Three Days on the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route

It was just after four o’clock when we set off along the Nakahechi branch of the Kumano Kodo towards Takahara. The weather was misty and mild and our starting point was Takijiri-oji, a narrow river valley at the junction of two roads, home to a small shop and a Kumano information centre with exhibits and maps and a staff member who didn’t speak English. We were the only walkers leaving so late in the day (having overslept and been forced to catch a later train from Tokyo.)
 
A small temple at the bottom of the path welcomed visitors and pilgrims and the track was well marked, to the point of having helpful signs saying 'not Kumano Kodo.' The path rose steeply, taking us up through dense forest. Formed steps gave way to natural ones created by a lattice of tree roots and on flatter sections we padded quietly along a leafy path. It was damp but not muddy or sodden, tall pine trees standing sentinel and shrines dotting the way like talismans. 

Shrines appear at regular intervals along the pathway

By quarter past five it began to get dark as it was late autumn, so for the last 20 minutes we walked along the road up to the mountain village of Takahara, known as 'Kiri-no-Sato' (Village in the Mist.) Crickets rustled and burbled in the trees on either side and twice a sound rang out like the cry of a girl, though it must have been a bird.

We phoned our accomodation and a young French woofer came down to meet us on the main street and escorted us up a maze of alleyways to the Organic Hotel. It was homely and welcoming with staff who spoke good English. Making our way down a long corridor we caught glimpses of spacious traditional rooms with tatami mats and futons.

Unfortunately we wouldn't be staying in any of those, but outside the main building, in what the owner had called when I’d rung a couple of weeks beforehand a “tiny hut” - all they had left.

Wow, it was tiny alright: not much more than an arms width with a narrow, hard bed and a shared shower and toilet in the main building. My heart sank. Mr T grimaced. But our restless night’s sleep was yet to come. For now, we donned our Yukata's, (casual cotton kimonos worn with a quilted jacked over top,) and trotted down to the onsen for a pre-dinner soak; it had been a very long day’s travel from Tokyo to Takahara. Happily, we got to wear our Yukata's to dinner along with the other guests which made us feel both at home and a bit strange, like eating a formal meal in your dressing gown.

This steep stone staircase leads towards the pagoda at Nachi Taisha

Blue skies dawned the following morning and after a healthy set breakfast of rice, pickled vegetables and fish we shook off our terrible night’s sleep and rejoined the path.

It took us again into shady forest, the little shrines appearing at regular intervals. By midday we’d dropped down into a broad river valley with the small Chikatsuyu village alongside and many persimmon trees laden with fruit. A little old man and a little old lady cooked us steaming bowls of pork ramen but took little interest in us otherwise, busy chatting with their retired friends.

An hour or so later we came across a teashop in the forest where the friendly attendant asked where we were heading. When we said Hongu Taisha, one of the three famous shrines on the Kumano Kodo, she looked worried and told us it was at least six hours walk away. We’d have to catch a bus. She gave us a cup of green tea and directed us towards the road where we’d find the bus stop.

A roadside store in Chikatsuyu village. Persimmons are abundant during autumn

We walked and walked through early afternoon sunshine, then took a shortcut through the forest which turned out to be in the wrong direction, reversed our steps and rejoined the road before finally flagging down a little white van to ask directions. The driver was a young gardener in a hurry but he looked amused and told us to jump in and he’d take us to the bus stop.

I climbed in the back with spades, rakes and clippers and five minutes later we were dropped on the side of the road - still in the middle of nowhere. We thanked him effusively and waited a while but when no bus appeared stuck our thumbs out as a car rounded the corner. It stopped and the young driver happened to be heading in the direction of Hongu Taisha and said he would drop us there. Praise be for the helpful Japanese!

It was after 3.30pm by the time we got to Hongu and we had to race around the vastly impressive shrine in order to catch the 4pm bus to Shingu, a seaside town at the mouth of the Kumano-gawa river where we were staying that night. 

The magnificent temple at Hongu Taisha

What a pleasant late-afternoon bus ride it was. 

Resting our tired bodies, taking in views of the river out the window and opposite us a group of women, old school friends who got together annually and this year were visiting the shrines of the Kumano Kodo. They spoke some English and we had lots of laughs chatting with them on the hour-long ride.

By the time we got to Shingu it was almost dark and we were bushed. Unfortunately I’d booked a resort 25 minutes out of town and when the taxi deposited us we found the on-site restaurant was fully booked and there was nowhere else to eat within walking distance. Smoke started to come out of Mr T’s ears. We finally negotiated for the resort shuttle to drop us at a strip of neighbourhood restaurants; unfortunately none of the staff spoke English so Mr T dashed off and found a bemused diner who could translate for us.

Friendly fellow travellers on the bus to Shingu

The next day we picked up a rental car and drove to see the two other Grand Shrines of Kumano. Hayatamai Taisha is in Shingu itself, and nearby Nachi Taisha sits on a mountainside facing the tallest waterfall in Japan. We marvelled at the beautiful orange pavilion, bought delicious black sesame and plum ice-creams and bumped into our friends from the bus before parting ways with the Kumano and heading for Nara. Our Kumano experience was speedy but we loved being able to get a taste of Japan's rural and spiritual heritage, an antidote to the hustle and bustle of the cities.
 
You could spend a day or a week on the UNESCO World Heritage listed Kumano Kodo: walking, visiting temples, eating fresh local food, staying in traditional onsen and experiencing its wonderful connection between nature and culture. Community based www.kumano-travel.com offers an online reservation system for booking accommodation, tours and activities, travel and luggage services and model itineraries.