27 May, Monday

Photo By: chopsticksontheloose


JAPAN, Wakayama – The beautiful Nachi Falls is a popular attraction for both visitors and adherents of Japan’s traditional religious practices. The site, known as Kumano Nachi Taisha, is a collection of shrines and temples that serve both traditional Shinto as well as Buddhist needs.

This harmonious pairing is a result of Buddhism’s peaceable integration with Japanese native belief system when it was first introduced to the country. Today, both religions enjoy popular acceptance by the masses, leading the Japanese to say they ‘live as Shintoists and die as Buddhists’.

With a height of 133m, Nachi Falls is Japan’s tallest waterfall. Its daunting height make it a challenging candidate for the uniquely Japanese practice of takigyo (waterfall meditation). But fret not – contemplating nature to perceive the divine is also a valid path to enlightenment.

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