Enjoying our tofu hotpot as we wrapped up our meal
first day’s hike
, our host began playing music. He picked up his three-stringed instrument, the
sanshin
, looks like a banjo but has its body adorned with snake skin. They claim it echoes the voices of the gods, which felt fitting as we were walking along the Kumano Kodo.
Japan
’s ancient pilgrimage route.
Kohei Yuri explained to us that he and his wife had come to the Kii Peninsula to get away from the noise of urban Japanese life. Their minshuku, or family-run guesthouse, is one of a small number of overnight spots on a trail that is
Japan
’s equivalent of
Spain
’s
Camino de Santiago
, the iconic trail for long-distance hiking.
Apart from Spain, you won’t find yourself soaking your weary feet in the warm waters of Kawayu Onsen, a natural hot spring situated along the Ota River. While making our way through the mist and treacherous stairs, we encountered two women hailing from a nearby city.
Shanghai
Who mention that they visit as frequently as possible to evade the pressures of their job and the expectations to marry at home. Lying beneath the night sky during wintertime seems to spark discussions with people they’ve just met.
For some time now,
Japan has long been a favoreddestination.
For travelers from around the globe, many regions, particularly extensive sections of Tokyo and Kyoto, are struggling beneath the burden of excessive visitors.
overtourism
Ski resorts are facing comparable problems.
The Kumano Kodo has been a sacred trail for more than a millennium and seems destined to stay that way, partly due to the restricted number of places to lodge along its course. The route is highly organized, featuring reliable bus services linking walking paths to accommodations. Additionally, clear signage marked with brown wood panels displaying directions in both Japanese and English makes navigation straightforward and minimizes chances of getting lost. Visitors are advised to refrain from loud behavior to fully immerse themselves in the serene environment and untouched natural beauty surrounding them.
The Nakahechi route, typically taken by most travelers, begins following a brief bus journey and heads eastward from Takijiri’s start point. Post a strenuous ascent, you must navigate your way through a large rock situated centrally along the trail, referred to as “the womb.” While it’s possible to bypass this obstacle via a minor diversion, I opted for squeezing my body through the narrow passage to undergo what felt like an unconventional yet spiritually renewing rite of passage, regardless of how ungraceful it might appear.
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Followers of
Shintoism
Shinto, Japan’s native faith, venerates Kami—deities thought to dwell within nature—and the Kumano area is renowned for having an exceptionally high concentration of these entities. As one traverses this historic route, it becomes clear why such spiritual significance has been attributed to it. Large sections of the trail meander through dense woodlands; however, at certain junctures, it opens up dramatically, revealing breathtaking panoramas of the sprawling mountains stretching out ahead.
The path can be challenging in certain sections, yet for the most part, it remains quite manageable. We seldom encountered fellow hikers, and whenever we did, they usually lingered briefly, giving us space to proceed individually as everyone seemed absorbed in their own reflections.
The route concludes with the breathtaking Nachi Falls, the highest waterfall in Japan. Typically, hikers require around five days to complete the 70-kilometer trek. However, some attempt to finish it within just two days, which feels somewhat regrettable due to the numerous vantage points and tiny shrines scattered throughout the journey.
We took transportation for approximately one-third of the journey due to limited time, but we made sure to spend ample time at the three significant shrines: Hongu Taisha, which serves as the central hub of the trail; Hayatama Taisha, located nearby the seaside city of Shingu just off the path; and Nachi Taisha, the concluding destination of our pilgrimage with its breathtaking view of the waterfall.
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Collected together as Kumano Sanzan, these
sohonsha
(“head shrines”) serve as the spiritual core of Shingon Buddhism, founded in the 9th century. The whole region was designated as
UNESCO world heritage site
In 2004, this was a well-earned prestigious position.
The hike itself is breathtaking, yet what lingers most vividly in my memory are the more intimate moments encountered en route – purchasing handcrafted wooden items from a local vendor and catching sight of a traditional wedding ceremony as I walked through the area.
Shinto
shrine.
One particularly heartwarming instance occurred when we missed our bus and had to wait more than an hour for the next one. We walked along a quiet country path until we discovered a small café. A young couple ran this place just so they could offer us tea and muffins. They passed the time with us by sharing music from Japanese rapper Ten’s Unique, attempting to decipher the lyrics together. This detour away from both our planned itinerary and the spiritual atmosphere of the Kumano shrines introduced a distinct sort of rustic appeal all its own.
How to do it
It is recommended to make reservations in advance to secure lodging options. Various firms offer services for planning your journey, such as arranging luggage pick-up every morning. Navigating via trains is straightforward. You start at a location accessible within roughly two hours by rail along the western side of the Kii Peninsula from Osaka (slightly more time required when departing from Kyoto), leading to the city of Kii Tanabe. At the opposite end, situated on the eastern coastline, lies the harbor town of Kii Katsuura (famous for serving top-quality tuna through its fish market). Following this leg of our trip, we continued onward toward Nagoya using an extended railway route before switching to the Shinkansen, Japan’s renowned high-speed train service, which brought us back into the heart of Tokyo.
John Kampfner’s journey was backed by
Japan Experience
To learn more, visit
Visit Kii
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