2 Best Sights in Nagoya, Ise-Shima, and the Kii Peninsula, Japan

Although the buildings here are modern re-creations, this great shrine is said to have been located here since at least the 12th century, and is steeped in much Shinto mythology. A sacred stone found here was said to have once carried three Shinto deities to Earth.

Of the three Kumano Sanzan grand shrines, Hongu-taisha is the most revered, being the head shrine of some 3,000 Kumano shrines nationwide. It's also the one hidden deepest in the Kii Peninsula's interior. With its understated wooden structures and thatched roofs, it blends in perfectly with the giant cedars that surround it. What would have once been an arduous trek through mountain and forest is now a straightforward trip on public transport (though people still walk the pilgrimage trails). To get there from Shingu, take a bus 80 minutes to the Hongu-taisha-mae bus stop. If you are staying over in Shingu, this is easily done as a day-trip.