During a pilgrimage to Kumano (熊野), the kami deity enshrined there revealed to Ippen that enlightenment was determined by Amida Buddha (阿弥陀) and that Ippen should devote himself to preaching the importance of reciting the name of Amida, nembutsu (念仏).
The symbol of the JFA is the Yatagarasu, a mythical three-legged raven that guided Emperor Jimmu to Mount Kumano.
Other stories tell that the man was visited by an avatar of Kumano, who commanded the spiritual protection of the nation, and that, the man having related such to the royal government, the shrine was erected.
Meeting up with Yasuke, Yazaemon then reveals to the audience Yasuke's identity as the general Taira no Koremori, father of Rokudai and husband of Naishi, who he came across in Kumano and took into his home.
Kumano |
Deities enshrined here include Ame-no-Koyane no mikoto (天児屋根命), Kumano no ookami (熊野大神), Itsukushima no ookami (厳島大神), Ookuninushi no mikoto (大国主命), Tenjin (Sugawara no Michizane, 菅原大神), Hachiman (八幡大神), Kotohira ookami (琴平大神), Susanoo no mikoto (素盞鳴男命) and Mikumari no kami (天水分大神).
The Kumano Nachi Taisha, one of the three Kumano Shrines, is in Nachi Katsuura.