It’s 20 years since Japan’s most popular pilgrimage route was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list — and its spiritual pull is as powerful as ever. “Komorebi!” she repeats with delight, doffing her traditional conical-shaped hat as we tiptoe around the puddled path. “It’s a Japanese saying for the light and shadows that pierce through the trees in low sun,” she explains, visibly moved by the conditions. I’m hiking part of the fabled Kumano Kodo, a network of six pilgrimage routes that zigzag across the mountainous Kii Peninsula in southern Honshu. It’s one of just two pilgrimage routes to be designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO — the other being the Camino de Santiago in Spain — and this year marks the 20th anniversary of its listing. Its well-trodden forest paths have remained largely unchanged for more than 1,000 years. “This is the world’s only sacred location where two religions coexist in perfect harmony,” claims Hatsumi, a seasoned Kumano Kodo host, as she pauses on the narrow forest path to unfurl a comically large map. She excitedly points out the end of the Kumano Nakahechi route on the map, some 36 miles away. “The Shinto shrine Kumano Nachi Taisha is further along, and it sits beside the famous three-storied red pagoda at the Seiganto-ji Buddhist temple. Where else would this happen?” Further along the trail, we pass through four miles of forest and find farming villages of traditional minka homes — Japanese wooden farmhouses — flanked by rolling hills of orchards, herb gardens and tea plantations. Silhouetted to the north are the Kii Mountains, a jagged, vegetated range separating us from the sacred Buddhist community of Koyasan, part of the same UNESCO listing as Kumano. We eventually arrive at Kumano Hongu Taisha along with a dozen other weary pilgrims holding hiking poles and trail maps. They are congregating beside a centuries-old cedar tree with a blanket of scribbled leaves at its base. “This is known as the postcard tree,” says Hatsumi, as she rummages around her bag. She tells me the early pilgrims would write prayers on leaves here and leave them to decompose, as another connection to the Earth. Over time, the story inspired other hikers to leave their own natural ‘postcards’. Now it’s my turn, says Hatsumi, passing me a cocktail stick to stencil a message onto a thick, waxy leaf I pluck from the forest floor, before placing it with the others. My back pain subsides as we both wash our hands and mouth to enter the shrine. Perhaps I am reborn, after all. (Available in select countries only).","header":null,"inlineId":"2b394dbb-1709-4360-b564-a04b7c99bab9"}}],"Blockquote":{"disableQuotationMark":true,"simple":true},"datelineSeparator":"—","stripBr":false,"className":"PrismArticleBody DoubleColumn StartsWithInline","hideReadTime":true},"dataConstructorMap":{},"topComponents":[{"name":"PrismArticleLead","data":{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph by Ippei Naoi Getty Images","source":"","text":"The Kumano Kodo trail consists of six pilgrimage routes documenting more than 1,200 years of Shinto and Buddhist history with a collective of shrines the mountainous landscape is dotted with Buddhist shrines Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Katie Chang is a Brooklyn-based travel writer 11:56pm ESTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); 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JTB (Japan Tourist Bureau) has forecasted over 40 million tourists to visit in 2025 that leaves plenty of ground ripe for discovery This is when Kii Peninsula enters the picture and Mie prefectures and mostly covered by the Kii Mountain Range Honshu island’s largest peninsula is Japan’s spiritual heartland it’s home to the revered Shinto shrine Ise Jingu and Kumano Kodo a network of ancient pilgrimage routes connecting Kumano Sanzan the sacred shrine trio of Kumano Hongu Taisha (Kumano Kodo is one of only two UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage routes in the world the other one being Spain’s Camino de Santiago.) but overlooked by tourists in favor of Japan’s bustling urban landscapes Kii Peninsula brims with breathtaking natural beauty—from dense forests It’s a rare place where you can still enjoy an enriching vacation without being elbow-to-elbow with fellow travelers Ahead are recommendations on things to see and eat when visiting Kii Peninsula; you’ll also find a list of hotels since you’ll need a place to recharge following a long day of exploration build your daily itinerary around attractions and accommodations in close proximity to each other Regarding transportation: the JR Kisei Main Line connects major cities and towns along the coast it’s best to hire a driver as many roads in the area are winding and narrow with limited English signage Even if you aren’t an outdoor enthusiast—or don’t have four to six days to spare to hike the popular Nakahechi route in its entirity—exploring a small sliver of Kumano Kodo on foot is a must A manageable half-day hike on Nakahechi includes one that stretches from from Fushiogami-oji—a stone shrine where pilgrims reportedly first spotted Kumano Hongu Taisha—to Kumano Hongu Taisha It guides you deep into the vast forest thick with cypress and cedar trees encouraging a calm and meditative state of mind Visiting Ise Jingu is also a must if you’re interested in Japan’s spiritual roots The revered Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami is actually comprised of 125 smaller shrines and is a terrific way to gain a richer understanding of Japanese culture and values As it’s widely viewed as the spiritual heart and soul of the country many locals aspire to visit Ise Jingu at least once in their lifetime a family-run studio that’s been around since 1887 Nushikuma now managed by the fourth-generation Nushikuma Seko Kii Peninsula’s most unique dining concept is Ama Hut Satoumian a seaside restaurant where retired Ama (female free divers) grill freshly-caught seafood over charcoal in an open-air hut It’s an immersive way to learn about the importance of Ama in Japanese history—and how sadly the practice has dwindled due to climate change and the lack of interest from younger generations of women—while savoring local delicacies like abalone and turban shell (a type of sea snail) a long-running family business and bonito smoking hut that’s currently led by Yukiaki Tenpaku and his daughter You’ll even get the to try freshly made okaka gohan Started in 1875 in Yamaoizu and located in Meiwa, a rural town in Mie Prefecture, Asahi Shuzo is a sixth-generation family-owned sake brewery that continues to do things the slow the company offers just a few fantastic sakes and Kogakkan University (one of the few Japanese colleges with a department for Shinto Studies) the silky-smooth Junmai Daiginjo sake draws inspiration from Saio unmarried imperial princesses who prayed on behalf of the Emperor of Japan at Ise Jingu A private tuna cutting experience at Katsuura Gyoko Nigiwai-Ichiba Kumano-Nachi Taisha might be Nachikatsuura’s claim to fame, but the port town in Wakayama is also famed for its fresh bluefin tuna. If you’re a fan of the fish, put Katsuura Gyoko Nigiwai-Ichiba on your list This lively seaside market is a paradise for seafood lovers: book a private tuna cutting experience—where you’ll sample the freshest nakaochi (medium-fatty tuna scraped from the ribs)—and savor how delectable ocean-fresh never-frozen tuna is in an array of preparations Akizuno Garten in southern Wakayama offers an eco-sustainable way to experience the best of the region The charming complex spans a historic elementary schoolhouse—the interiors remain untouched for a nostalgic feel—eight-room inn featuring tatamis Valencia batake (bakery that hosts dessert workshops) and lunch-only Farmer's Restaurant managed by local mothers The affordable daily buffet is stocked with homey and Ichiya Dofu (freeze-dried tofu simmered in sweet dashi) Perched along scenic Ago Bay and surrounded by tree-covered mountains, Amanemu delivers a luxurious experience that’s equally serene and sublime Just 24 rooms and suites—which are tastefully done up in Japanese blonde woods and natural textiles—ensure a tranquil vibe from start to finish whether you’re tucking into a bountiful Japanese breakfast of local seafood or restoring your body in the spa’s warm onsen pools the focus here is on slowing down and immersing yourself in your spectacular natural surroundings Overlooking Ago Bay, Shima Kanko Hotel—which is split between the Classic and Bay Suites—has attracted guests from all over the world since 1951; it even hosted the 42nd G7 summit in 2016 While the accommodations and public areas are tastefully appointed (think: original art and rich wood finishes) it’s the fine dine eastablishment La Mer that makes staying at the resort especially dreamy longtime chef Hiroe Higuchi sends out artfully composed dishes (with a focus on local seafood) combining French and Japanese flourishes in a posh setting with water views Kumano Club Resort’s address near the Kumano Kodo makes for an easy overnight stop for hikers but its world-class amenities make it appealing for everyone The 40 rooms are spacious and outfitted with residential touches separate bedrooms; some even sport outdoor soaking tubs As Kumano Kodo is a full-service resort with two restaurants and a lounge with complimentary beverages and snacks you’ll find little reason (or desire) to leave after you’ve checked in Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Osaka is receiving its first fresh coat of vermillion paint since its reconstruction in 1972 The repainting has begun on September 1 and is set to run until end-December the time period could change depending on the progress In the meantime, the pagoda is being covered up with scaffolding, but at least the temple has kindly printed a photo of the pagoda on the hoarding.  Four cool festivals to check out in Tokyo this October 19-20 weekend Kumamoto Castle is hosting a temporary sea of clouds installation Shibuya is officially closed for Halloween 2024 Shinjuku now bans public drinking during Halloween 33,000 kochia bushes are now growing at Hitachi Seaside Park near Tokyo Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twittertiktokAbout us Contact us The story of Oguri Hangan is a famous one; "I have to hold out hope miraculously she is still alive that’s the hope I’m holding onto," said Patricia Wu-Murad's husband Japan's frigate Kumano of the Maritime Self-Defense Force was shown to the media at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture on April 23 Kumano can operate with a crew of about 90 about half of that for conventional destroyers as the vessel has systems related to operations and weapons consolidated in the combat command post The frigate also has multiple surveillance cameras that can monitor its surroundings The ship is equipped with mine warfare capability and has enhanced stealth due to special paint coating and other features A more advanced version based on the state-of-the-art Kumano is a finalist for a new addition to the Royal Australian Navy's fleet Australia is expected to choose between a Japanese and a German vessel as its next-generation frigate in the latter half of this year.  About Nippon Television Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information a line of hikers in climbing boots were seen tracing a 2-meter-wide cobblestone trail in a forest with backpacks visitors lined en masse on what is currently known as the Kumano Kodo ancient pilgrimage routes to reach the three Kumano Sanzan shrines The scene was likened to a “line of ants.” pilgrims on foot from across the world are still flocking to courses leading to holy destinations across the Kii Peninsula in western Japan But these destinations are now inscribed collectively on the World Cultural Heritage list July marked the 20th anniversary of the registration of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range Encompassing the three prefectures of Wakayama the cultural landscape represents not only the traditional worship of sanctified areas but also the harmonious fusion of Shinto and Buddhism Since it is rare for routes or paths to be accorded UNESCO World Heritage status an increasing number of visitors from outside Japan are spending several days walking on these mountain trails The foreign visitor number has risen more than 10-fold since the site’s inclusion in the World Heritage list But what is attracting so many pilgrims in particular Figures from the Nakahechi Tourism Association in Tanabe show 80 percent of those traversing one of the Kumano Kodo who traveled there with her family from the United States planned to spend some 10 days to pay their respects at Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine and Mount Koyasan Her aim was experiencing firsthand the pilgrimage on foot was impressed by the fact that he was undergoing the same experience as those from 1,000 years ago The World Heritage trek is made up of the three sacred mountainous destinations of Kumano Sanzan which consists of such trails as Nakahechi Alike among them are the Omine Okugakemichi route leading from Yoshino to Kumano Sanzan as well as the Koya pilgrimage path that includes the Choishimichi road After the sacred destinations and routes were added to the World Heritage list on July 7 the Tourism Bureau was set up in Tanabe in 2006 to promote sightseeing This meant the local region was ready for embracing hordes of visitors The overseas tourist number started shooting up particularly in fiscal 2012 like the figure for visitors from other parts of Japan The Tourism Bureau arranged trip packages for 20,918 non-Japanese sightseers in fiscal 2023 The pilgrimage trails in Japan are the only World Heritage “routes” throughout the globe alongside the Routes of Santiago de Compostela Working with a local government in Spain in 2015 the issuance of a communal pilgrimage notebook started Upward of 6,700 individuals were registered as completing both the pilgrimage routes under the certificate framework as of the end of May this year who has traversed the holy courses in both Japan and Europe with her husband of 30 years said she wanted to see how Kumano Kodo is different from the roads in Spain as Kumano Kodo is related to Buddhism and Shinto the Tourism Bureau’s specialized guide hailing from the United States explained that the pilgrimage routes in Japan are proving popular even among people from other cultures He said the routes provide tourists with spiritual journeys in nature and mental and physical refreshment via visits to religious places "I think this is the understanding in many cultures that the Kumano Kodo is a soul-healing a pilgrimage that can refresh the mind and body," Rhodes said director of the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties who helped the pilgrimage courses to be designated as a World Heritage site “Their destinations are sacred places,” he said visitors all appear to share the same spirit when they keep walking toward sanctuary destinations.” The World Heritage site offers mountain ascetics with the grounds for hard training Some ascetics are enthralled with the tradition of living spartan lifestyles and self-dedication for religious reasons made his debut as a mountain ascetic 10 or so years ago He runs a cooking utensil business in Hyogo Prefecture on weekdays He plays a shell trumpet as an ascetic guide under the name Jitsuei Shibata on holidays at the pilgrims’ lodging facility in the Zenki mountainous district along the Omine Okugakemichi trail in Shimokitayama Shibata enjoyed trail running to improve his physical and psychological abilities Shibata once tested his potential on Omine Okugakemichi He encountered a group of mountain ascetics on the trip They were committing themselves to a training routine called “nishi no nozoki” in which participants supported by lifelines peer down a cliff from a sheer precipice This made him realize that one’s ability can be stretched to the limits that way convincing him to become an ascetic on his own Mountain ascetics were prohibited from carrying out training during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) The practice on Kumano Kodo was re-established 35 years ago As continuing to ascend mountains is part of ascetic training Shibata almost got lost on a trail at night at one time When Shibata became nearly unconscious during training chirping insects sounded like sutra chanting to him Shibata began describing himself as a mountain ascetic Shibata once felt a sense of accomplishment after completing a steep path while trail running “A feeling of prayer is another component of my walk currently,” he said Given that mountain ascetics helped local villagers with their expertise in medical herbs and other factors from olden days Shibata is seeking a part that ascetics should play to contribute to society today Shibata considers bringing Zenki deep in a mountain much closer to people like in the past He started organizing a festival two years earlier A rice cake cooking party and a cleaning campaign are held during the year-end season as well Residents living nearby come to Zenki each time such an event is held (This article was written by Orina Sakakibara and Kenji Shimizu.) Terunofuji prays for recovery from Noto quake at shrine ceremony Places and Events/ Oyama Pilgrimage: Strap on your sandals and go hiking Climbing limits are being set on Mount Fuji to fight crowds and littering Lisa’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan/ Hana-no-Iwaya: A looming entrance to the underworld Scholar: Men still call the shots on if holy sites can ban women Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Pioneering ecologist Minakata Kumagusu explored the forests of Kumano Join Peter Barakan as he follows Minakata's path and discovers a universe in nature this vast wilderness has inspired awe and respect The government of the time ordered the felling of countless sacred trees A naturalist called Minakata Kumagusu stood up in defense of Kumano Minakata was known for his insatiable curiosity He contributed an astonishing 51 articles to the science journal "Nature." His research also extended into the fields of folklore and spirituality He'd spend days in the mountains looking for specimens slugs...everything works together to maintain the ecosystem Kumano is situated 450 kilometers southwest of Tokyo Kumano is home to a pilgrimage route winding hundreds of kilometers This region has long been revered as sacred a broadcaster who moved to Japan 50 years ago I've come to Kumano to retrace the footsteps of a pioneering but relatively unknown naturalist rejecting academic affiliation and spurred on by nothing more than the desire to learn Ever since learning a little about Kumagusu almost 20 years ago I've been curious to know more about the man Kumano is a place I've been wanting to visit for many years and the fact that he spent so much time here is a big added attraction This area didn't have a railway station until 1932 - 60 years after trains started running in Japan The mountains and the sea stood guard between this remote region and the rest of Japan But this quiet city was the destination for letters and academic papers sent from locations around the world The house where he spent his final years is still standing I represent the Minakata Kumagusu Commemoration Association Right next to the house is the Minakata Kumagusu Archives a center for studying his academic achievements we have around 25,000 of his books and documents A bunch of different countries and regions The guy obviously had an insatiable curiosity He spent enough money on books to build three houses in his day In the nearby town of Shirahama is the Minakata Kumagusu Museum He explains how he lived and what he's done along the way It's long because this is basically his life story Minakata's documents and materials are displayed here as part of an effort to preserve his achievements The aim is to share everything he learned with generations to come He seems to have been a very complex person and to understand complex people you usually need to go back to their childhood So perhaps we should start with finding out what kind of a child he was we see encyclopedias of pre-modern Japan and China Are these the sort of books that the average person of his age would have been able to read He always loved books and the natural world Minakata moved to Tokyo and joined the preparatory school of the University of Tokyo and began attending an agricultural school in Michigan to collect and document the diverse plant life there So despite the fact that he didn't seem to enjoy studying in institutions The fact that he was able to write these kind of things in English meant that he'd obviously studied very hard and he must have had a really good aptitude for learning languages He was exposed to the full diversity of the Americas London was a global center for knowledge and learning Minakata frequented the British Museum and copied portions of many books This is when his work was first published — and in the most highly regarded scientific journal of the time: "Nature." This was his first submission: "The Constellations of the Far East." Western academics were fascinated by his East Asian take on astronomy Minakata went on to be published frequently during his time in London is credited with coining the term "folklore." Its readers and contributors were interested in folklore He experienced European academia and knew that he could contribute The British Museum immediately felt like a place he wanted to be So it was a very fulfilling period for him What made him decide to come back to Japan If Europeans looked down on him as an Asian These days people's attitudes towards other races are very very different from what they were back in the 1950s and '60s So I can imagine back in the end of the 19th century Americans and English people would look at Asians.. they were probably looking down at them without realizing that they were even being rude to them That played a major role in his personal development he was shaped by his US and UK experiences Japan's tallest uninterrupted single-drop waterfall He started to see the complex bonds between living things A consistent object of Minakata's enthusiasm and attention was fungi I was told if I went for a walk in the woods Minakata came here looking for plants and fungi Can you typically spend all day looking at these things At age 37 Minakata moved from the mountains to Tanabe His home garden was like a personal wilderness It's quite wild; it's almost just like nature as it is He wanted to observe the slime molds and fungi that grew on them I don't think I ever really want to see a slime mold and can change shape and move around like an amoeba They develop a mass of spores and produce plantlike growths They held Minakata's interest for the rest of his life He remarked that slime molds seem to exist between life and death; between this world and the next It's where Minakata found a new species of slime mold I don't know if there's any on this one though Being in this position gets tiring after a bit it's amazing that you would even notice that Mame hokori is apparently one of the larger types of slime mold It's like you get a feel for how there's a cycle of decay and rebirth again They work together to maintain the ecosystem I believe Minakata instinctively knew that slime molds slow the decomposition of fallen trees and leaves Kawakami thinks that slime molds also help to stop soil from being washed away in heavy rain The forest is a setting for intricate relationships between living things Matsui Ryugo has played a central role in this He showed me a diagram that's a key to interpreting Minakata's way of thinking So this was a letter that he wrote to somebody he scribbled the so-called Minakata Mandala A mandala is a diagram used in esoteric Buddhism to convey the essence of the universe The mandala shows a world in which all of those things are connected And that concept is included in Minakata's image The intricately intertwined lines in the Minakata Mandala represent his worldview: that cause and effect are in a random interactive relationship Minakata's mandala was inspired by his observations of relationships among living things in the forest before the concept of ecosystems was understood Minakata was in the vanguard in this field which inspired Minakata to become a pioneering ecologist a huge volcanic eruption caused an area measuring 23 kilometers by 40 kilometers to subside The magma and ash solidified into strange formations that remain to this day Water vapor from the Pacific Ocean would hit the mountains leading to heavy rainfall and the growth of dense forest rugged landscape fostered spiritual beliefs among the people of ancient Kumano I met up with someone who has been studying the subject for many years I think there's something like 530-something steps up there Yamamoto Shigeo is an expert on the Kumano spiritual practices Perhaps you can tell us a little bit about what's up there said to be where the spirit of Kumano descended I've been hearing about a particular system of belief which is unique to Kumano Hongu and Shingu are associated with the Kumano River This implies beliefs associated with water Waterside spaces and boulders also became sacred The stone staircase with over 500 steps was intimidating But I decided I wanted to see this object to worship with my own eyes I think I understand how this kind of thing would have inspired people to religious thoughts nature's probably a pretty good thing to revere You really need to go up in the mountain and feel and see things like that rock And I'm sure that's what people have been doing for thousands of years It's a place that seems to vibrate with the spiritual power of nature The entire Kumano region is believed to be full of sacred spaces that serve as magnets for deities It's an otherworldly place where people can feel connected to spiritual powers — something that's missing in their daily life Doei Tomoko studies Minakata through the lens of plant ecology And the whole place is surrounded by these trees And the shrine itself is this little one over here The shrine building is typically seen as the object of worship these trees were in danger of getting cut down Many were cut down to fund the military and so forth Japan was emerging as a dominant military power And the government was reviewing another facet of a modern nation: the state religion it ordered the consolidation of shrines all over the country This consolidation took place in towns and villages nationwide Smaller shrines were demolished one after another and the shrine groves that had been conserved for centuries began to vanish nature worship had blended with beliefs from Buddhism and other sacred traditions Small shrines were often dedicated to multiple faiths Among the areas threatened with destruction was the sacred forest of the Kumano Hongu shrine the forest acts as a reservoir that feeds the waterfall "No amount of money can easily replace a forest that has been chopped down." When Minakata heard shrines would be destroyed The first involved trying to win over prominent figures University scholars and government bureaucrats He wrote long letters to influential people like that He also sought support from locals who valued the shrine Those who approved of his stance would become supporters Not many people would take that kind of action "The destruction of our forests doesn't just harm plants and animals." Minakata spent over ten years protesting the policy: a reflection of his strong commitment as a pioneering environmental activist And it's been standing for around 800 years These trees have become a symbol of Kumano's forest An important point of focus for those who walk the Kumano trail The branches on these trees grow in just one direction This allows more sunlight to reach the neighboring greenery These are not the only trees that survived It harnesses the power of biodiversity to function as a single living entity It's home to Japanese giant flying squirrels Protecting the groves had the effect of preserving sacred rituals and festivities The Nonaka Lion Dance is a traditional performing art of this shrine The local people treasure and preserve this tradition It's thanks to Minakata that we still have the lion dance In Minakata's battle against shrine consolidation his biggest achievement was saving the island of Kashima An island with a circumference of just one kilometer Why was Kumagusu so intent on preserving this quite small island he saw it as a microcosm of the natural world That's why he thought this island was so important to preserve We got special permission to visit the island The people here have always revered it as a special place It's actually a reed: "Arundo donax." It protects the forest from the wind Everything comes together to make optimal use of the sunlight Minakata saw the importance of protecting the entire ecosystem Minakata received a formal invitation to speak about his work with the Emperor himself a biologist and student of slime molds Was the Emperor already aware of the work that Kumagusu was doing Minakata published articles in "Nature," and the Emperor read that journal So it must have been a real honor for Kumagusu The Emperor actually came ashore to collect slime molds in the forest and presented the Emperor with several samples he reused cheap candy boxes instead of formal wooden containers He said it was because the box would be easy to open But it may have been his way of staying true to his intrinsically rebellious nature He disregarded academic and social conventions and blurred the boundary between the human and natural worlds On the Tanabe coast facing Kashima is a small headland called Tenjinzaki Water rich in nutrients flows from the nearby forest creating a habitat for a wide variety of creatures And does this relate to Kumagusu in some way there was a plan to build luxury villas in the forest But debris from that work would have destroyed the coastal habitat So there was a community effort to buy and protect the land Tenjinzaki was at the forefront of modern environmental conservation Minakata Kumagusu sounded the alarm about the kind of environmental issues that are now among humanity's greatest concerns the world is full of uncertainty and volatility I wonder what he would say and what action he would take blending wellness with Zen Buddhist tradition A Unesco World Heritage Site, the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails in Wakayama prefecture have long captivated discerning travellers with their attractive blend of history there’s a new addition to further enrich your journey as you walk this sacred path The 1,200-year-old Daitaiji Temple located in Nachikatsuura near the Ota River is a popular stop along the Kumano Kodo trails Set within tranquil grounds amidst a lush forest and known for its authentic shukubo (temple stay) the temple offers comfortable Japanese-style rooms equipped with modern amenities It also provides a variety of traditional temple experiences rice porridge breakfasts and guided tours of the Buddha statues in the precincts Daitaiji unveiled its latest undertaking: a Finnish-style wood-fired sauna set within one of the temple buildings The sauna’s design is inspired by Finnish sauna customs but incorporates local wood and other distinctive materials that reflect Wakayama’s abundant nature Adding to the atmosphere is an art piece inside the sauna Called ‘Zen x Sauna’ the steamy new facility is hot enough to promote health benefits yet not so intense that it discourages social interaction the sauna serves as both a wellness ritual and a communal experience it’s also envisioned as a form of zazen meditation as the head priest recognises the spiritual parallels between the two practices Zen x Sauna is open to both day-trippers and overnight guests Day visitors can use the facility between 11.30am and 2.30pm for ¥8,000 per person Guests staying at the temple have access to the sauna in the evening from 5pm as well as in the morning after their meditation session The sauna also features a cold plunge and an outdoor relaxation area with views of the surrounding greenery. As it’s a mixed-gender facility, you should bring your swimwear along. Hand and bath towels are provided. Check the temple’s website for reservations How to purchase tickets for the 2025 Osaka Expo teamLab is lighting up a field of blue nemophila flowers in Osaka this spring This gorgeous beachside house near Kobe is hosting an art exhibition over Golden Week These restaurants, cafés and bars are open now at Time Out Market Osaka Time Out Osaka launch issue out now: The city on a plate TSU – A woman in her 70s was attacked and seriously injured by an Asian black bear at Tsuzurato Pass a part of the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent the prefectural government issued a bear alert for Taiki and neighboring Kihoku and a local hunting club and others stepped up patrols According to the prefectural government and fire department was descending the mountain pass alone when she was attacked by the bear at around 4 p.m The woman suffered lacerations to her head and face and a fracture to her right leg She was taken to a hospital but was not in a critical condition Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Privacy Policy | About Our Ads A federal program aimed at strengthening middle-of-the-supply chain operations and local food systems by supporting processing wholesaling and distribution of agricultural products announced Wednesday that it is awarding nearly $3 million to 17 Hawai‘i projects Department of Agriculture will grant $2.6 million to 17 Hawai‘i companies and organizations through its Resilient Food System Infrastructure program including $478,167 to Kumano I Ke Ala o Makaweli on the Garden Isle The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture will receive the funds which will be used for the four infrastructure grants and 13 equipment grants awarded in support of middle-of-the-supply-chain infrastructure “This [Resilient Food System Infrastructure] initiative offers Hawai‘i a unique opportunity to strengthen processing capacity across our island state while adding value to locally grown products,” said Sharon Hurd chairperson of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture agricultural businesses in both rural and urban areas will receive support to scale up their new and existing products create jobs and generate new revenue streams.” Kumano I Ke Ala o Makaweli will use the grant funding to implement the West Kauaʻi ʻOihana Mahi ʻAi Kalo (Taro Farming Industry) Revitalization Project The project aims to revitalize the food system in West Kauaʻi by increasing kalo production and enhancing the capacity to manufacture and distribute the traditional Hawaiian staple of poi as well as process raw lūʻau leaf produced in the region the project will purchase equipment to modernize and automate poi manufacturing; develop streamlined manufacturing tracking and delivery systems; and acquire wash and pack equipment and cold storage for raw lūʻau leaf processing refrigerated delivery vans will be procured to distribute the kalo products Kumano I Ke Ala o Makaweli says the initiative will significantly boost local agricultural capacity and support the region’s economic and cultural sustainability The other Resilient Food System Infrastructure program awardees and their grant amounts are: The funding is part of $420 million available through the Resilient Food System Infrastructure grant program provided by President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure website. The status of each state and territory’s program is available on the program’s state grant site Japanese shipyard Mitsui E & S Shipbuilding Co. Ltd in Okayama launched today a new type of next generation frigate for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) known as 30FFM “Kumano” くまの」is actually the second vessel of the series The first-in-class ship is still under construction at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Nagasaki Mitsui E&S has received a subcontracting order from MHI for the construction of the 3,900-ton frigate for the JMSDF The vessel is named after the Kumanbo river in the Kii Peninsula of central Japan The shipyard will now proceed to the fitting out stage of the frigate MHI won a contract from the Japanese MoD in August 2018 for the production of the first two frigates and MHI is today working on the detailed design of the frigate as well as production design stage Mitsui E&S also decided to build 30FFMs as a subcontractor to MHI.MHI won a contract from the Japanese MoD in August 2018 for the production of the first two frigates and MHI is today working on the detailed design of the frigate as well as production design stage Mitsui E&S also decided to build 30FFMs as a subcontractor to MHI First steel cutting of the first 30FFM took place in September 2019 at MHI Nagasaki shipyard and second one in October 2019 at Mitsui E&S Tamano shipyard Senior Project Manager of the Next Generation Surface Ship Project at MHI previously told Naval News in January 2020 (before the COVID-19 crisis) that the launch of the first hull was set for November this year while delivery of the first frigate to the JMSDF was set for March 2022 It seems like these dates have move by a couple of months (as is the case with most shipbuilding projects around the world) because of the pandemic this ship design is the first major surface combatant that Japan (via MHI) is actively promoting for export OPV and Destroyer variants based on 30FFM were unveiled during PACIFIC 2019 last year in Australia There have been recent rumors about export of 30FFM to Indonesia The 30 FFM will increase the current number of vessels in the JMSDF as well as replace older vessels that have been responsible for coastal defense and minesweeping So it is designed for a very wide range of missions The main mission of the 30 FFM in peacetime will be to patrol the waters around Japan this is a mission of older destroyer (Abukuma but the 30FFM will take over this mission by replacing these vessels the 30FFM is equipped with Mk.45 mod.4 5-inch gun and is also given a minesweeping/mine-laying capability it can be inferred that the 30FFM is also useful for island defense The Mk.45 is ideal for attacking enemies that have landed on the island it is necessary to sweep the mines laid by the enemy.In addition laying mines to deter enemy landings is also useful JMSDF continues to send destroyers to work with countries around the world to deter piracy off the coast of Somalia this activity has become a huge burden for JMSDF especially because of the North Korean situation and the increased duties of the JMSDF in the wake of China’s maritime expansion it is intended to send the 30 FFM to these international contributions overseas and to dedicate the destroyer to missions against China and North Korea The 30FFM will be equipped with a wide variety of weapons and systems as listed below BAE Systems Mk.45 mod.4 5-inch naval gun system ×1 Japan Steel Works 12.7mm Remote Weapon System ×2 Mitsubishi Electric OPY-2 multifunction Radar NEC OQQ-25 anti-submarine sonar (VDS/TASS) UUV (OZZ-5 by MHI) and USV (unknown type) for mine counter measures the 30FFM multi-mission frigate will have a full load displacement of about 5,500 tons with a length of 132.5 meters and a beam of 16.3 meters It will have a maximum speed in excess of 30 knots indicating a high level of automation on board Senior Project Manager of the Next Generation Surface Ship Project at MHI previously told Naval News at Sea Air Space 2019 that the main requirements that drove the design of this future ship are: To achieve such as high speed (over 30 knots) the frigate will be fitted with a CODAG propulsion system consisting in a single Rolls Royce MT-30 gaz turbine and two MAN 12V28/33D diesel engines Early designs of the frigate showed a combination of waterjet and propellers but the newer scale model (unveiled at SAS 2018 and showcased at various trade shows ever since) doesn’t show the underside of the hull anymore WPML eklentisi aktif değil veya çeviriler mevcut değil Türkiye’s first international defense industry publication platform available in six languages aims to reflect the dynamic progress and significant advancements of the Turkish defense industry in recent years onto the media landscape the platform aspires to become a primary news source for the defense sector © 2025 Tüm Hakkı Saklıdır - Eddifa Medya Organizasyon Breathe in centuries of history at the sacred sites around Nachi Falls — a breathtaking waterfall that’s long been an object of worship one of their number had perished on the river leaving the rest to continue in her memory The pilgrims heard Nachi Falls before they saw it This may sound like a Game of Thrones scene A network of ancient pilgrimage routes crisscrossing the Kii Peninsula the Kumano Kodo has been used for over 1,000 years by individuals seeking salvation healing and enlightenment among the region’s primeval forests These revered routes are deeply connected to ancient Shinto and Buddhist beliefs that regard the area as profoundly and inherently sacred — the immemorial dwelling place of the gods — and the pilgrimage traditionally ends at one or more of the Kumano Sanzan the three grand shrines of the Kumano region standing alongside the majestic Nachi Falls The Kumano Kodo is split into seven routes with the Nakahechi route — the main route — passing by Nachi Falls; these paths can still be walked today and six of them are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site The portion of this holy trail that includes the falls can be found in Yoshino-Kumano National Park in Wakayama and though the journey is undeniably tough Nachi Falls is a domineering watery slash of 133 meters down rockface its spray sprinkling glitters of light through the air or climb around the paths at the back to get a little closer Nachi Falls has been the subject of worship since ancient times and is part of one of the grandest shrine complexes in the country you can find the illustrious Kumano Nachi Taisha one of the oldest and most picturesque temples in Japan The area around Nachi Falls isn’t just remarkable for its beauty and spiritual significance; it’s also one of the few places in Japan where a Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine coexist side by side Shinto and Buddhism were closely intertwined in a syncretic religion known as shinbutsu shugo the government issued a decree demanding that the two religions separate many Buddhist elements were removed from shrines across the country and temples that had once been peacefully nestled alongside their shrine neighbors were repurposed the complex at Nachi escaped the brunt of this This is pretty lucky for both institutions — they can both claim breathtaking views of the surrounding area and close proximity to the most majestic waterfall in the land The temple of Seiganto-ji is famous for its spellbinding three-storied pagoda Overlooking the waterfall some meters away the pagoda cuts a striking silhouette against the thundering white waters its brilliant red figure flashing out against the vast landscape Seiganto-ji loosely translates to “Temple of Crossing the Blue Shore,” its blue-gray roofs in synergy with the waterfall behind creating an unforgettable scene of human-made beauty in harmony with stunning natural scenery The temple itself is actually the oldest structure in the region filled with many important cultural properties The shrine and its grounds are lorded over by Yatagarasu a mystical three-legged crow and guiding deity in Shinto mythology Its final resting form is as a stone in the private quarters of the shrine The shrine is also home to an 850-year-old camphor tree 8.5-meter-wide landmark with deep spiritual significance meaning that visitors can climb into the tree’s womb It’s an experience akin to a sacred tree (re)birth — feel what it’s like to be inside a tree Feel the mystic splash of Nachi Falls as it soothes then head away to the shrine and temple above to marvel at the falls from a different vantage point Despite the centuries that separate us from the pilgrims who once walked these paths we can understand why they felt that Nachi was a fitting end to their toils The Kumano Kodo is a UNESCO designated network of pilgrimage trails connecting ancient mountain shrines.. Dani is Much Better Adventures' Deputy Editor and the author of a novel She's interested in helping everyone find their inner adventurer More posts by Dani Redd The Kumano Kodo is an 190-mile (370km) network of pilgrimage trails, consisting of five interconnected routes which run through the Kumano region of Japan The name translates literally to English as the ‘old roads to Kumano’ and the trails have been in use for over 1000 years They are the only pilgrimage routes in the world with a UNESCO World Heritage designation which runs from from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain The Kumano Kodo trails connect the three grand shrines of Kumano - which are Kumano Hongu Taisha Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha and are collectively known as the Kumano Sanzan “Imagine a journey in a remote, ancient and spiritual region of Japan. Hiking through an endless sea of mountains; tree-covered, with hidden valleys, waterfalls and traditional rural villages,” Kat Davies writes in the Cicerone guide Japan’s Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage dressed in a yukata and enjoyed a delicious meal of the freshest local produce in the company of strangers soon to be friends before falling into a deep sleep on your futon.” Accommodation on the Kumano Kodo is in traditional inns and tea houses many of which are located in onsens (the villages that grow up around natural hot springs) making it easy to get to trailheads or travel to different stages on the trail hiking the Kumano Kodo is very much a 'pick your own adventure' You could link together three separate trails and hike the route over several weeks or if time is limited you could choose a stage from your favourite trail and hike it over a day Do you want to follow in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims we’ll be delving into the history of this fascinating route as well as giving you an insight into what a present-day walker can expect with a focus on the popular Nakahechi trail The Kumano Kodo trails have been walked for thousands of years by pilgrims visiting the Kumano shrines The first visitors to the region would have been practitioners of Shintoism Japan's indigenous religion (which predates Buddhism) followers worship Kami - gods or spirits numbering into the millions which are believed to inhabit many natural places The Kumano region was considered particularly sacred The Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine is devoted to Izanagi-Okami When Buddhism entered Japan in the sixth century it integrated with Shintoism to form a syncretic religion (Shinbutsu-shugo) in which the Kumano shrines were important sites enshrining Shinto gods and Buddhist deities who developed what is known today as the Omine Okugakemichi Route But it was pilgrims from Imperial and noble families who really popularised the Kumano Kodo Between then and 1281 there were more than 100 imperial pilgrimages many of which took what is now known as the Nakahechi route through the mountains attended by yamabushi who helped them perform purification rituals on strenuous weeks-long pilgrimages through the mountains The goal was to be spiritually reborn in the “Pure Land” of Kumano imperial rule was replaced with seven centuries of military rule; noble pilgrims were replaced by Samurai warriors the Kumano Kodo had become popular with all sections of society The number of pilgrims was often compared to a ‘procession of ants’ by those witnessing it However, by the Meiji period (1868-1912), pilgrimages declined due to religious instability in the country. Shintoism and Buddhism were formally separated, while Shugendo was banned. During the Shrine Consolidation Policy of 1906 thousands of temples were destroyed and forests cut down while complexes containing both Shinto and Buddhist elements were separated - all Buddhist statues and icons were forcibly removed from Kumano Hongo Taisha During a period of recovery after World War Two forests were replanted with cedar and cypress (due to a demand for timber) Interest in the Kumano shrines began to revive but improvements in infrastructure meant many people visited them via road or railway The ancient trails became overgrown from disuse The Kumano Kodo today consists of five different as the basic map of the Kumano Kodo above shows Below you’ll find short descriptions of the latter four here's a more detailed itinerary breakdown of the Nakahechi trail which is the most popular of the pilgrimage routes to follow Best for: seeing all three of the Kumano Sanzan This was the route used by old imperial pilgrims and is therefore also known as the ‘Imperial Route’ well waymarked and with excellent infrastructure and facilities but a rest day in Hongu is recommended after stage two Many pilgrims take a boat tour along the Kumano-gawa River to visit Kumano Hayatama Taisha on this day Stage 1: Takijiri-oji to Tsugizakura-oji (11 miles/18km) The trek begins at the Takijiri-oji shrine beside the Tonda River and follows a mountain trail up through the forest you’ll have a view of the surrounding mountain ranges You’ll continue on to the town of Chikatsuyu before descending to the Tsugizakura-Oji Shrine which is at the top of three flights of stairs flanked with huge trees Stage 2: Tsugizakura-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha (13 miles/21km) At Tsugizakura-oji the trail follows the old highway to Kobiro-toge pass. From here, the trail ascends and descends repeatedly, as you pass through the forest-carpeted mountains. Eventually you’ll reach Hosshinmon-oji, a subsidiary shrine known as an oji known as the “gate of awakening of the aspiration to enlightenment” the trail winds through Hosshinmon Village to Mizunomi-oji You’ll walk through it to Fushiogami settlement This is where pilgrims would pray after catching their first glimpse of the grand shrine in the valley below you’ll descend through the forest to reach Kumano Hongu Taisha Stage 3: Hongu Area to Koguchi (8 miles/13km) Hike upwards through cedar and cypress forest to the Sakura-toge Pass where you’ll be greeted with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains From this high point you’ll descend into the adjacent valley and stop for the day in the small mountain village of Koguchi Stage 4: Koguchi to Kumano Nachi Taisha (9 miles/14.5km) beginning with around two hours of ascent up uneven paths bisected with tree roots and lots of stone steps which clears when you reach the top of Funami-toge Pass From here you’ll be able to see the remains of Funami-jaya teahouse views of the Pacific Ocean and the fishing village of Katsuura below Continue downhill until you reach the Nachisan Sanctuary where you’ll reach the Kumano Nachi Taisha and Nachi Falls Japan’s largest waterfall with a drop of 133 metres This route was created in the 14th century as a transportation and pilgrimage route - it’s the shortest way connecting Koyasan (a sacred mountain) and Kumano Hongu Taisha The path is often closed from around December to March due to snowfall it has been divided into four stages which each end in a small village where you’ll find accommodation The first stage finishes at Totsukawa Onsen hikers can always continue their journey along the Nakahechi or Iseji route Best for: those with the time to take the scenic route The Iseji route traces the east coast of the Kii Penisula connecting the Shinto shrine of Ise-jingu (dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu) with the Kumano Sanzan The length of the trail - which takes from seven to 10 days to hike - means it isn’t as popular as the Nakahechi Route as the changing landscapes and quiet trail conditions make for a brilliant long distance hike The northern section of the route leads you through the Miya-gawa river plain past small villages and sections of forest You’ll head over a small mountain pass (Meki-toge) before following the Miya-gawa River upstream through a river valley where you’ll also find tea plantations and rice paddies with a series of major mountain passes descending to unspoilt coastal villages The coastline consists of dramatic rocky inlets with scenic beaches and small offshore islands the southern section splits into two trails leads you down a long gravel beach to Kumano Hayatama Taisha; and the inland route leads you inland through the mountains to Kumano Hongu Taisha via the steep terraced rice paddies of Maruyama Senmaida The Ohechi Route runs along the southwest coast of the Kii Peninsula beginning in the seaside Tanabe and ending at Mirozu Station It was developed in the 15th century and became particularly popular with writers and artists you’ll walk along paved roads and past rice paddies These soon give way to forests with panoramic views and you’ll end up walking along the shoreline On the way you’ll climb three mountain passes and you’ll also find small shrines dedicated to sacred areas of the landscape Best for: those wanting the toughest Kumano Kodo experience The Omine Okugakemichi leads from Yoshino directly south through the mountains to the Kumano Sanzan and was the route used by the Yamabushi on their spiritual pilgrimages The route travels along a mountainous ridgeline you’ll find ropes and chains to help with difficult stretches - this is not one for the faint of heart The route passes across Mount Omine (1,719) a sacred site for men only - women must circumnavigate it Which pilgrim trail to take depends largely on your fitness level the amount of time you have to spare and your interest level We’d recommend first timers to the Kumano Kodo - with a good level of fitness - take the Nakahechi route Not only will you enjoy spectacular mountain and forest scenery you’ll also get the opportunity to visit the three Kumano Sanzan the Shinto shrines that the trails have been developed to connect Inspired? Walk the Nakahechi Trail with us on our Ultimate Adventure Through Japan 2023Photo: Diana ZaluckySave this storySaveSave this storySaveDeparting our guest room at the Akizuno Garten before sunrise my friend Diana and I arrived for our morning appointment at the Senko-Ji temple a sanctuary located on the outskirts of Tanabe City in the Wakayama Prefecture of Japan Trekking up a curved slope and climbing a series of stone steps we found ourselves near a graveyard from which we could hear Iwahashi Zenichi Wearing a navy kimono and a set of wooden juzu prayer beads around his neck he knelt on a bright silver and crimson pillow before an altar I watched as he played a set of Tibetan-style black bowls while using a mallet to thrum a mokugyo in preparation for his daily routine: a Zazen meditation Photo: Diana ZaluckyThanks to our instructions from Oku Japan—the travel company that helped plan our self-guided journey along a portion of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route—Diana and I already knew what to do As Zenichi read scriptures in front of a statue of the Buddha we quietly removed our shoes before entering the temple to begin our meditation To prepare ourselves to join Zenichi in meditation we first needed to undergo the Shoko ritual Putting our hands together in a prayer form we bowed to show our gratitude and respect before moving to the shrine to take a pinch of incense we set our intention for our weeklong journey ahead before burning it at the altar Photo: Diana ZaluckyPhoto: Diana ZaluckyAfter Zenichi served us baito we followed him into the tatami mat room to begin our meditation we waited quietly as Zenichi rang a bell four times announcing the beginning of the Zazen journey a form of meditation meant to balance the mind and promote inner peace and liberation from all forms of distractions or desires I asked him why his drum was shaped like a fish Photo: Diana ZaluckyAfter arriving in Osaka two days ago—Diana by way of Los Angeles and me from my home in Mexico City—we officially began our weeklong self-guided journey along a portion of the Kumano Kodo a series of ancient pilgrimage routes located in the Kii Peninsula As one of the only two pilgrimage routes in the world to be designated a World Heritage Site (the other is the Camino de Santiago in Spain) the Kumano Kodo has been traversed by Japanese descendants for thousands of years to visit the myriad sacred sites within the region Photo: Diana ZaluckyThough we had no in-person guide to show us the way we did have a schedule and personalized book prepared by Oku Japan that included all the details of our journey (They even booked our hotel rooms and purchased our train tickets in advance; all we really had to do was get from stop to stop.) As a self-professed navigator I took control of the train tickets and directions while Diana took the lead in translating via a handheld language device Photo: Diana ZaluckyPhoto: Diana ZaluckyBeginning in Tanabe City known as the gateway to the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route we began our adventure along the trail after our Zazen meditation journey by meeting Toshio Tamai a variety of Japanese citrus akin to a mandarin we walked the fields with Tamai to learn more about his process While he cultivates three types of citrus on his farm with nearly 80 types of fruits grown nearby “My favorite thing about owning my farm is that I have customers like you,” he said “I love it when travelers like the taste of what I make Photo: Diana ZaluckyAfter making our own bento boxes with the women chefs of Akizuno Garten—and befriending two best friends who worked at the hotel’s café that gifted us the most delicious vanilla soft serve I tasted in Japan—we hit the trail beyond giant pine trees and lakes with mirrored views of autumnal leaves we arrived at a traditional guesthouse in Chikatsuyu where we slept on tatami mat floors and drank copious amounts of green tea Photo: Diana ZaluckyOur next day along the Kumano Kodo was one we had been looking forward to the most: We got to meet Katsumi Ueno the last practicing Shugendo monk (an ancient Japanese religion focused on mountain worship) in his hometown of Hongu After meeting him at a local café in Hongu and having a coffee before the journey ahead an all-day hike from Hongu to the Sanzai Touge Ueno blew his silver-dipped conch horn to symbolize the beginning of our walk When I asked him why he was called to this life path he explained it was a matter of divine will “It was my destiny all along to become a monk,” he said “I wanted to do something for my ancestors.” Photo: Diana ZaluckyPhoto: Diana ZaluckyHe described walking the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage in its entirety as a process of rebirth stopping at each one so that Ueno could bless them using incense powder to purify both himself and the immediate surrounding area “I chanted for the world to be more peaceful,” he told me after blessing one particular altar I wished for you to have a great future and an enjoyable trip in Japan.”  Photo: Diana ZaluckyAfter spending the night at Kawayu Onsen and enjoying a soak in the natural hot spring we rose the following morning to meet our taxi driver Picking us up from the remote village of Koguchi he drove us to the trailhead at Jizochaya-ato the final section of our hike that would lead us over the Ogumotorigoe Pass to glimpse the Pacific Ocean we finally arrived at the Kumano Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine I was mesmerized to see the towering structure was a 436-foot waterfall known named Nachi no Taki the tallest single-tiered waterfall in Japan Photo: Diana ZaluckyPhoto: Diana ZaluckyI would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little intimated by the idea of the trip to begin with I usually like to book a taxi to pick me up from the airport and I also enjoy being shown the ropes of a place by a local guide and I only knew a couple of words of the language; where most would begin with a trip to Tokyo where guaranteed phone signal and English speakers ensure nothing can go totally awry we decided to go hiking in a remote forest entirely by ourselves there was something about the challenge of it all—of navigating somewhere I’d never been spending time with people whose language I didn’t speak—that was invigorating even if there were a few hilarious lost-in-translation moments along the way No matter how many times we fumbled our wrong words the Japanese people we encountered always greeted us with kindness and empathy: from the convenience store attendant who closed her register to help me locate ear drops to a hotel manager who insisted on leaving her post to deliver us to a nearby temple we were struggling to locate The Danish Home Lighting Trend That Can Improve Your Mental Health In America’s Cities, Saunas Are Becoming the Hottest Social Spot Millie Bobby Brown Shares Her Favorite Paella Recipe—and Details About Her Wedding to Jake Bongiovi A Day-by-Day Guide to Hiking the Legendary Nakasendo Trail in Japan Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage path leads to sacred sites including the Seiganto-ji The 4th-century Buddhist temple stands next to Japan’s tallest straight-drop waterfall This story is part of Travel Tales, a series of life-changing adventures on afar.com. Read more stories of transformative trips on the Travel Tales home page—and be sure to subscribe to the podcast dotted with more than 100 Shinto and Buddhist shrines would traverse the secluded Kii peninsula through sleepy farm towns and forests of cedar who wrote Wild after hiking the Pacific Crest Trail If I were to write a book about my life struggles was I seeking to “pray” or “love.” But I do suffer from a modern malaise: a highly contagious computer-communicated virus whose symptoms are information glut and the compulsion to watch just one more episode of Billions A break from our hyped-up world was the only cure yet I’d found it impossible to enforce one Kumano was a chance to go back a millennium when leaving home meant being truly out of touch I spent a month in Hiroshima with my husband I’ve visited many times since then: Marriage (and eventually motherhood) unexpectedly made Japan part of my cultural fiber Even my Japanese friends raised an eyebrow when I told them about my latest plans The Kumano Kodo traverses the tip of the Kii Peninsula on the island of Honshu it receives up to 80 inches of rain a year Mountains rise to more than 6,000 feet in elevation A Kumano pilgrim’s task is to rid the body and spirit of impurities from both past and present lives to be ritually reborn and rejuvenated by the powers of the deities I don’t expect “rebirth.” I will don sturdy hiking shoes instead of straw sandals and have my luggage forwarded each day for a nominal fee rather than carry it on my back But my own quest feels no less sacred: retreating from an incessantly reactive whack-a-mole world to seek solitude in nature Kumano is in the heart of Japan’s holiest region the child of the sun goddess from whom all emperors are believed to descend is said to have launched his battle to conquer the nation passes two of the region’s three grand shrines (The third is accessible only by water.) Each is home to various animist spirits (rocks waterfalls) as well as both a Shinto and a Buddhist deity to weaken Buddhism and promote emperor worship by forcibly separating them (Today’s Japanese aren’t particular about religion going with whatever best suits an occasion; friends there have often quoted the adage “Born Shinto; marry Christian; die Buddhist.”) I hit a shoulder-width passage between two boulders called Tainai Kuguri Squeezing through is both a symbolic rebirth and a test of faith (presumably because it seems fully possible to get stuck) another boulder marks the spot where an ancient pilgrim gave birth She and her husband left the infant to be suckled by wolves until they returned Why not just strap the kid onto your back and take him with you Eating well at a ryokan along the Kumano Kodo isn’t difficult acknowledging the loss in a way that Western culture does not; doing so brought such comfort that when I returned home from that trip I’d see Jizos—often wearing cheerful red bibs—who had been left bottles of Pocari Sweat (a drink similar to Gatorade) or teddy bears whether by travelers or by women healing from miscarriage Another cured backaches—and although it’s customary to offer a mere 5 yen in prayer (the number symbolizing good relationships Japanese are pragmatic about religion—might as well hedge your bets Pilgrims have hiked the Kumano Kodo trails for the past 1,000 years also called Kiri no Sato⎯“Village in the Mist.” The local shrine was surrounded by 1,000-year-old camphor trees draped with the small paper streamers that signal the presence of kami—spirits or gods Kami often make their home inside camphors in the Hayao Miyazaki film My Neighbor Totoro Camphors are the official tree of Hiroshima a symbol of hope because they recovered so quickly after the bombing I used the provided ladle to rinse my mouth and my hands—the left first ringing a bell to alert the kami to my presence I also bowed to the camphors before heading on my way because first changing into a yukata (a kimono-like robe appropriate in all public spaces making sure to cross the left side over the right I sat on a low stool in front of a shower spigot lathering my hair and scrubbing every inch of my body before rinsing off my tiny “modesty towel” balanced on my head Many pilgrims end each day with a soak in a traditional bath Yunomine Onsen is a settlement of small inns based near hot springs that are believed to have been discovered 1,800 years ago The ancients also sought heavenly rewards through their journey but modern travelers want our compensation right now exquisite dishes: shimeji mushrooms with scallions and octopus; sautéed eggplant; delicate fiddlehead ferns; the freshest sashimi; a cube of decadent deep-fried peanut “tofu”; kobe beef cooked to buttery perfection in an earthenware bowl over a candle flame; the requisite rice and pickles; a sublime berry sorbet or family-run guesthouses: a blissful soak—once from a sulfurous source hot enough to cook an egg⎯followed by a feast featuring local ingredients was a specialty of the region.) Breakfasts were equally extravagant The two-tiered “Kumano bento” boxes packed for my lunch held rice balls wrapped in pickled mustard leaves with a variety of side dishes I reluctantly left some of that midday meal uneaten each day to carry along in case I needed it later to ward off daru: invisible serpent-witches who if you become too fatigued or hungry on the trail as long as I was fed this well and had a hot bath ready for me at the end of every day Locals and travelers boil vegetables and eggs in a public hot spring dedicated to cooking I could tell you that the teahouses of Kumano were where ancient pilgrims met and exchanged gossip; or that according to legend if you climb a particular hill on a particular date you would see the moon split into three orbs one for each of Kumano’s main deities; or about the statue of an emperor as a boy simultaneously riding a horse and a cow I could tell you about the village of Chikatsuyu a name that translates to “blood or dew,” because that same horse-cow riding emperor saw a red drop pooling on a reed he’d plucked as a makeshift chopstick tidbits like that felt less meaningful to me than the mere act of walking through the woods the singing of frogs and Japanese warblers Though I didn’t feel quite alone: Spirits of the dead are said to gather in these mountains especially when tendrils of cool fog rolled in (Reading the ghost stories every night didn’t help.) What if I got lost Every double-arrowed Kumano Kodo sign I passed felt like an old friend; I blessed the periodic not Kumano Kodo warnings as well I was more aware of texture and color: the curl of cypress bark Ferns sprouted in the cracks of wood-plank bridges the stones behind waterfalls were covered in miniature leaves boulders and tree stumps were carpeted with moss Even a van abandoned at the edge of a town had become a trellis More than two-thirds of Japan’s population now lives in cities Villages such as the ones along Kumano are fading away the remnant of a settlement whose last residents were relocated in the 1970s as part of a government “initiative for relief of depopulated areas.” Their descendants still come back sometimes to remember their home which celebrates the healthy growth and happiness of youth; bright-colored carp streamers flew from some homes indicating that young boys (and often Other roadside displays were more eccentric: One afternoon as I was daydreaming about walking in the steps of the ancients I passed a life-size hand-carved wooden Pinocchio holding his penis with one hand (“peeing” real water into a trough) while waving with the other Most guesthouses along the path offer slippers for travelers The lookout point Fushiogami-Oji translates to “kneel and worship shrine.” The first glimpse of Hongu Taisha grand shrine from here would cause weary pilgrims to drop to their knees in devotion I was about ready to drop myself when I arrived there on the third day But the site was notable for something else as well Kumano Kodo is known as a “female-friendly”—dare I say feminist?—pilgrimage But the traditional keepers of Kumano were a sect of nuns who actively marketed the trek as a source of salvation for women A plaque at Fushiogami tells the story of a 10th-century female poet who realized rendering her “impure” and unable to enter the grand shrine That night the deities came to her in a dream We mingle with dust; we aren’t put off by a bit of blood trying to recall whether I’d ever⎯in any other culture on any other trail⎯heard a divine story about a woman getting her period let alone seen it commemorated for posterity Only a limited number of pilgrims can trek the Nakahechi route on any given day—there are just a handful of rooms at some stops That means the trails are relatively empty you’d be in the company of thousands of other climbers When I did bump into people (usually Australians after my third time running into a British woman part of the traditional pilgrimage was meeting and getting to know other pilgrims.” She had a point we were staying at the same hotel that night which involved calling from a pay phone in the tiny village of Koguchi and waiting 30 minutes for a pickup and we shared our life stories while striding through a sun-dappled forest No question: That made the day’s route go faster (though I hardly noticed the pain in my knees walking downhill but I also paid less attention to the sights and sounds around me By the time we began debating the merits of The Wire vs tempted to watch just one episode of Game of Thrones tempted to text my husband to be sure he remembered our daughter’s orthodontist appointment It’s not uncommon to make new friends along the trail ominously called “the body-breaking slope,” ascends more or less straight up 2,600 feet If you find that a little hard to conceptualize at a loss for words to depict this “seemingly endless slope,” wrote in his diary: “This route is very rough and difficult; it is impossible to describe precisely how tough it is.” Eight hundred years later All along Kumano Kodo travelers had placed rocks I didn’t indulge—it seemed like the natural-world equivalent of graffiti—until now I emerged from a cypress grove to see Nachi falls cascading down a mountain behind a three-story vermilion pagoda with schoolchildren buying amulets; young women giggling in rented replicas of the colorful garments of Japan’s Heian era; a photographer offering to snap portraits at a scenic point for 10,000 yen and finally to the roaring falls themselves I filled my bottle with healing water from a dragon-head fountain and took a long swig Daimon-zaka is a path of 267 cobblestone stairs that passes through a forest of ancient cedar and camphor trees on its way to the Nachi Taisha shrine >>Next: How to Hike Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Pilgrimage Trail AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site.© 2025 AFAR LLC Wakayama Prefecture in southwest Kumano is a top producer of Japanese citrus, which is said to have its origins in a legendary fruit. Through beautiful time-lapse footage, we show the area's rich natural bounty. Here she was in white cloven booties meant to cover ten miles of grueling inclines and rocky terrain along ancient pilgrimage routes while simultaneously leading a group of ten strangers on a path to enlightenment (This is one of only two pilgrimage routes given the World Heritage honor—the other is Spain's El Camino de Santiago.) As I milled around trying to fruitlessly snag cell phone service she asked us to say a prayer with her (“out of respect for the mountain”) before leading a series of warm-up exercises that felt more Jane Fonda than spiritual leader: stretches and arm circles; foot movements to get our blood moving the ground of the Kumano Kodō cures what ails you but with the comfort (and safety) of numbers One recent group traveled to Mongolia to meet an eagle huntress; another will soon go biking across Easter Island the energetic owner who runs the company along with her two daughters has scaled Kilimanjaro so many times that she fondly refers to the mountain as “Kili.” a mountain priestess who has dedicated her life to protecting the Kumano Kodō A large bowl of fish heads was memorably plopped on the table halfway through the meal—all one needs to break the ice among a table full of strangers and a bus to reach the rugged stretch of the Kii Peninsula where the Kumano Kodō unspools across the mountain range like veins on a leaf We started at the quiet Takijiri-oji shrine that marks the entrance to Kumano’s Nakahechi route and overgrown shrines—all easy to miss when you’re sidestepping bulging tree roots and poisonous mamushi snakes (beware: they blend in with their surroundings) the routes are popular with both local and European hikers but it was once where Japan’s retired emperors and samurai chose to go to repent their sins (“It’s good to suffer,” Shu-Sei said of my blistered feet.) The isolated routes are notoriously steep and pilgrims would walk for months with their entourages to pray at one of the region’s Grand Shrines some members dying from exhaustion along the way but it was easy to feel as though we’d gone back a millennium We often walked for hours without encountering another soul though Shinto worshippers would disagree: They believe that spirits congregate among the trees in this sacred part of Japan and small markers punctuate the paths to acknowledge the deaths of fallen pilgrims who died from fatigue in 1854 with a single gold coin in his mouth—payment for transporting his body back down to the town below told us stories about a boy raised by wolves Hikers climb notoriously steep stone steps women weren’t allowed to set foot on Japan’s Shinto mountains is a UNESCO site that women still aren’t permitted to hike the entirety of; until the 1960s And while the Kumano Kodō has always allowed women to explore its paths—in the 16th Kumano Bikuni nuns shuffled along the trails to spread their faith to nearby villages—navigating the long uninhabited paths as a group of women still felt a little bit radical especially when considering that hiking is a relatively new trend among Japanese women If being a woman hiking solo in 1930s France wasn’t an extraordinary enough sight de Beauvoir also carried a picnic basket in place of a rucksack priestesses like Shu-Sei dedicate their lives to protecting the ground as well as walking on it holding out our hands to help each other over tree stumps and along narrow footbridges she told us she hadn’t always been a yamabushi she’d chosen to dedicate her life to Shugendo—a blend of Shintoism and Buddhism—following a divorce in the nineties after walking the Kumano Kodō for the first time 20 years ago she’d fallen so in love with the place—the trees the quiet—that she’d packed up her life and moved there The act of walking in nature enlightens you and much of her time as a spiritual hermit is dedicated to protecting the mountains that populate the peninsula she paused to topple over a pile of stones left behind by well-meaning hikers as we hitched up our rucksacks and pulled our boots back on Several hikers in the group (almost everyone was in their 50s or 60s the youngest) were self-described “AdventureWomen veterans,” proudly counting trips on their fingers like country counters tally continents—one woman had already put down a deposit on ten days in Tanzania for the following year Most first timers on the trip told me that they had signed up out of sheer curiosity, like the high-powered lawyer couple from Seattle with an infectious sense of humor who had wanted to take a vacation while their daughter was on a high school trip—they considered the all-women factor an interesting add-on One woman had booked it following the death of her husband the previous year; after months of grief she was ready to do something nice for herself told me her reason as we climbed the Daimon-zaka a flight of 267 cobblestone steps that lead to the sacred Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine sanctuary “I wanted to learn to be myself again,” she said in between swigs of her water bottle we were lulled into a similar routine each day where we soaked our aching muscles in piping hot onsens before dinners of perfectly prepared sashimi but my favorite was the eight-room Organic Hotel Kirinosato-Takahara where I unrolled my futon in front of the open windows and fell asleep as the breeze rolled in over the paddies just outside One afternoon, when the cherry blossoms were in bloom and the air smelled of cedar trees, we stopped in a tiny village called Chikatsuyu for a sushi-making lesson with five female cooks We took turns flattening the sticky rice into a square shape with our hands; placing strips of crab and omelette in the middle before cautiously rolling it up with a bamboo mat The results varied in quality (my attempt was wrapped up in cling film and taken away far out of sight) and so we spent the rest of lunch chewing on salty rice balls wrapped in seaweed squishy nuggets of mochi that had been made by the women that morning all who walked the trails time and time again as the years passed which lies near the Kumano Kodō's grand Nachi Taisha shrine up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Walkers on the Kumano Kodō in the Kii Peninsula One of Japan's most remote and rewarding journeys the Kumano Kodō hiking route weaves through the mountainous Kii Peninsula Once a sacred pilgrimage trail reserved for emperors and samurai the ‘Kumano Old Road’ is today open to all seekers and wanderers with plenty of intensely photogenic shrines and natural beauty along the way Over the years Buddhist temples and shrines of Shintō the Kumano Kodō and its sacred sites were given World Heritage status – one of only two pilgrimage routes recognised by Unesco (the other is the Santiago de Compostela in Spain and France) The Kumano Kodō is not one route but a network of trails through the deeply forested mountains with no official start or end point and no prescribed hiking order Moderate to strenuous hiking options last a few hours to several days taking in some of Japan’s top ‘power spots’ – temples forests and waterfalls thought to enrich the soul While purists may want to hike the entire way there’s no shame in riding the buses that circulate between the sights and trailheads pilgrims would visit the three grand Shintō shrines of Kumano – collectively known as Kumano Sanzan – cornerstones of the Nakahechi route (aka the Imperial Route) the most action-packed way through the region Tanabe (aka Kii-Tanabe) is the gateway to Kumano offering one last micro-glimpse of the modern world before setting out Fortify yourself the night before your journey with sashimi sake and the local speciality umeshu (Japanese apricot liqueur sometimes mistakenly called 'plum wine') in one of many atmospheric izakaya (Japanese pubs) From Tanabe, a 40-minute bus ride takes you to the start of the route at the Shintō shrine Takijiri-ōji where centuries of pilgrims used to perform ablutions in the healing river waters before commencing their journey A 4km hike opens with a steep uphill climb and rambles along tree roots and boulders before arriving in Takahara Many visitors opt to forgo the next 13km hike – with an elevation gain of 830m – for a bus ride to the next town of Tsugizakura and its groves of ancient pines; it's a 25-minute hike from Takahara to the bus stop and another 25 minutes' walk from the bus stop to Tsugizakura Japan's largest torii (Shintō shrine gate) Midway through the next 27.5km (about 1.5 days) is the toughest part of the hike the forebodingly named Dogiri-zaka (body-breaking slope) – about 5km straight uphill for an 800m gain in elevation It’s been notorious for centuries; one 13th-century poet hiker wrote ‘it is impossible to describe precisely how tough it is.’ Your reward is a stop at Nachi-no-taki, Japan's tallest waterfall (133m), subject of countless photos and the backdrop to the brilliant orange pagoda across the valley. The waterfall is the kami (god) enshrined at the adjacent Kumano Nachi Taisha the second of the grand shrines of the area To reach the last shrine, Kumano Hayatama Taisha you might travel from the Hongū area as the ancients did down the river Kumano-gawa by traditional flat-bottomed boat to where it empties into the vast Pacific at the town of Shingū (or kayaks and motorised boats are also available) an 800-year-old pine tree – itself considered sacred – makes a fitting end to the trail Not up for hiking? You can day trip from Osaka to some of Kumano's best-known sights Limited express Kuroshio trains circle around the peninsula to Kii-Katsuura station in about 3.5 hours; from here it's a 25-minute bus ride to the shrine area break a serious sweat by ascending to the main shrine building via a fantastical return to Kii-Katsuura station and continue by train to Shingū and Kumano Hayatama Taisha An easy bus ride or about 3.5km walk from Hongū is a trio of connected onsen (hot spring) villages where inns and waters have soothed bodies and souls for centuries Note that the custom at Japanese hot-spring resorts is to go au naturel (most are gender-separate); use changing areas and small modesty towels and inquire before setting out if you have tattoos as many baths in Japan prohibit guests sporting ink A good choice is picturesque Yunomine Onsen where a stream rushes downhill through the centre of the hamlet and small ryokan (traditional inns) boast some rustically beautiful baths Watarase Onsen is home to a large indoor-outdoor bathing complex surrounded by larger inns where hot water bubbles through small stones into the riverbed; and bathers carve out makeshift tubs from the river stones before dipping in Related content:How to soak up wellness in Wakayama's onsens two longer routes are the Ohechi and Iseji trails The Ohechi’s unimpeded views of the Pacific writers and artists during the Edo Period (1603-1868) connects to the northeast with the Ise Grand Shrine Related content: Exploring Kōya-san: staying at Japan’s sacred mountaintop temple complex Although the Nakahechi route is open year-round the weather is the most reliably temperate and reservations are advised well in advance The Obon holiday season in mid-August can also get quite busy There are plenty of places to stay throughout the region but the greatest concentration is in the towns of Tanabe and Katsuura Most of these inns feel like a step back in time and especially in the small villages you can expect an authentic Japanese experience; even in recently constructed lodgings most accommodations are traditional style with futon bedding on tatami mat floors Lodgings in the hot-spring villages near Hongū are well worth the detour with standards from basic to deluxe (though not luxury) Visit the Kumano Tourism Board’s accommodations site to view options and make reservations The Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Board is an excellent resource for planning a visit. It operates the comprehensive Travel Support Centre in Tanabe, across from the train station, and offers detailed guide maps to the region and multilingual accommodation booking service, all available online. This article was published September 2017 and updated October 2019. Wakayama — A craftsman new to the trade of making traditional hats typically worn by pilgrims of the historic Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes has become the heir to the ancient craft from Fukuoka Prefecture began making traditional minachigasa hats in April The conical hat is made from thinly shaved Japanese cypress wood and has long been loved from ancient to modern times by pilgrims trekking the route ventilation and cypress oil on its surface have contributed to the longevity of its popularity The production of minachigasa hats dates back about 1,000 years there were still eight workshops producing them in Tanabe Umezaki visited Shiba after moving to Tanabe Umezaki asked the craftsman — then in his early 80s — to teach him how to make the traditional hats He tried making hats in his way and brought them to Shiba Shiba found it physically hard to continue the craft and was prepared for its production to end with him as the last craftsman “I was relieved to be able to pass down the tradition to the next person,” Shiba said Although Umezaki began producing hats at home it still takes him about three days to produce a single hat But I want to inherit the tradition and pass it down to somebody in the future,” Umezaki said The perfect itinerary for first-time visitors to Japan: cities Can you really see Japan's best bits on a budget Explore our latest brochure for Japan trip inspiration I stopped still in the middle of the forest and listened All I could hear was a slight rustling in the leaves above me as rain began to gently fall Resting a hand carefully on the giant tree next to me I felt its ancient bark beneath my fingers and steadied myself perhaps from the elevation (I’d lost count of the number of steps I had climbed) or perhaps it was the elation of thinking about what I had achieved that day but the idea of a solo journey along the ancient paths of the Kumano Kodo appealed greatly Inspired by the pilgrimages of Matsuo Basho who wrote about his odyssey in The Narrow Road to the Deep North; and by the writer Lesley Downer who followed in his footsteps 300 years later; and Alan Booth who also published tales of walking across Japan I couldn’t take a three-month sabbatical to hike across Japan The Kumano Kodo is a series of pilgrimage trails that criss-cross the Kii Peninsula For over 1,000 years everyone from samurai warriors and aristocrats to priests and commoners have made the trek between the region’s Three Grand Shrines: Kumano Hongu Taisha Kumano Nachi Taisha and Kumano Hayatama Taisha everyone was (and still is) welcome in Kumano regardless of sect the well-preserved paths of the Kumano Kodo can be hiked in small sections taking just two to five nights to cover the main areas Now it was my turn to follow in the footsteps of the pilgrims before me Starting out from the ancient capital of Kyoto, I took an express train down the western coast of the Kii Peninsula to Tanabe and I was excited to be heading away from it all into what I hoped would be a quieter I headed straight to the Tanabe City Kumano Tourist Information Centre where I had an appointment for my orientation A solo pilgrimage sounds like an exciting adventure on paper I wondered if it was safe for a girl like me after my orientation with the fantastic staff at the tourist office I not only felt ready timetables and even a weather forecast for the days ahead One of the most exciting things they gave me was a small clear plastic wallet containing my ‘Dual Pilgrim passport’ On one side was information about the Kumano Kodo with spaces for me to collect red ink stamps from each location I visited and on the other was the Camino de Santiago These two pilgrimage routes are the only ones in the world to be designated UNESCO World Heritage sites and the ‘Dual Pilgrim’ programme was developed to celebrate the stories of those who have completed both routes I immediately decided I couldn’t stop just at the Kumano Kodo and would have to head to Spain in the near future Leaving Tanabe behind, I travelled by bus for just under two hours to reach Kawayu Onsen I checked in to the Fujiya Ryokan and settled in for the evening A dinner of local seafood cooked in broth and warmed over a small candle accompanied by vegetables cut into the shape of maple leaves I washed it down with a local beer while poring over the maps I had spread out over the tatami floor then headed straight out to begin my adventure Staff from the ryokan (inn) drove me to my starting point: Hosshinmon-oji This is known as the ‘gate of awakening of the aspiration to enlightenment’ and marks the outermost entrance to Kumano Hongu Taisha’s sacred precincts After excitedly taking a photo of the first official Kumano Kodo sign I spotted I set off along a rather ordinary-looking road Starting a hike like this is strange – I didn’t know how long it would take me or exactly what to expect with just the sound of my feet on the ground to keep me going I spotted another sign telling me to head off down a much rougher-looking path It took me past houses and farmers’ fields the first of my places of interest and the first point at which I could collect a stamp a small shrine with nothing much of note besides a statue of Jizo and a rough stone path laid into the mud stretched out ahead This was more like it – this was what adventure looked like the site where pilgrims are said to have fallen to their knees and prayed after catching their first glimpse of the Grand Shrine in the distant valley below I may not have quite fallen to my knees at the sight but I certainly felt my breath catch in my throat Blue-green mountains stretched out before me and I could just make out the valley below slightly ominous grey clouds filled the sky here was a small rest house where I could sit for a while and contemplate what I had seen so far over a steaming coffee made with hot spring water I’m usually a fancy-latteswith-syrups kind of girl but this was the best coffee I’d had in a long time the Grand Shrine and central point of the Kumano Kodo They say life is often about the journey more than the destination and although Kumano Hongu Taisha was impressive (in an understated kind of way) I would say that the journey to get there impressed me even more There was something about arriving at such an important and grand shrine on foot with the feeling of having walked so very far (although it was only around seven kilometres) wooden buildings of Kumano Hongu Taisha a while imagining those who had been there before me and paper flags moved gently in the breeze I saw a few other pilgrims while I sat at the shrine – more than I had seen all day so far – but still felt like I was in another world After a quick visit to Oyunohara, home to Japan’s largest torii gate, I had a choice to make. I could either take a bus to Yunomine Onsen My notes warned me that the 3.5-kilometre hike was ‘relatively steep’ but I chose the option of walking nonetheless From Kumano Hongu Taisha to Yunomine Onsen I walked the Dainichi-goe trail which was one of the physically toughest things I have ever done which in turn led me to dirt paths through forests Tree roots interrupted my path as I climbed higher and higher over Mount Dainichi At one point I paused and held on to a tree to steady myself and I didn’t mind that it was starting to rain just as the heavens opened and the rain began to fall The Adumaya Ryokan wasn’t far along the road and I quickly headed in to take shelter from the rain I settled back on my futon and listened to the rain fall where I met the guide who would be taking me on a traditional boat cruise along the Kumano River and once we had all put on our lifejackets and customary conical straw hats we clambered into a tiny narrow boat and set off speaking both English and Japanese throughout the tour and explaining a lot of the sights along the way but towards the end of the tour we cruised the old-fashioned way for a while to the sound of the guide playing a traditional wooden flute The music pierced the air as I shut my eyes allowing the sun to warm my face and feeling the boat drift and bob along the river More hiking followed this relaxing start to the day, and after a visit to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, one of the Three Grand Shrines, I took a bus to Daimonzaka and hiked to Nachi the third of the grand shrines I would visit which stands 133 metres high and 13 metres wide The route from Daimonzaka took me up an impressive cobblestone staircase and when I looked up I could barely see the tops At the start of the trail I saw some hiking sticks – these are provided with the understanding that hikers will put them back when they are done and I don’t think I could have managed all of those steps without one I wouldn’t call myself a massive fan of waterfalls Kumano Nachi Taisha’s red pagoda is conveniently placed to make the perfect picture-postcard I naturally lined up alongside the other tourists to capture the moment This was miles away from the serenity of the forest One more bus ride took me from Nachi back to the coast of Katsuura Onsen so I hopped on a boat and headed out there The sun was setting as the boat chugged towards the island and I looked back at the mainland with a feeling of accomplishment My first solo pilgrimage had been an adventure Although I was treading the ground so many had walked before me I felt like I had discovered something very few people knew existed I would be back in the bright lights of Osaka but I vowed to bring a little bit of Kumano Kodo with me; a feeling that would travel with me on all of my future pilgrimages We offer a range of Kumano Kodo hiking modules of varying lengths and difficulties, all of which are designed to be added to any tailored trip. Ali followed our Three-night Module (Gentle Walking). Click here to find out more. Photos by Sara Pretelli & the Kumano City Tourism Board. Find inspiration for your Japan holiday plans by exploring our latest brochure. Visit our main site to read more about this topic or contact one of our specialists. After 2024 set a new record for tourist numbers in Japan, Rob Goss recommends switching out the biggest draws for these intriguing alternatives I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice For many travellers, Japan’s metropolitan hubs and breathtaking natural scenery have become a lifetime goal to visit The popular city of Kyoto boasts 17 Unesco World Heritage sites including shrines, temples and a castle, while tourists are also often led to magnificent sites such as Mount Fuji the country’s tallest peak and a sacred site to the Japanese While these sites and destinations are remarkable places to behold the droves of tourists flocking there can often break the spell of awe and have negative consequences on residents and the environment With Japan smashing its record of annual tourists with 36 million visitors in 2024 It’s good for the economy; not always good for protecting the wa that are just as beautiful or culturally significant Just over two-and-a-half hours by bullet train from Tokyo the city of Kanazawa certainly isn’t off the beaten path but it is great for a less-crowded dose of traditional Japan The city rose to prominence under the Maeda clan in the Edo era and under several hundred years of their patronage it became a focal point for art and culture especially Kaga Yuzen dyeing and Kanazawa gold-leaf work One touristy touch you will find is super-fine gold leaf sprinkled on ice cream and cakes Read more: Japan’s first bunk-bed bus allows tourists to skip the hotel You can stay at temples or shrines at lots of places in Japan The mountainside temple town of Koyasan in Wakayama prefecture is an increasingly popular option with travellers staying at one of Koyasan’s 100 or so temples remains a great experience – especially the morning fire ceremonies or an evening walk around the eerie Okunoin cemetery But if you wanted a spiritual experience off the tourist radar head to Yamagata prefecture in northern Japan on the three peaks of the holy Dewa Sanzan mountains is where yamabushi ascetics have trained for 1,400 years yamabushi seek enlightenment by communing with nature I stayed at a pilgrim’s lodge at the base of Dewa Sanzan’s Mount Haguro and joined a monk for a couple of days of training – jumping over fires and wearing nothing but a flimsy loincloth to meditate under a freezing cold waterfall but an unexpectedly invigorating experience Read more: The tiny island where cats outnumber humans – and made it a tourist destination Anyone who knows Japan well might spit out their tea seeing Ibaraki here Nikko and Kamakura are two of the “classic” Tokyo side trips they are also frequently packed with tourists this prefecture a couple of hours east of Tokyo by train has ranked last on one prefectural attractiveness survey The silver lining to that reputation is that you mostly avoid the crowds there with the seasonal exception of the lovely Kairakuen garden in Mito when the plum blossoms are in bloom in late February into early March including bungee jumping from the Ryujin suspension bridge in Hitachi taking in scenic spots like the 120-metre-high Fukuroda Falls or hiking Mount Tsukuba You can take some good sake brewery tours too Read more: Forget the Wim Hof method – Japanese toji water therapy is the wellness trend you need to know about Hundreds of thousands of people climb Mount Fuji every year in the summer climbing season The routes around Mount Takao in western Tokyo are equally crowded The ancient pilgrimage trails of the Kumano Kodo in the mountainous Kii peninsula are an entirely different matter Pilgrims (and now hikers) have been trekking on these routes to the three great Kumano shrines with gnarled tree roots reclaiming pathways and mossy stone trails winding through towering cedar forests You could get a taste of it with an easy day hike or go hard for a week Read more: What it’s like to hike Japan’s sacred Kumano Kodo trail Being a nation comprised of more than 6,000 islands – four of them forming most of the total landmass – Japan has no shortage of great islands to explore I’d happily spend a year in a hammock on the sub-tropical islands of Okinawa But the Oki Islands are where I’d most like to revisit Located 30 miles off the coast of Shimane prefecture in western Japan the rugged Oki islands were once used as a place of exile – even the Emperor Gotoba was banished here in the 1200s but to experience the slow life of Oki’s fishing and farming communities and for the scenic beauty of its hilly interiors and dramatic oceanside cliffs Read more: The Japanese dish that has become a tourist attraction for thousands Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"iStock-1143258860","description":"Cherry blossom Higashiyama teahouse old house street Kanazawa Japan","caption":"For a traditional taste of Japan that is less-crowded than Kyoto, head to Kanazawa For a traditional taste of Japan that is less-crowded than Kyoto, head to Kanazawa Rob Goss recommends switching out the biggest draws for these intriguing alternatives we show its practitioners and Kumano's sacred forests Home » New Mogami-class Frigate ‘Kumano’ 「くまの」Commissioned with JMSDF The Mogami-class / 30FFM (also known as FFM and previously known as 30DX) is the next generation multi-mission frigate designed for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) A total number of 22 Frigates are expected to be procured for the JMSDF The two shipyards in charge of building the frigates of the class are Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Nagasaki and Mitsui E&S in Okayama MHI is acting as prime contractor for the program the FFM multi-mission frigate will have a full load displacement of about 5,500 tons The FFM will be equipped with a wide variety of weapons and systems as listed below Initially, the Mogami-class was only “fitted for but not with” (FFBNW) Mk. 41 vertical launch system (VLS). This changed at the end of 2021: According to our Japan-based contributor, Yoshihiro Inaba the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced the supplementary budget for FY2021 which included a budget for two VLSs sets for FFM ships Two FFM frigates will get 16 cells each (allowing for a total of 32 quad-parcked ESSM each) The total supplementary budget is about $6.8 billion of which about $74 million is for the purchase of the VLS shipsets the FFM 9 and 10 specified in the defense budget request for FY2022 included a budget for VLS Therefore the VLS specified in this supplemental budget is for installation on any of the FFM ships 1 through 8 Naval News brings you news coverage of the latest naval defense shows & events We are also reporting on naval technology from all over the world is both easily accessible and a world away from Japan’s sprawling metropolitan centers Located about a hundred kilometers south of Osaka, the Kumano Kodo is the perfect antidote to a few days in Japan’s megalopolises. The network of trails snakes across the Kii Peninsula past sites significant in Buddhism and Shintoism The pilgrimage holds appeal for hikers with a wide range of abilities The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range as a World Heritage Site in 2004. The distinction officially includes the mountains Yoshino, Omine, and Koyasan the three Grand Shrines of the Kumano Kodo it’s impossible to miss what makes the area so special because so much of the region has significance. Not only that but the Kumano Kodo is one of only two pilgrimage routes in the world to earn the distinction of UNESCO World Heritage Site (the other is the Camino de Santiago in Spain) The Kumano Kodo’s network of trails allows for hikers to choose a route that fits their ability level and preferences cuts through the mountains past two of the Grand Shrines and was historically the most popular with the imperial family connects the three Grand Shrines with the Buddhist temple complex on Koyasan The routes are well-connected to Japan’s public bus and train system so hikers can hop a bus to bypass the more difficult sections or if they’re short on time though summer and winter may require extra preparation The average temperature in July and August hovers in the high 70s and the winters see rare snow. Spring and fall have the mildest temperatures and humidity levels Cherry blossoms and colorful foliage break up the region’s lush greenery during their respective seasons and the general populace all traveled from Kyoto to hike the Kumano Kodo and worship at its three Grand Shrines Both the walk itself and the ritual purification performed along its route were integral to these pilgrims’ journeys While Shinto nature worship took place long before pilgrims began trekking across the peninsula the area became a seedbed from which the two religions mixed The shrines along the Kumano Kodo also influenced the style and creation of shrines throughout Japan it’s easy to see why early residents in the region practiced nature worship and came to see the mountains here as sacred The trails pass through groves of towering cedar trees The towns themselves are beautiful in their own right—many are examples of traditional Japanese architecture Long days of hiking require long meals, something the hosts along the Kumano Kodo take seriously. Most ryokans and minshukus serve kaiseki meals, which are made up of numerous small dishes. While they include standard (read: amazing as usual) Japanese fare like sashimi hikers are also treated to local vegetables like fiddlehead ferns but Kumano beef deserves equal appreciation Onsens, or hot springs are deeply rooted in Japanese culture and can be found throughout the country hikers can practice Japanese-style bathing while also soothing their legs in the hot water travelers will pass multiple notable sights Beginning in Takijiri and walking all the way to Nachi travelers pass the world’s tallest torii gate at the former site of the Kumano Hongu Taisha (after a flood in the late 1800s the structure signifies the entrance to Oyunohara a sacred site where the Kumano deities supposedly once descended A short bus ride away from the Kumano Hongu Taisha is Yunomine Onsen The hot springs are thought to have been discovered 1,800 years ago and the town is now a common stop for pilgrims and tourists who often choose to stay more than one night At the terminus of the Nakahechi route, Japan’s tallest waterfall pours down 133 meters. Kumano Nachi Taisha, one of three Grand Shrines on the Kumano Kodo, originated from the ancient nature worship of this waterfall. Compared to the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who walk the Camino de Santiago each year, the Kumano Kodo is still far off Japan’s tourist circuit—you might walk for hours without seeing another person. Staying at the family-run guesthouses is also an intimate experience; many only have a couple of rooms. The trails are well-maintained and well-marked, so the only place you’ll get lost in is your mind. Hiking the Kumano Kodo isn’t about bagging a peak or ultimately reaching one destination. There’s no official starting point or ending point. There are even multiple options for “officially” completing the Kumano Kodo if it’s a distinction that matters to you. Hikers can set their own goals and metrics for success. MenuHiking the sacred Kumano Kodo route in Japan with a backpack and a “no Trump talk” pact 2018My concentration is completely focused on footfalls specifically where my feet are landing among the cedar roots that form a natural staircase on an 11-day trip thats covers the famous Kumano Kodo trail my goal was to escape the inescapable — a never-ending stream of U.S The first Japanese emperor to hike the trail did so in the 11th century after his retirement — possibly to seek absolution for his courtly life and imperial decisions I was invited by REI Adventures to hike the Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo trails with five other hikers which are designed for leisurely hikers — those who prefer no pre-trip calisthenics and like to conclude a few mellow hours on the trail with a soft bed and warm Level-two trips also feature more cultural components in this case two days each in Kyoto and Tokyo The six of us all shared a desire to escape the political din — we swiftly established a “no Trump talk” pact on day one — and to bathe in this largely “no service” wilderness Crai S. Bower/Mic“The six of us all shared a desire to escape the political din — we swiftly established a ‘no Trump talk”’pact on day one.”A thousand years after it was first established, the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage remains immensely popular, with up to 15 million annual visitors the routes are recognized as a Unesco World Heritage site sibling to Spain’s Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route The first emperor’s procession required 30 days to reach the Nakahechi trailhead from Kyoto We arrived from Kyoto in three hours via train and public bus My quest for tranquility began with ringing a bell at the Takijiri-oji Shinto Shrine located at the entrance to the Nakahechi wilderness I was introduced to Shintoism — a religion with no founder and no fundamental precepts other than that kami The Shinto perspective celebrates aesthetics emotions and the ability to see the beauty and goodness in all things In an era of public vitriol and divisiveness Shintoism provides an antidote worth consideration one can cleanse past transgressions by ringing a bell followed by a bow I’m not trying to convert anyone — our guide told us the word doesn’t even exist in the Japanese language — but launching an alpine forest hike at a shrine devoted to animistic deities feels right I step beneath the torii (gate) along the side — only priests may pass through the gate in the middle — complete the Shinto ritual at the shrine and begin the steep climb into the woods Bower/MicThe three-mile trail climbs over 1,200 feet from Takijiri-oji to Takahara the village where we will conclude our three-hour hike About 20 minutes into our walk we come upon Chichi-iwa Rock Our guide tells us that the wife of the Hidehira Fujiwara gave birth to her child here during their pilgrimage They left the child in the small cave and the infant was saved by a wolf who nourished the baby by dripping her milk down the rock The child’s parents returned after their pilgrimage collected their healthy infant son and returned home Most trailside shrines are maintained by local villagers who tend them meticulously Near the end of the hike is the Takahara Shrine located among rare 1,000-year-old camphor trees on the outskirts of the eponymous village This Buddhist shrine was constructed between 1392 and 1573 during the early Muromachi period The shrine presumably houses a copper image of the Buddha razed many historical castles and some shrines as well with their massive girth and labyrinthine branches these rare ancient trees at the Takahara Shrine still exist because the local Takahara leaders feted the axe-wielding Meiji officials so thoroughly that they departed the next morning yielding nothing more from their excavation mission than heavy sake-induced hangovers Bower/MicJapan’s relationship with nature has always fascinated me though my impressions had previously only come from literature gardening books and Japanese gardens in the Pacific Northwest I thought Japanese gardens were all about the dry garden But the actual wilderness is just that — wilder For seven days I was surrounded by an unkempt tangle of exposed roots At no point was anyone glued to their phone checking news sites or scorning at hostile tweets Settling into the comforting onsen after another day on the trail I resolved to be more purposeful in my own relationship with silence — and to supplant my cacophonous routine back in Seattle with intentional installments of quiet In southern Japan there exists a 1,000-year-old trail that is stop-in-your-tracks stunning but almost completely devoid of crowds sacred structures and gorgeously green surroundings And yet there are only four user reviews of it on Google and it’s actually a network of four pilgrimage routes on the Kii Peninsula After recently hiking 40 miles along the Nakahechi Route and nearby shrines I’m convinced that Kumano Kodo is Japan’s best-kept secret — if not the world’s greatest unknown trek Officials cite fewer than 200,000 total hikers per year along the Kumano Compare that to the 2.6 million (majority foreign) hikers along the longer and significantly less scenic Camino de Santiago in Spain the only other specially designated pilgrimage trek in the world several million more visit the three Grand Shrines of Kumano by bus but you’ll have the actual trail largely to yourself Most days I would hike the fern-filled paths for hours More: Forest bathing: Walk in the woods to shed worldly woes While the Kumano Kodo was originally designed as a purifying pilgrimage route for practitioners of Shinto today its seven major trails are largely used for recreation the Kumano very much remains a spiritual experience Along the path there are countless torii gates and 99 sub-shrines that were once visited by pilgrims seeking to alleviate back And then there are the three Grand Shrines whose awe-inspiring architecture are an attraction on their own A cultural pilgrimage as much as an outdoor one In addition to exposing you to some truly great outdoors the Kumano Kodo offers an authentic and age-old glimpse into how modern Japanese still like to vacation You’ll encounter (and hopefully participate in) lots of naked bathing in natural hot springs (called “onsens”) sleeping on straw-matted floors (called “tatamis”) in sparsely decorated rooms at traditional Japanese inns (called “ryokans”) and wearing the provided casual kimono robes (called “yukatas”) in lieu of Western clothes while staying at said inns well and revered by locals almost as much as the nearby Shinto shrines The birthplace of Japan — where new meets old Rather than taking a Western approach of “Out with the old in with the new,” Japan is known for keeping old ideas next to new ones Here you’ll experience calming seclusion among cedar and cypress You’ll encounter Zen-like reverence as often as you will a fully automated vending machine while passing through radically clean mountain villages you’ll also find the ancient capitals of both Asuka and Kyoto I recommend visiting the mysterious and Stonehenge-like Ishibutai Tomb in addition to the national treasures of Kyoto: Fushimi Inari (shrine of 10,000 gates) Arashiyama Bamboo Groves (at sunrise or sunset to avoid crowds) So how has this trail remained undiscovered and sometimes physically demanding nature of the trail that keep people away Maybe it’s because Japan isn’t recognized for its hiking or that foreigners balk at the admittedly foreign bedding and customs the Kumano Kodo and surrounding Kii Peninsula combine two powerful ingredients into one remarkable experience: Stunning natural landscapes; and the endearing display of contemporary and timeless Japanese culture See highlights from the trek in the slideshow above Search Results for {phrase} ({results_count} of {results_count_total})Displaying {results_count} results of {results_count_total}More results... Russell has recently returned from another walk – this time in Japan Below she describes some of the beautiful views, physical challenges and welcoming hospitality encountered during a six-day hike on the Kumano Kodo, a network of pilgrimage trails Fearing my international walking habits have me in a Francophone rut I decided to branch out and try a walk in Japan even more so because I persuaded my husband Bruce to come with me By sheer happenstance, our sister-in-law Deb and friends Liz and Jennifer from Denver were also on the same route and schedule, which added to our enjoyment (Deb, Liz and I are ski buddies and we had previously walked part of the Camino together) This is our story: I hope it encourages readers to emulate us The Kumano Kodo is a network of pilgrimage trails through the mountains of the Kii Peninsula which is recognised as a heritage site by UNESCO this area has been the subject of nature worship It was believed to be the place where Izanami the mythical goddess who gave birth to the Japanese archipelago In the 7th century the peninsula emerged as a site of ascetic training for Shugendo (a blend of Buddhism Taoism and Shintoism) based on a form of mountain worship where emphasis is put on physical endurance as the path to enlightenment We travelled the Nakahechi-do part of this network starts at Takijiri and weaves through forested mountains to the sea at Katsuura It took us to two of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano which have been pilgrimage destinations since the 10th century and past oji shrines where aristocratic pilgrims used to perform their purification rituals There was certainly a strong element of physical endurance involved in this 6-day 60-kilometre hike (“walk” does not convey the effort involved) It’s not clear that any enlightenment was achieved lots of aching muscles and – from time to time – an inner peace and contentment I used the same wonderful travel organisation I have used previously for my walking trips in France Their organisation was as impeccable as always and they did a wonderful job of providing us with lots of useful background information before we left despite speaking no Japanese and travelling in areas where most people had only a few words of English we felt very comfortable managing our self-guided tour We were booked to stay at small inns and ryokans along the way We were required to carry more than just a day pack as luggage was not automatically delivered to our overnight stay each day but this really meant just a change of clothes and socks and toiletries yukata (cotton robes) and slippers were provided and it is quite acceptable to eat dinner in these There are several excellent luggage courier services available (although these do not do same-day delivery); we used Takkyubin and decided to transfer our bag (just one – you pay by the bag) from Kyoto to the inn at our halfway point and then on from there to Osaka All this can be done by the front desk people at any hotel or inn This arrangement meant I did not need to do any laundry along the way (although laundry and drying facilities were readily available) We had chosen late August – early September for our walk because we thought that would avoid summer heat but it turned out to be unseasonably hot (around 32°C most days) and humid This was mitigated to some extent because most of the way was through forests it’s essential under such conditions to be able to carry enough water and/or know where you can replenish it I use stainless steel thermos water bottles which are lightweight and keep liquids cold for a surprisingly long time Most days there was potable water available along the trail and there were vending machines where we could buy cold drinks in some surprisingly isolated places The lunches provided are usually rice balls with seaweed Fresh fruits and vegetables were hard to find and expensive and if you can’t read Japanese you can be surprised by your purchases (the dried fruits I thought I was buying turned out to be candies) so bringing snack bars and trail mix from home is a good idea ATM machines are few and far between on the trail and many places in these rural areas don’t take credit cards including small denomination notes for buses You will also need your passport each time you check in to accommodation We left Kyoto by train to Tanabe and then by local bus to Takajiri the point at which “passage into the precincts of the sacred mountains begins” was marked by the Takajii-oji and we began the first of many steep climbs up through the forest Soon we reached a rock tunnel called Tainai Kuguri – literally “passing through the womb” Superstition has it that women who can pass through will have easy births but the gap is so small very few men could make it Just as we entered the small mountain village of Takahara it poured with rain and so we arrived at the doorstep of our accommodation sopping wet and marvelled as we danced a joyful jig on meeting up with Deb Soon it was off to the hot spring baths and then we enjoyed a wonderful multi-course dinner with locally-produced organic produce while we watched the sun set over the mountains (see feature image above) The mist was still clearing from the valley below as we set off knowing that we faced 4 km of climbing before an equally steep descent to our destination Much of the trail was quite narrow with a steep drop on one side This day and every day we passed many statues and shrines (often with offerings) and signs giving historical information Our guidebook offered further descriptions although I fear we missed much of cultural significance We passed through the village of Chikatsuyu which once flourished as a stop where pilgrims purified themselves in the Hioki River (but it is now better known for plum icecream) and walked on to the minshuku (family-run inn) at Nonaka We were more than ready for hot baths and a beer Dinner that night was beautifully served by our hosts and we were asleep on our futons very early We were taking much longer than our guidebook indicated to hike the various stages and with some insight into what “strenuous” might mean This started with a ride from our hosts to the isolated hamlet of Doyugawabashi Here the mountain trail had been diverted due to a major landslide which had sheared off a mountain face – something that apparently happens quite often in this area ongoing amount of work done to maintain the trail and stop erosion on the steep mountainsides We emerged from the mountains to the Hosshinmon-oji one of the five most important oji shrines where we stopped for lunch before continuing on to Hongu Here there were lots more steps to climb to explore the grand shrine complex of Kumano Hongu Taisha This shrine has been the centre of the Shugendo faith and pilgrimage for over 1000 years and it was crowded with the faithful and sightseers Around the shrine there are many depictions of a black three-legged crow called Yatagarasu which is believed to bring luck in reaching your destination and realising your dreams We gratefully caught a bus to travel from Hongu to Yunomine Onsen where we stayed at a wonderful inn with indoor and outdoor baths There was yet another amazing meal (starting with icy plum wine) to celebrate a tough day hiking We were beginning to understand why the guidebook advised to come hungry to the dinner table The people at the inn were worried that we had not had a chance to explore the small village of Yunomine Onsen and so insisted on taking us for a quick sightseeing tour before we caught the local bus to Ukegawa Our boots and lunches were neatly set out for us and the other guests in the hotel entrance way as we prepared to leave the water emerges from the ground at a temperature of 90°C It is piped to a number of inns and onsens The highpoint of Hyakken-gura looks out on to the “3,600 peaks of Kumano” – the ridges and peaks of Kumano’s sacred mountains We didn’t count them but simply admired the stupendous view and left a tribute at the nearby shrine we passed the Ishido-jaya teahouse which dates from the Edo period (1600-1868) There are a number of teahouses along the way in various stages of repair; some appear to still be used Our overnight lodgings were in a converted school It looked exactly like that from the outside and the dining room had echoes of a school canteen and dinner (served by women who might once have belonged to the local Parents and Friends Association) was exceptional The staff watched us anxiously to ensure we knew how to eat and enjoy everything and happily served up the beer which we shared with an Italian pianist who was walking to “clear his mind” By now we had learned that if our guidebook said it was going to be a tough day – it was going to be a really tough day and braced ourselves for a climb of 800 metres over the first 4 kilometres It took forever but eventually we reached Echizen-touge Pass at 870 m the highest point on the Nakahechi Trail Written on the rock are three Sanskrit characters that represent the Buddhas worshipped at the three grand shrines of Kumano A few kilometres further on we reached Funami-touge Pass It was all uphill and then it was steeply downhill really appreciated our walking poles and thanked the mountain gods it wasn’t raining to reach the imposing Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine We treated ourselves to plum ice cream before heading off to find our accommodations in the small surrounding village of Nachi-San but he wanted to make sure we appreciated the mountain beauty on show from the windows of our room we were more interested in whether the baths were open to ease our aching muscles we were ready to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings shared with a hiker from Toronto we had encountered regularly along the trail Nachi-San is very popular with tourists so we were happy to explore the small village and then walk down to the Nachi-Taki waterfall before the buses rolled in but by now we could (almost) skip like mountain goats The waterfall (which drops 133m) is worshipped as a symbol of life and as an axis connecting sky and earth This was effectively the end of our walk and soon it was time to catch the bus to the seaside town of Katsuura and then the train to Osaka and tolerant of things that are not like home Although our guidebook rated this as a “moderate” hike our group of five seasoned walkers (and everyone else we met) agreed it was more than that stony and moss-covered paths would be treacherous We were really lucky that we (almost) escaped the rain Our accommodations were simple with tatami mats and futons sometimes the rooms had their own toilets and washbasins Everything was very clean and toiletries and hairdryers were always provided It really is essential (and polite) that you know the etiquette for baths Many of the inns and ryokans have strict rules about check-in and check-out times and whether baths and showers are allowed in the morning then you are in for some wonderful experiences with lots of local produce and great variety Some people struggle with Japanese breakfasts but really the combination of carbohydrates (rice) and protein (fish and eggs) is perfect for starting the day We had not expected morning coffee but it was sometimes available There are some places where food and snacks can be bought along the way but these are few and far between (and usually don’t open until 10:00am) although sometimes you are given a choice of times combined with sunsets around 7:00pm and physical exhaustion Wifi was available at all our accommodations although sometimes this was just in the lobby For a nation that is both fanatically clean and packages everything It is therefore necessary to carry rubbish until you find somewhere appropriate to dispose of it Be prepared to encounter squat toilets on the trail and in some public places They are easy to use; get a ticket as you enter via the back door the board up front above the driver tells you the fare and there are always announcements in English about the upcoming stops The people were met were delighted to talk with us and help us The Japanese are (rightly) very proud of the Kumano Kodo and enchanted with the idea that people come from Australia to hike it It is possible to hire local guides who know the trail and its history well and that would certainly heighten the cultural experience Our lasting memories of the Kumano Kodo are of beautiful landscapes We will certainly return for more: will it be to the Nakasendo Way or the Shikoku 88 Temples walk or a ski trip Social media platforms are suppressing the sharing of news; we are asking readers to support public interest journalism by sharing it through other means and website in this browser for the next time I comment This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed I love the context and clarity that Croakey’s contributors bring to very complex issues Croakey is a valuable voice in the health space providing a respected and wide ranging platform for health experts and professionals to debate this crucial area of public policy The future of health care is too important to leave to the mainstream media respectful and inclusive debate on the health issues that really matter Croakey provides outstanding public interest journalism that challenges the status quo through an ethical and decolonised lens As CEO of the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC) it is my pleasure to write a testimonial for Croakey VMIAC have happily engaged the services of Marie McInerney and her team at Croakey to cover major events in the life of VMIAC We have been fortunate to have Croakey cover our awards night last year and our conference the year before Marie has brilliantly captured the essence of our organisation and the views of our members and stakeholders I cannot envisage a time when we will not engage Croakey as we find their brand of journalism uplifting Marie’s ability to draw out the stories she produces is wonderfully fresh and always empowering I would not hesitate to recommend Croakey as a leading service to any event Croakey gives us our daily dose of independent thinking discussion and debate on all things public health topics and prolific tweets combine to make it a valuable and lively source of news and food for thought for all Australians © 2025 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The Kumano Pluton in southern Japan appears as a red bulge (indicating dense rock) in the center of this new 3D visualization The mountain-sized chunk of rock is nestled in the crust of the continental Eurasian plate under which the oceanic Philippine plate is taking a dive toward the Earth's mantle The Kumano pluton plays an important role in the subduction of Japan's southern coast An underground mountain-sized chunk of rock may be affecting paths of large earthquakes in southern Japan is lurking about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) below the surface beneath Japan's Kii Peninsula It sits in the crust of the continental Eurasian plate the oceanic Philippine plate is taking a dive toward the Earth's mantle New research suggests that the heavy pluton within the Eurasian plate changes the slope of that dive forcing the Philippine plate down more steeply.  The pluton also sits near the epicenters of two large 1940s earthquakes each of which traveled in opposite directions and did not rupture through the pluton itself "Ultimately, we don't really know why these earthquakes didn't overlap in the region of the pluton," said study co-author Dan Bassett, a marine geophysicist at New Zealand's GNS Science, an Earth science research service "It does appear to be playing a really key role in nucleating these earthquakes and preventing them from joining up." (An earthquake's nucleation point is where it begins to rupture the crust.) especially in submarine trenches where placing equipment isn't easy is one of the best-monitored places in the world The Japanese Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has blanketed the Nankai Trough region with seafloor monitors and Japan's seismologists have also put together the densest array of borehole seismometers — seismic monitoring equipment buried deep in the crust to minimize disruption from non-earthquake vibrations — on the planet Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox "We recognized that we had this gigantic dataset which had swelled for a couple of decades and was really unique in that it would enable us to produce a really high-resolution three-dimensional model of the entire subduction zone," Bassett told Live Science The team did not discover the Kumano pluton but they did get the clearest picture ever of how this structure influences the subduction zone What they found was a surprise: Most research on subduction zones focuses on the structure of the plate that's diving beneath the surface but doesn't consider the plate sitting over it The new findings indicate that the slab of crust sitting over the subducting plate may be more important than anyone had realized "We think a lot about the angle of the slab that's going down and hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about how the properties of the upper crust impact the downgoing slab," said Wendy Bohon a geologist at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) raise new questions about the role of the pluton in earthquakes a magnitude-8.1 quake started on the edge of the pluton and shook the ground to the northeast a magnitude-8.6 earthquake started close to the epicenter of the first quake but ruptured in the southwest direction "You have these points along faults that are like little rough spots or big rough spots and they can stop the earthquake from unzipping," Bohon said referring to structures such as the Kumano pluton Related: Japan earthquake & tsunami: Facts and information It's not clear why the pluton is having this effect It could be that the dense volcanic rock is putting so much pressure on the subducting plate that it resists the sort of dramatic rupture needed to continue an earthquake Or it could be due to the way the pluton alters the shape of the subducting plate below it the subducting plate doubles the steepness of its downward dive This means that this oceanic crust drops very deep Earthquakes happen more readily at shallower depths where the crust is cool and brittle so the quick drop-off could limit the area of crust capable of generating a quake The huge structure seems to create the pressure that forces the subducting plate into a steep dive That steep dive forces the subducting plate to warp and crack creating fractures that seawater can seep into The trajectory of the dive also influences where the water ends up and which minerals it can chemically react with The seismic waves in this region slow dramatically suggesting an area of the richly hydrated mineral serpentine "Those minerals are stable up to somewhere in the ballpark of 400-600 degrees Celsius [472 degrees to 1112 degrees Fahrenheit] so it has to get carried down a ways before that plate will heat enough that that water will be released," Shillington told Live Science "So that's likely to have a deeper effect." geoscientists have focused more on the subducting plate when trying to understand the deep-Earth water cycle The new study suggests the overriding plate is important —The Biggest Earthquakes in History —50 interesting facts about Earth  —Image Gallery: This Millennium's Destructive Earthquakes  "If we want to understand this water in the plate now we have another variable that we need to think about," she said The research team now plans to build three-dimensional models of the subduction zone in northeastern Japan where the 2011 Tohoku earthquake originated and the Hikurangi subduction zone off New Zealand's North Island Those should be ready within a year or two "Being able to compare high-resolution 3D models of Earth structures across the three subduction zones should enable us to think a little bit more carefully about how the structure of subduction zones is impacting earthquake behavior," he said Stephanie PappasSocial Links NavigationLive Science ContributorStephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California 'This is a very big earthquake': The science behind Myanmar's magnitude 7.7 earthquake Creepy 'ghost lanterns' in South Carolina are not what they seem Experts alarmed as White House proposes 'largest single-year cut to NASA in American history' There’s more than what meets the eye at this vacation home in Japan Book now: airbnb.com Most of the accommodation options in Shingū and along the coast are large nondescript hotels—but not [Kamikura-Hideaway] this cozy two-story apartment is styled with retro Yet what makes this place truly special is that it’s more than a place to stay The house and its contents are clues to a fictional mystery that guests are invited to help solve Designed by the artists of Fulbrn Factory which invites guests to experience stories through the very space they inhabit Book lovers and hikers who want to feel completely immersed in Japanese folklore The top floor study is both an inviting place to read we were greeted by our host and given a typical tour of the space I actually still had no idea what I had signed up for really should take a look at one book that “tells the story of the house.” Vintage mugs lined the shelves of a petite but fully equipped kitchen complete with complimentary coffee and pour-over setup The living room has a comfortable futon and shelves lined with interesting trinkets The bedroom is set up with two comfortable futons on traditional Japanese tatami mats (Note that tatami mats often have a distinct It’s nothing to worry about.) Upstairs felt like stepping back in time: Vintage furniture filled out a study and reading room and other knickknacks that at first glance seemed like little more than decor Guests embark on a magical quest to solve the mystery of a missing tenant who supposedly used to live there But once I settled into the old leather armchair and began to dive into the book I began to realize I had just opened a full-on novel Told from the perspective of the grandson of the woman who used to live there it was indeed about the house but also an odd the more I realized that these knickknacks and trinkets weren’t just decoration but clues from the story helping to unravel a fantastical mystery about the disappearance of one of the story’s characters While I won’t spoil the story for you (you’ll have to spend the night to find out what happened in this magical house) I will reveal that the story was so gripping we quickly ditched all our original plans of exploring the town and instead hunkered down to read and clue-hunt until we discovered what happened what I loved most was how it drew in references from Japanese folkore allowing us to feel immersed in—rather than apart from—the surrounding area while reading on the Nakahechi Route of the Kumano Kodo Trail Kumano Hayatama Taisha is a short walk from the Airbnb A night or two in Shingū really only makes sense if you’re hiking the Kumano Kodo. This large port city is more residential than touristic, and the main attraction for visitors is the Kumano Hayatama Taisha, one of the main Taisha, or Shinto shrines, along the trail. It’s also where you will end if you opt to take the boat from just south of the Hongu Taisha to Shingū rather than finishing the final leg of the trail (a popular option for time-crunched hikers) which is basically a Japanese take on Italian food Prepare a cup of coffee and get ready to read. It may not be the fanciest Airbnb out there, but it’s certainly one of the most creative. Additionally, it’s clear that the hosts—a kind and welcoming husband and wife duo who live nearby—put a lot of love into managing this house and helping guests enjoy the imaginative story from Fulbrn Factory brought to live. In short: If you love books or enjoy a good story, don’t miss a chance to stay here. 2018© Jenny ZarinsSave this storySaveSave this storySaveA stretch of the Kumano Kodo trail leading to Kumano Hongu Taisha Beef shabu-shabu cooked in a traditional irori This article appeared excerpted in the November 2018 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Read the full story here. Along the picturesque Shichiri-Mihama Beach in Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, the skyline is adorned with a vibrant display of approximately 250 koinobori carp streamers this tradition has marked Japan's annual holiday period from April 29 to May 5 the streamers dance energetically in the winds blowing from the Kumano Nada sea.  the civic group organizing this event announced its discontinuation the city's young adults in their 20s and 30s took up the mantle to ensure the tradition continued establishing the "Minna no Koinobori no Kai" ("Carp Streamer Association for Everyone").  April 28 was the first day of the festivities Around 150 local high school students and residents joined forces to put up the carp streamers under the guidance of seasoned members from the previous organizing committee the newly appointed representative of the association shared his connection to the event: "I grew up admiring this scenery since childhood so I want to work hard to preserve it for future generations." (Read the article in Japanese.)Author: The Sankei Shimbun You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + "