgrims have paused here to purify themselves before the climb ahead. The small shrine sits at the confluence of two rivers, surrounded by towering cedars, and the sense of transition — from ordinary to sacred — is immediate and almost physical. If you're walking the classic route from Tanabe, this is your departure point into a landscape that hasn't fundamentally changed since the medieval era.