Kumano Kodo: Nakahechi

Kumano Kodo Nakahechi: the imperial route.
Tanabe to Sanpo-ji, 11th of October 2024.
Inabane-oji to Kumano Nachi Taisha (Nachisan), 23th of October to 27th of October 2024.
Distance: 90.2km. 6 days.

I had done the Kiiji, Kohechi, Ohechi and a section of the Iseji of the Kumano Kodo routes. It was time for the most common of the routes, Nakahechi, which is the imperial route. This was the route retired emperors chose. Like Kohechi, the majority of this route has also survived the advent of modern civiliation as most of it still remains up into the hills and mountains in the middle of the Kii peninsula.

Map of the Kumano Kodo routes with Nakahechi outlined.

Nakahechi is also the route that in terms of comparison is the closest to the Camino de Santiago, but where the routes in Spain mostly can be defined as walking in an open landscape, the Kumano Kodo is the opposite. It feels like walking wrapped inside the landscape around you. What constitutes most of the similarity is the social aspect of the walk, although on a somewhat smaller scale. One will not find a large dormitory here, but there might be a communal dinner and a fellowship to be found at the end of each stage. As well as meeting more people on the way.

In front of the Tokei-jinja shrine in Tanabe.

A short and steep descent from the Inabane-toge pass.

As with the Kohechi route, accommodation must be booked well in advance, despite being more options on this trail. The route is also well waymarked and finding the way is not a problem.

A rainy day it was when walking towards Takijiri-oji next to the Tonda-gawa river.

On a narrow path next to the Tonda-gawa river.

According to the guidebooks and official guides, the route is starting from the Takijiri-oji shrine, which is easily reachable by taking a bus from Tanabe. A bus ride that takes about 40 minutes. That being said, the route is actually starting from Tanabe and the Tokei-jinja shrine, but from a commercial point of view it is easy to see that it makes sense to skip the first section. With a few notable exceptions, it is mostly a walk going on paved roads. From Takijiri-oji the route is about 70 kilometres long, add around 25 kilometres if starting from Tanabe.

Rice fields below and mountains behind from a wonderful viewpoint in Takahara.

Prior to starting from Takijiri-oji, I walk from Tanabe to Inabane-oji in the afternoon the day before I embark on the Ohechi route. Then after having finished the first leg of the Iseji in Hongu, I take the bus the next day to Inabane-oji and walk from there in the rain up to Takijiri-oji. Mostly on wet paved roads, but there are some scenic paths going alongside the river on the way.

View of Chikatsuyu and misty mountains.

An old shop in Chikatsuyu.

After having walked three of the routes almost completely limited to my own company, it is nice to finally meet other walkers going in the same direction as I am on the route.

Stone lanterns and steep stairs leading up to the Tsugizakura-oji shrine.

Surrounded by trees, I walk on these ancient built paths, over roots that lays intricate patterns on the ground, on natural stairs of stone, and over moss that colours the line I see in front of me green. Echoes of pilgrims from the Edo period drifting through the woods, or from teahouses of old no longer existing. Views of mountains in the horizon with rice fields below from the pleasant village of Takahara.

Weathered and illuminated Jizo on the Nakahechi.

The section of the Nakahechi from Takijiri-oji to Hisohara-oji was one of the best walks so far on the Kumano Kodo, but the succeeding day to Kumano Hongu Taisha is a minor disappointment. The surface features more paved roads and when the path takes to the woods and mountains I feel it lacks the mysterious atmosphere from the day before. There are still highlights, though, returning to the viewpoint from where pilgrims can marvel at the size of the grand Otorii of Ōyunohara is one of them.

The entrance to Kumano Hongu Taisha in Hongu.

Certified dual pilgrim, picture taken from the dual pilgrim website.

Third time is a charm, Hongu and Kumano Hongu Taisha can be seen as a natural hub on the Kumano Kodo, as both the Nakahechi, Kohechi and Iseji routes are connecting here. In the evening I decide to walk over to Yunomine Onsen for a visit to the public onsen there, on the way I find myself looking up at two eyes staring down at me. In the dark I have no idea what kind of animal it is, but my guess is that it was a racoon.

View from the Hyakken-gura viewpoint with the 3000 mountains of the Kii peninsula under a layer of clouds, rain imminent.

If you have walked one of the Camino de Santiago routes in Spain before and was eligible to receive the Compostela, you might be eligible for getting the Dual Pilgrim certificate. For the Kumano Kodo, you can find the rules on the following website: https://dual-pilgrim.spiritual-pilgrimages.com/are-you-a-dual-pilgrim/. After receiving the Dual Pilgrim certificate, you can visit the grand shrine, perform a small drum ceremony and then receive your own gilded scallop with Yatagarasu on it, the three-legged crow that is the emblem of the routes.

A stone poem monument on the Kogumotori-goe section of the Nakahechi.

Kogumotori-goe is the name of the Nakahechi route between Hongu and Koguchi, loosely translated as passing over small clouds. I find it a little bit surprising that most of the hikers on the Kumano Kodo takes the bus from Hongu to the trailhead at Ukegawa. Main attraction on the way is the Hyakken-gura viewpoint, for over 1000 years pilgrims has stopped here and looked out over the 3000 mountains of the Kii peninsula.

Kotohira-jinja, reached on a detour from the descent towards Koguchi.

In Koguchi I stay at an old school turned into an inn, Koguchi Shizen-no-ie, where I spend a pleasant evening together with a group walking the Nakahechi that I met during the walk.

A revered Jizo watches over the pilgrims on the Ogumotori-goe.

In the midst of Ogumotori-goe where I am struggling along, short of breath, calmly standing is a Jizo Bodhisattva. These are not my words, but words or a poem found on a stone between the Hyakken-gura viewpoint and the Jizo-jaya teahouse. There are fourteen of these stone poem monuments, which was erected to celebrate a major trail mainenance project by the Kumanogawa village in 1984. Ascending the Kogumotori-goe, soft lights shimmer on the dead silver grass trembling in the mountain breeze.

Mist comes seeping in on a climb up between Koguchi and Kumano Nachi Taisha.

Ogumotori-goe is considered the hardest stage on the Nakahechi, connecting Koguchi with Kumano Nachi Taisha, and is the path passing over large clouds. It begins with a steep climb up to the Echizen-toge pass, with clouds lying low over the flagstones path and Jizo statues. Whisps of clouds also passes by me as I walks through a part of the path called Mojo-no-deai, meaning encounter with the deceased, a reminder that pilgrims did perish while walking on this route.

Enclosed in low clouds when I arrived, but after having my lunch the clouds lifted and revealed a view of the sea and Nachi-Katsuura.

At the remains of the Funami-chaya teahouse I have lunch with only clouds for view, but as I am about to leave a window opens up and I am able to look down towards the Pacific Ocean and Nachi-Katsuura. The sea seems just as grey as the weather. Nachi Kogen park appear like an abandoned amusement park, a somewhat surreal ending of the Nakahechi, just before the final walk down the steep moss covered steps to Kumano Nachi Taisha.

Nachi Kogen park, I was tempted to take the slide down. The park appeared to not have been in use for a time.

The grand shine is bustling, as it had been the last time I was there as well. I make my way down the many stony steps to the foot of the Nachi-no-taki waterfall, which is considered to be a deity in itself. When it is time to leave, the ancient Daimon-zaka awaits me once again. I loose count of the many steps on the way.

Seiganto-ji temple at Nachisan.

After finishing, I spend two nights at Minpako Kodo in the small village below Nachisan. There are no services there, but the host is very friendly and hospitable and will drive the guests to a nearby supermarket if needed. I eat dinner in Nachi-Katsuura before I sit down and relaxe at the public footbath looking out over the harbour.

Nachi-no-taki waterfall, the 133-meter high waterfall is the tallest in Japan.

< Ohechi | Iseji >

Note: As written, I spent two nights at Minpako Kodo, on the second day I visited Kumano Nachi Taisha again and then went to Tonda to walk the section of the Ohechi that I had missed. The next day I hiked the Kakenuchimichi, visited the Kamikura Jinja and the floating island Ukishima in Shingu before taking the train to Ise.

Kumano Kodo: Ohechi

Kumano Kodo Ohechi: the coastal route.
Choritsu Taiikukan-mae to Kumano Nachi Taisha (Nachisan), 12th of October to 16th of October 2024.
Tonda to Tanabe, 28th of October 2024.
Distance: 102.6km. 6 days.

When poets and artists set out on the pilgrimage to one of the three great shrines, they often walked along the coast, on the Ohechi route. If you decide to walk it, maybe you might hear an echo of a poem or haiku once spoken out to the ocean coming back from it. This is an approximately 100 kilometres long route that starts in Tanabe and then follows the coast around to Nachi-Katsuura and from there up to Nachisan and Kumano Nachi Taisha.

Map of the Kumano Kodo routes with Ohechi outlined.

Much of this route has suffered the same fate as Kiiji, where modern times have eaten up where the old ways once ran. Walking it as a continuous route is still possible, but be prepared for a good deal of walking on busy roads. Like Kiiji, only a few sections are described in the official guidebooks. These are however relatively well waymarked with the official wooden poles and signs. Additionally, some local enthusiasts have put in a great effort to additionally waymark the route with small handmade signs. Once again, the online track made by Masako Iwamoto Vierstraete was invaluable.

The Tonda-zaka path.

Ohechi is called the coastal route, but despite its promises of walking next to the Pacific Ocean, the route also takes me up into the hills and mountains. Due to time, I start my hike nearby the Tonda-zaka trailhead instead of Tanabe. The walk takes me on a lovely path up into the hills with the sun shining through the trees, sometimes with a bustling creek next to me and the usual occasional Jizo statue watching over the walkers.

The lovely Shuku-no-taki waterfall, reached by a detour of about 1.3km off the trail.

Path leading up the Hoto-zaka slope from the Hiki-gawa river, featuring a short but steep climb.

Time might sometimes disagree with the priorizations that I take, but being curious is a natural and integral part of me. Sometimes it does pay off, sometimes it does not. The detour to the Shuku-no-taki was a pay off. Although it required a slightly steep descent on an uneven path, it was well worth the detour. A beautiful waterfall flowing into a small pool seemingly deep into the forest.

Wabukagawa-oji shrine, founded in 1625.

While the traditional boat trip on the Kumano-gawa river is well known, the Ohechi route features a boat trip on its own. The Ago-no-Watashi ferry was used to cross the Hiki-gawa river until the service was discontinued back in 1954. It is now possible to experience the same ride on a traditional, flat-bottomed wooden boat again, although it has to be booked at least three days in advance. As I have not booked it, I walk the longer route around, which is an interesting but sometimes cumbersome path.

Walking on a danchiku section on the Naga-zaka part of the Ohechi.

A walk with view of the sea and the land through the trees.

Lost in translation is at times far from being a cliché when hiking in Japan, once on the way, a signpost has me waiting until I get the translation to be ‘please close the gate after you’. It can also be a source of an eventful evening, like when I go out for dinner in Susami. Coming in from the street, I get the attention of both the host and guests, all seemingly surprised to find a gaijin entering. Much linguistic amusement follows, but when I leave I had got a nice dinner and a couple of beers. One of the guests paid for it all, I just hoped that I had given the thanks it deserved, as the other guests wrongfully had said that he only had paid for the first beer.

Nestled inside the forest on the Esuzaki promontory you find the mysterious looking Esuzaki-jinja shrine, probably due to it showing signs of neglect.

Most interesting on the second day is the walk on the Naga-zaka path over sections that were built using an ancient technique called danchiku, a terraced construction where earth and clay has been pounded together to create an even ridgeline that would defend against erosion. It feels like a natural bridge connecting one ridgeline with another.

View from the room of a momentary luxury henro or pilgrim, the Fairfield by Marriott Wakayama Kumano Kodo Susami.

Sunset over Esuzaki from Osamazaki.

Despite those hikes up into the hills with windows in the foliage out to the ocean, there is no avoiding the fact that there is a lot of walking on sections that had been built using more modern techniques using asphalt, often with only narrow shoulders to walk on. As the weather is mostly good to me while I am walking the Ohechi, I get off easy. If the weather had been inclement, it would have been an altogether different experience.

Satono beach, walking on sand and rocky surface next to cliffs.

Although not as bad as advertised, there is no getting around walking on a busy road on the Ohechi at times, sometimes on narrow road shoulders next to the vehicles passing by.

In the end, all the walking on a busy road is not as bad as I had first envisioned it to be, there were enough small detours off the road to take the focus away from it. Especially the ones that take me down to the seashore, where I walk on rocky and sandy beaches, with cliffs next to me both in the sea and on land.

Fishing boats in the sea.

Along the way I stay at a beautiful hotel with a view of the sunset, where in the evening I could sit outside in the onsen with the sound of the waves hitting the cliffs below while the light from the lighthouse does its round dance on the sky. Just outside of Kushimoto, I have a view of the Hashigui-iwa rocks from my window, a row of 40 large stones that together form a line about 850 meters long, said to have been made by Kobo Daishi. It is easy to see where the inspiration for a haiku could come from.

Hashigui-iwa rocks outside of Kushimoto.

The official maps of the Ohechi shows only one route, but the track I got from Masako presented me with an option of two routes in Nakaminato after Kushimoto. I opt for the inland route instead of continuing further alongside the coast. It is a good choice as I again find myself on an adventurous walk not knowing what awaits me.

The torii gate of the Atago jinja above Kozagawa.

Deep in the forest I walk past a mesmerizing pond lit up by the filtered rays from the sun, but it is the near open ridgewalk and later summit of Hachiro-yama that is the highlight. Despite being only 250 metres above the sea, Hachiro-yama offers an almost 360 degrees panorama of the surrounding landscape. When in Nachi-Katsuura, be sure not to miss out on the public footbath next to the port, a relaxing experience after some long days on the Kumano Kodo.

A small illuminated pond in the woods on the inland section of the Ohechi after Koza.

View from the summit of Hachiroyama.

Heavy rain turns the paths into small rivers and me into a pilgrim with an umbrella when I finish the Ohechi. The Daimon-zaka slope is an impressive entryway to Kumano Nachi Taisha, a cobblestone staircase that is almost 600 meters long with 267 steps. I walk up it to the sound of rain dripping from the centuries-old Japanese cedars, cypresses, camphor trees and bamboo groves on either side of me.

Between Nachi-Katsuura and Nachisan there is a short section of forest walk, where the heavy rain turned the path into small rivers.

The most iconic image from Kumano Nachi Taisha is the 133-meter-high waterfall, the tallest in Japan, next to the red pagoda of the Seiganto-ji temple. When I am there, the pagoda is under maintenance, and the ugly scaffolding did not invite to taking many photographs. However, the disappointment is short-lived, because it is still such a beautiful place and the fact that they maintain it is only positive.

Probably one of the most impressive sections of the Kumano Kodo, the Daimon-zaka slope leading to Kumano Nachi Taisha.

View of the Nachisan waterfall from the park beside the Seiganto-ji pagoda.

At a later time in my journey, I return to do the missing section between Tonda and Tanabe, walking it in reverse as finishing in Tanabe provides more services than Tonda. Involved some walking on roads and paved surface, but had some few nice surprises including a bridge and a shrine underneath a cliff. Roads is a keyword, but the Ohechi route was a pleasant surprise.

The Sanno-bashi bridge on the Ohechi between Tonda and Tanabe.

< Kohechi | Nakahechi >

Note: After finishing at Kumano Nachi Taisha, I traveled to Yunomine Onsen for the two nights that I had booked there. A very special place indeed. I spent the next day doing a day hike on the Omine Okugakemichi, going as far as I could before I had to return back to Hongu and Yunomine Onsen. Leaving the small village tucked in between the hills, I took the Kumano Gawa traditional boat ride to Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Shingu, from where I started on the Iseji route that I will write about later. Finishing the Iseji section in Hongu, I took the bus to Inabane-oji and the Nakahechi route.

Some of the info in this article I must credit this nice article by John Rucynski on his walk on the Ohechi: https://allabout-japan.com/en/article/11308/.

Kumano Kodo: Kohechi

Kumano Kodo Kohechi: the mountain route, from Hongu to Koyasan. Choisimichi: from Koyasan to Kudoyama.
5th of October to 10th of October 2024.
Distance: 84.4km. 6 days.

I then moved from a route that has passed into history to a route that still lives in it, Kohechi. One of the reasons for this is quite clear. Since the majority of the route is going up into the forested mountains in the middle of the Kii Peninsula, it has continued to exist, unlike Kiiji. For this very same reason, Kohechi is named the mountain route.

Map of the Kumano Kodo routes with Kohechi outlined.

This route originated from the purpose of connecting Koyasan to Kumano Sanzan. Koyasan is considered to be the sacred center of the Shingon school of Buddhism in Japan, where Kobo Daishi (the founder of the school) is said to be meditating in eternal sleep. Koyasan is for that reason also connected to the Shikoku 88 temples pilgrimage. It is normal to start from Koyasan and going south to Kumano Hongu Taisha, but I was going to walk it in the opposite direction.

The huge Otorii gate outside Ōyunohara was illuminated in the evening before I started on the Kohechi.

Kohechi is relatively short at 60 kilometers, but is still usually considered to be the hardest of the routes, if you exclude the Omine Okugakemichi. Each day on the route is characterized by a rather steep climb up to and over a pass followed by an equally steep descent. Which makes the stages more or less self-explanatory, it is normal to spend four days to walk it.

Kumano Hongu Taisha in Hongu.

View of the Otorii and surrounding mountains from a viewpoint found on a short detour from the trail.

The popularity of this route, as well as the fact that there is a somewhat limited amount of places to stay available, means that you have to book accommodation a good time in advance. Kohechi is also well waymarked in both Japanese and English, which also makes it more accessible to hikers from abroad. Make sure to have a plan for your lunch, as there are limited services available along the route.

A view through the woods from Kohechi.

A path in the mist, on the way towards the Hatenashi-toge pass.

When I start out from Hongu, it is under a grey sky bearing indications of imminent rain. Clouds besieges the mountains surrounding the old sacred site of Ōyunohara and its huge Otorii, which is looking even more impressive from a great viewpoint one can reach by walking a short detour from the official path. The two most popular Kumano Kodo routes are sharing the same path on the last steps to or first steps from Kumano Hongu Taisha, depending on the perspective.

Above Hatenashi, the village in the sky.

As the route is for the most part going up into the forested hills and mountains between Hongu and Koyasan, I mostly find myself walking on natural paths underneath the cover of the trees. The paths ranges from going on good tracks to uneven surfaces over gnarled roots or natural looking stairs of stones covered in moss, which can be slippery when wet. Down in the valleys between the mountain passes, however, walking on a hard surface cannot be escaped. The longest stretch of road walk is the about 8 kilometres between the Miura-toge and Hatenashi-toge trailheads.

Private onsen at the Gyoja Minshuku Taiyo-no-Yu in Totsukawa Onsen.

The Tanise valley between the Miura-toge and Hatenashi-toge trailheads.

The passes were often thick with fog when I hiked the Kohechi. As was the first one, the Hatenashi-toge pass, with a stupa and other ornaments enclosed in mist creating a mysterious aura. However, when I arrive at the quaint Hatenashi settlement, known as ‘village in the sky’, views opened up to a mountain scenery beneath dramatic clouds, shortly followed by heavy rain. Hiking in Japan can be a wet experience, but after the hike, it is a pleasure to be able to immerse oneself in a hot bath. The best wet experience is what you get if you stay at a place with an onsen (hot spring, bathhouse).

A Jizo statue covered in moss.

View from the Miura-toge pass.

Then to a little piece of Camino or Kumano magic, maybe just pilgrimage magic. In the small hamlet of Miura-guchi, I stay at a small accommodation that is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Minshuku Mandokoro. Pay heed to the wooden wall between the two guest rooms, it is over 300 years old. There were only one other guest. I walk north in the direction of Koyasan, the other one south in the direction of Hongu. At dinner we sit and look at each other, there is something familiar. Finally he ask me: ‘Have we met before?’, and then ‘Are you a Norwegian who walks with a camera?’. It definitely sounds like me.

The wind breaking cedar trees near the remains of Yoshimura's house.

Joe and me in Minshuku Mandokoro, we also met on the Camino Primitivo back in 2015.

Which indeed is the case, I met Joe on the Camino Primitivo when I walked it in 2015. One can only wonder what the probability is of that. Of all places, we meet again in a tiny place seemingly in the middle of nowhere in Japan walking in the opposite directions. It lead to a very pleasant evening with a lot of reminiscing. Joe lives in Japan with his wife (whom I also met in Spain) and their two children, and studies pilgrimage on a daily basis. We kept in touch afterwards.

A typical winding path of the Kumano Kodo, on the way up towards the Obako-toge pass.

At 1344 meters above sea level, Obako-dake is not only the highest point on the Kohechi, but also on the Kumano Kodo in general. In good weather it can offer a panoramic view of the Kii mountains. I was up on the summit both enshrouded by clouds and with a view of the surrounding mountains, having a lunch break in the basic hut below during a rain shower in between.

The first view of Obako-dake, covered in low clouds with no views to be had.

The second view of Obako-dake, now with views after some of the clouds has dispersed.

In terms of difficulty, the stage between Omata and Koyasan is probably the easiest one on the Kohechi. I walk most of it together with an American couple that I met at the Obako-toge pass, which I appreciate given the otherwise solitary walk so far, they are a pleasant company. On the way they show me a scenic spot with a waterfall, Koya Otaki.

Koya Otaki, a scenic spot with a waterfall on a short detour from the Kohechi.

There are around 120 temples in Koyasan, where about half of them offer accommodation. If you stay overnight at a temple, you will be served tasty vegetarian food (shojin ryori) and have the opportunity to participate in the morning prayer, as well as a meditation in the afternoon. I had booked a stay for two nights at the Koyasan Sanadabo Rengejoin temple.

Danjo Garan in Koyasan.

Old tombstones and stupas in the Okunoin at Koyasan.

In addition to the large temple complex in the center of the town, Danjo Garan, it is the ancient cemetery, Okunoin, which requires a visit. I wander among moss-covered old stupas, both large and small, on the outskirts I find graves that are slowly disappearing into nature, while in the evening lamps light up the darkness.

Niutsuhime jinja, which is normally on a detour from the original Choisimichi path.

I leave Koyasan by walking the Choisi-michi down to Kudoyama, which I had previously walked up when I did the Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage, passing by the same ancient signposts of stone. A part of the trail was closed, probably due to erosion, which forced me to take a detour that took me to Niutsuhime-jinja on the way. I was not discontent about the detour at all, as I had planned to visit the famous shrine anyway. As dusk settles on the sky, I arrive at the Jison-in temple marking the finish of the Kohechi for my part.

On the Choisimich on the way down to the Jison-in temple and Kudoyama, in the eyes of the ancient stone signpost I would only be a person passing by in the blink of an eye due to its age.

< Kiiji | Ohechi >

Note: At this point I had in the end decided to skip doing the Omine Okugakemichi. I spent the night in Hashimoto, as planned, but there I rearranged my plan trying to make it fit with the accommodations that I had already booked for the Nakahechi route. From Hashimoto I first took a train to Wakayama and from there a train to Tanabe to start walking the Ohechi. In Tanabe, I had time to walk a short section of the Nakahechi to Inabane-ōji, but that I will cover in a later section.