Kumano Shrine (熊野神社, Kumano-jinja) is a historic Shinto shrine in the Miyauchi neighborhood of the city of Nan'yō, Yamagata, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. It is commonly referred to as the "Kumano Taisha", although the shrine does not officially have a "Taisha" designation. The shrine is one of the three main centers of the Kumano cult within Shinto.
Two main features of the shrine are a giant tree which locals believe to be several hundred years old, and a traditional tsurigane (釣り鐘) bell. The bell is unique because during World War II, most large iron bells in Japan were melted down for their material. The bell at the shrine was saved by order of the Emperor, and is thus one of the few original preserved bells in Japan.[citation needed]
The Kumano-Taisha festival is held at the shrine each year on July 25.[1]
