Kumano-Kodo Nakahechi pilgrimage trail (May 14-16, 2019)
On day 1, still suffering a bit from jet lag, we had no problem waking up prior to 5 am in Kii-Tanabe. We ate breakfast as quietly as possible so as not to wake the young English couple, Tim and Katie, who were sleeping in the adjacent room. We caught the 6.25 am bus to Takijiri-oji and were joined in departing the bus at Takijiri-oji by Michelle, from Australia, after paying our 970 yen fare. The current exchange rate is approximately 110 yen/1 US$. The “tourist buses” in Japan aren't cheap. We were the only people who departed the bus at this stop. Michelle might have stayed on the bus if it wasn't for us. I only knew to get off because I was following our route on my phone. The driver, Patsy said, did say Takijiri, but I never heard her. The stop wasn't signed and Patsy didn't want to press the bell because she figured everyone would be getting off here. I thought so too, but I pressed the bell just to be safe. Good thing too, as everyone else was taking the bus all the way to Hongu Taisha. Had I not pressed the bell we'd presumably have kept on going. We stamped our credentials (pilgrim passports) at the start of the trail and were soon joined by Michelle who'd stopped at Takijiri to get a cup of tea. At one of the oji (shrines) I was surprised to see her stamping her Australian passport. Didn't you get a credential? I asked her. She really thought she was supposed to stamp her regular passport. It began to rain around 10 am, very lightly at first, but the intensity increased as the day wore on. We stopped at a Michi-no-Eki store for a bite to eat and made it to our Ryokan for the night, Sakura-no-Sono in Chikatsuyu, at 2 pm in the pouring rain. 20,800 yen for the night including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even though it was early afternoon we were really glad to be able to escape the rain. After showering our hostess showed us how to dress in a Yukata and this is the garment we wore to dinner. Patsy had to explain to me how to use the shower as I'd never come across one like it before. We were meant to shower directly onto the bathroom floor. At dinner we were joined by an Australian couple and a young Canadian guy who were also staying here, in the annex. It was a very pleasant evening to end our first day on the Kumano-Kodo. Outside it was pouring rain when we made our way back from the annex to the house.
On the morning of day 2 we were presented with a bento (lunch) box and led by our host to a nearby cafe where we “enjoyed” the smallest breakfast ever. We walked from Chikatsuyu to Yunomine Onsen via the Akagi-goe route, at first bypassing, then later crossing, a tornado-damaged section of the trail. At Hosshinmon-oji Michelle continued to Hongu Taisha. We, however, set off for the Akagi-goe route that led directly to Yunomine onsen where we were going to spend the next 3 nights at the J-Hoppers hostel. J-Hoppers cost a more reasonable 7,860 yen per night and included cooked rice, tea, and drip-coffee. We brought 3 dehydrated dinners with us, not knowing what food we might be able to purchase at Yunomine onsen. We wouldn't have starved although the food selection wasn't great. The small store across the street from the Tsubo-yu onsen had a selection of snacks, bananas and yogurt that were reasonably priced. J-Hoppers also had a selection of food items.
On day 3 we made a 13 mile, with 3,150' gain, loop, reversing the Akagi-goe route as far as Hosshinmon-oji. From there we made our way to Hongu Taisha along the busiest section of trail. Many people evidently walk only the section of trail between Hosshinmon-oji and Hongu Taisha in order to earn their Kumano-Kodo stamp. We ran into an REI tour group which, if we were to have joined, would have cost us $14,000 for 11 days (excluding airfare). We wouldn't have had nearly as much exercise either. They were walking less than 5 miles, and climbing less than a thousand feet, per day. To be members of a guided tour group in Japan a couple can expect to pay approximately $1,300 per day, $500 per day for a self-guided tour organized by a travel company, or $250 per day for a self-guided, self-organized tour. After spending some time at Hongu Taisha we made our way back to Yunomine Onsen via the Dainichi-goe route that was really steep, both on the ascent and on the descent.
At Hongu Taisha we stamped our credentials with the Kumano-Kodo completion stamp. This works on the honor system as it's self-serve and no one actually checks whether or not you've done one of the qualifying routes, of which there are several. (1) Walk from Takijiri-oji all the way to Hongu Taisha, which is what we did, (2) walk from Nachi Taisha to Hongu Taisha, (3) walk from Koyasan to Hongu Taisha, which is what we'll be doing next, or (4) the physically easiest is to walk from Hossinmon-oji to Hongu Taisha and also pay a visit to Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha.
熊野古道-Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes (Nakahechi)
The trail begins across National Road #311 from Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Michi-no-Eki rest stop. First you will be able to see the image of the small Gyuba- Doji in the trail. This statue shows Kazan, one of the first abdicated emperors to pilgrimage to Kumano, sitting on a horse and cow. And, the next Oji ─ Chikatsuyu-Oji is located in Chikatsuyu Village. Next section follows the old road through Chikatsuyu Village along the south side of Mt.Takao, gradually climbing over 200 meters in elevation.
In the shrine grove of Tsugizakura-oji are the massive Nonaka-no-Ipposugi cedar trees. The shrine grove and its old-growth trees were saved from destruction by Minakata Kumagusu during the early 20th century.