pilgrimage to the three main Kumano shrines
Refers specifically to the traditional pilgrimage to the Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山): Kumano Hongū Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha. Often used in historical or religious contexts. The synonymous term 熊野詣で (くまのもうで) is also common.
See also: 熊野詣で
In the Heian period, aristocrats went on pilgrimages to the three main Kumano shrines.
Synonymous; 熊野詣で is a more traditional or literary term for the same pilgrimage, often used in classical contexts.
Compound of 熊野 (Kumano, the region in Wakayama Prefecture) and 参詣 (pilgrimage, visiting a shrine or temple). The term is historically associated with the Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage route.