On the morning of October 6th, the day after we had received the consent of the two shrines the day before,

We happened to look up at the eastern sky and saw the same rainbow circle that Shiozawa had painted in the

Dedicated painting to Kumano Hongu Taisha. It was a strange phenomenon, but it made us feel happy, as if we had received the approval of Susanoo.

Well, October 6^th was a tough day to start with a visit to Kamikura Shrine.

This shrine is located on top of a steep cliff called Amanoiwadate, and the deity Gotobiki Rock is located at the top of 538 steep stone steps(the incline feels like an 80 degree angle.)

It was founded in 128AD. As the sun sets, 2000 men in white robes and tied with rough ropes run down the steep stone steps with torches in hand, cheering from the top of the mountain in unison in the “Oto Festival”. It is a festival to welcome the new year’s fire. The Japanese spirit in this festival may seem insane to other countries, but I feel the reliability of the mysterious power of Japan has been passed down.

Finally, we returned to Oyunohara in Kumano Hongu. This place was on an island in the river and has 12 shrine buildings, but in 1889 most of the shrine buildings of Hongu Taisha were destroyed and washed away in a major flood. It is said that in the Totsukawa River upstream, burials at sea used to be performed. It is said that the bones of the bodies that were washed away here ended up here, forming the island. Today, Oyunohara is a flat area surrounded by trees and full of greenery, and it remains a sacred space where the gods are enshrined.

What was the rain yesterday? The tallest torii gate in Japan at Kumano Hongu stood up against the clear blue sky, as if it was protecting us. After our trip to Kumano, we reaffirmed that our task is to restore and revive the strength of the mystical Japan.