What is the Kumano Kodo?
The pilgrimage routes to the Kumano Sanzan, the three Grand Shrines (Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, and Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine) are collectively known as the Kumano Kodo. The Kumano Kodo is the official routes of pilgrimages made by retired emperors and aristocrats during the 9th-12th centuries.
During April and May 2019, I plan to walk three of these routes, the Nakahechi route, the Kohechi route and the Iseji route, and in addition the 24km Koyasan Choishimichi route from Koyasan to Hashimoto.
The Kumano Kodo consists of six pilgrimage routes: the Iseji route, which leads from Ise-Jingu shrine to the Kumano Sanzan; the Kiiji route, which connects Kyoto and Osaka to Kumano; the Nakahechi route, which extends east from Tanabe City; the Kohechi route, which connects Koyasan to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine; the Omine Okugakemichi route, which connects Yoshino and Kumano to the Kumano Sanzan; and the Ohechi route, which runs along the coastline from Tanabe City.
Nakahechi Route
This pilgrimage route starts east from Tanabe in the western part of Wakayama Prefecture to the Kii mountain range, heading toward the Kumano Sanzan. It was the official route of the Kumano Kodo, a pilgrimage made by the retired emperor and aristocrats during the 9th-12th centuries.
The route is split into 3 parts. The first part, the main route from Takijiri-Oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha – one of the three Grand Shrines, covers 39 km, with a total elevation gain of ca. 2600 m (i.e. for ca. 19 km one walks upwards and the cumulative gain in elevation during those 19 km is 2,4 km).
The second part is the Kogumotori-goe, between Ukegawa and Koguchi, a total of 12,6 km (plus a 45 min walk from the Shrine) with a total elevation gain of 670m. The third part is the Ogumotori-goe between Koguchi and the Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, a total of 14km with an elevation gain of 1260 m. In olden days pilgrims walked from Tanabe to Takijiri-oji and from the Kumano Nachi Taishi Grand Shrine to the Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine.
Day 1: Kii-Tanabe to Tsugizakura April 25, 2019 It rained heavily all evening and into the night, so it was going to be humid today - and it was. I had set my alarm for 6.30, in time for breakfast at 7.00 and the bus at 8.02 - the girl in the tourist office had been very specific that it was 8.02, after… Read more >
Day 2: Tsugizakura to Hongu April 26, 2019 I slept well, woken by the rain and coughing in the neighbouring room - the walls are very thin! I was up at 6.30 and there was yet another feast for breakfast, where the chef has combined a European breakfast and Japanese breakfast, served in the Japanese way. After paying for the beer I had… Read more >
Day 9: Hongu to Koguchi May 3, 2019 Today was a really short hike, 13 km plus a couple more to get to the trail head at Ukegawa. Despite todays highest point being 466m, elevation gain only 670m and loss 690m, my legs just didn’t want to walk today, so it felt like hard work. I’d ordered breakfast for 7.00 as I was… Read more >
Day 10: Koguchi to Nachi May 4, 2019 I know it wasn’t the food they serve here; it could be the good nights sleep; or it could be the Pocari Sweat I wrote about yesterday. Whatever it was, my legs were in fine form today. People were already up at 5.30. As one is not allowed to wear your outdoor shoes indoors, one… Read more >
Kohechi Route
The Kohechi route is the shortest pilgrimage trail, connecting two sacred sites, Koyasan, the center of Shingon Buddhism, and Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine. The trail is about 70 km long, and traverses three passes that each are over 1,000 meters in elevation, the Obako-toge pass, the Miura-toge pass, and the Hatenashi-toge pass. This route is very rugged and steep, but the path is made clear by many ancient signposts, known as cho-ishi, along the way. There are also thirty-three stone Kannon statues lining the Hatenashi-toge pass to heal climbers’ fatigue.
The first leg to Totsukawa village is 16km with an elevation gain of 1170 m. The second leg to Miura-Guchi, over the Miura-toge pass, is a 18 km hike with an elevation gain of 1050 m – where the first 5 km are flat, before the climb to over 1000 m. The third leg to Omata over Obako-toge pass, a total of 14,5 km, with an elevation gain of 1090 m, and the highest point over 1200 m. The final leg goes to Koyasan traversing Mt. Mizugamine, 17 km with an elevation gain of 840 m.
Day 3: Hongu to Totsukawa Onsen April 27, 2019 After two days on the Nakahechi route, to which I will return later, I am now walking north along the Kohechi route. The Kohechi route was established in the 13th century as a trade and pilgrimage route, joining Koyasan and Hongu. As such the route is “only” ca.70 km long, but it crosses over four… Read more >
Day 4: Totsukawa to Miura-guchi April 28, 2019 Another long walk. Today was ca. 20 km on the route, and 3 more due to the place I am staying being a couple of kms off the track. The day started with breakfast at the hotel, western style, still with a Japanese touch, but egg and bacon as well as ham, salad, yoghurt and… Read more >
Day 5: Miura-guchi to Omata April 29, 2019 After forgetting the picture of dinner, here is what was served for breakfast. After goodbyes and paying for the two (large) glasses of sake consumed for dinner, the owner drove us to the Minshuku where the rest of the group from Estonia were staying. As I was also about to get out, but the driver… Read more >
Day 6: Omata to Koyasan April 30, 2019 I ended my post yesterday mentioning I would be walking in rain today. Well apart from 3 minutes drizzle, it was a pleasant walk in dry weather. It has however rained off and on since I arrived in Koyasan at 13.30, but not to heavily. Last time I was here it absolutely poured, so this… Read more >
Koyasan Choishimichi
When I visited Koyasan in 2018, following completion of my pilgrimage in Shikoku, I had planned to walk the 24 km Choishimichi route up to Koyasan. However, due to torrential rain, this was not possible, and walking down the next days was also not advised following the rainfall. So this year, my plan is to take this route the 24 km down from Koyasan. The trail is marked by stone signposts (choishi) which stand every few hundred meters along the path so that pilgrims can find their way. The markers are numbered (in kanji) with number one at Koyasan and are formed to represent the five Buddhist elements: earth, water, fire, air and void.
Day 7: Koyasan to Hashimoto May 1, 2019 Today I started the day by making a wrong decision. Going back a year, I was in Koyasan and had planned to walk the Choisi-michi trail between Kudoyama and Koyasan. However, I abandoned the idea due to torrential rain. So I planned to do it today instead. Unfortunately the weather report mentioned rain, so last night I… Read more >
Day 8: Hashimoto to Hongu May 2, 2019 Today was a transport and rest day. I slept well and was up at 7.30 and on the road by 8.45 after a standard hotel breakfast. I walked the 20 mins to the station, stopped off at the baker to buy some lunch and took the 9.30 train from Hashimoto, for four stops to Gojo.… Read more >
Iseji
The Iseji pilgrimage route is approximately 170 km long, 7 day hike, leading from Ise-Jingu Shrine to the Kumano Sanzan. During the Edo period, pilgrims often used this route when visiting the 33 temples in the Kansai area, known as the Kansai 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, after worshipping at Ise-Jingu Shrine. The pilgim route splits at Hanano-iwaya. The southern route of Hamakaido (south) route, travels along the coast to Shingu and the Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, whilst the northern routre the Hongudo route, which leads into the mountains and merges with the Kogumotori-goe section of the Nakahechi trail (described above).
Read the Iseji posts
Day 11: Ise May 5, 2019 Today was tourist day. Whilst it’s fine being alone when walking, being a tourist is more fun when you have somebody to share it with. But it has been an interesting day in bright sunshine. The motive on man hole cover symbolises my first stop today. I was up at seven to be in plenty… Read more >
Day 12: Ise to Tochihara May 6, 2019 Now I remember why I enjoyed walking on Shikoku, because the landscape is varied, not just forest. I walked 28 km, and not least when I came to the outscirts of Ise, the scenery was fantastic. Empty roads. I was up at 7 o’clock, breakfasted and finished yesterday’s blog - I fell asleep before I… Read more >
Day 13: Tochihara to Ise-Kashiwazaki May 7, 2019 Yesterday I realised that walking through small villages and varied scenery was why I loved Shikoku last year. Today I remembered why I took buses and trains on long stretches of main roads. Most of the first 13 kms today were along route 42, with nice views of the mountains, but otherwise just cars and… Read more >
Day 14: Ise-Kashiwazaki to Furusato May 8, 2019 I had a great nights sleep. I’d already dozed of at 21.30 and despite waking up to change the side I was lying on, I slept until 6.30. The futon mattress is so thin, my hips hurt after lying on one side for a few hours. The female owner of the Ryokan served breakfast. She… Read more >
Day 15: Furusato to Owase May 10, 2019 For the third time during the trip I didn’t need to carry my backpack today, as I return to the Royokan I stayed last night. I haven’t at any time felt that the backpack has been a burden, and I didn’t walk any quicker because I was only carrying a day pack. I started the… Read more >
Day 16: Owase to Kata May 10, 2019 I’m writing this feeling very sorry for myself. After a hard day I was looking forward to having a bath. I was sitting on at the station and the train pulled up, a bit early, but sometimes they need to wait for a train coming in the opposite direction, the train was on platform one,… Read more >
Day 17: Kata to Odomari May 12, 2019 It’s Saturday night and I am sitting in the hotel’s launderette, washing clothes for hopefully the last time on this trip. Today was supposed to be a quiet day, but I obviously hadn’t read the trail details, I walked over 8 passes and climbed 1130m. I woke up at 6.30, feeling that I hadn’t slept.… Read more >
Day 18: Odomari to Shingu May 13, 2019 Sunday was the last leg of my walk, from Odomari, where I have slept the past two nights, to Shingu, more specifically the third of the grand shrines of Kumano, the Kumano Hayatama Taisha (the two others being Nachi Taisha and Hongu Taisha, which I visited earlier during my walk. I am writing this Monday… Read more >
Day 19: Kii- Katsuura and Shingu May 14, 2019 I was up early as I wanted to visit the fish auction at 7am. It was beautiful weather as I strolled over to the port and to the visitors section on the second floor. I have absolutely no idea how it works, but fish were inspected carefully, by cutting into the fish near the tail… Read more >
Day 20: Kii-Katsuura to Wakayama May 15, 2019 Today was travel and rain day. The hotel served yet another great meal for breakfast. I cannot recommend the food enough, it really is excellent, but why ketchup on the omelette. I paid my dues at the hotel and walked to the station through the streets that almost feel like home. I really like Kii-Katsuura,… Read more >