Visit Wakayama

Located next to Kumano Sansho Grand Shrine, also known as Hama-no-miya Oji, Fudarakusan-ji Temple is a branch temple of  Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple. It offers a glimpse into the history of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range,” and its principal image, a Thousand-Armed Kannon, is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

In the past, the beach extended right up to the front of the temple. For approximately 1,000 years, beginning in 868, monks departed from this spot on a perilous ascetic journey known as Fudaraku Tokai. They set sail in search of Mount Fudaraku, believed to lie across the Southern Sea and to be the Pure Land of Kannon.

The monks are said to have boarded boats carrying only a small supply of provisions, after the doors had been nailed shut from the outside. Once at sea, they embarked on a voyage from which there was no return.

Within the temple grounds, a replica of one of these boats is on display. There is also a stone monument engraved with the names of the monks who are said to have set sail from Nachi Beach. Why not take a moment to reflect on this extraordinary history of faith and self-sacrifice?