Let’s say you only have five days in Japan and you want to do something that will give you a holistic picture of the many rich traditions this country is founded on—more than visiting Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka—I would recommend doing the Kumano Kodo.

The Kumano Kodo is a series of trails linking the three grand shrines of Hanto Peninsula: Kumano Hongū Taisha (熊野本宮大社), Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社) and Kumano Hayatama Taisha (熊野速玉大社). Some of the shrines have been around since the 9th Century, and are still in good enough condition for UNESCO to grant them the title of World Heritage Site (see more about the criteria). The trails are mostly wooded, with the occasional highway walk. The towns along the way are small, a world apart from the chaotic heaps of Tokyo. And the history and spirituality are rich. Japan’s first religion was Shinto, a form of nature worship, many of the waterfalls, trees and rivers you encounter along the way were once revered as gods with living spirits. Even now, you still feel the reverence for nature as you walk along the trails.

You can walk for as short as one to two days or as long as 10-12. In October, I took a group of three down to Wakayama Ken and we spent 4 days working our way on foot, by bus and a boat from Kii-Tanabe to Kii-Katsuura. To date, it is one of my favorite experiences in all of Japan.

Day 1 - Tokyo to Kii-Tanabe

Train from Tokyo to Kii-Tanabe, about 5.5 hours on trains. In Osaka you'll transfer to the Kuroshio line towards Shirahama.
Stay in Tanabe with some great Airbnb hosts and bathe at the local onsen, 弁慶のさと湯, before bed.

Day 2 - Kii-Tanabe to Chikatsuyuoji

Wake up early and grab snacks for the trail before getting the bus from the station to Takijiri.
Once you get off the bus at Takijiri stop into the Kumano Visitor Center and pick up any additional maps, stamp books, and snacks you want for the trail.
Stay at Minshuku Chikatsuyu.
- We didn't leave enough daylight to make it to our accommodations. So ended up having to call them and they were able to pick us up in their car and bring us back, thank you so much!

Day 3 - Chikatsuyuoji to Yunomine Onsen via Hongu Taisha

Take the bus to Hosshinmon and hike to Hongu Taisha from there. Along this route, you'll be able to see down onto the large torii marking Hongu Taisha.
From Hongu Taisha walk to Yunomine Onsen.
Yunomine Onsen has a Unesco World Heritage Site onsen, Tsuboyu. Get your entrance ticket to Tsuboyu across from the public bath in town. They let two people in at a time for 30 minute sessions. Bring your own towel and no soap!
Stay at Minshuku Yunotaniso.

Day 4 - Yunomine Onsen to Kii-Katsuura

Take the bus from Yunomine Onsen to Kumano Gawa Village.
From Kumano Gawa Village float down the Kumano Gawa toward Shingu.
Once in Shingu visit the second of the three grand shrines, Hayatama Taisha.
Take the train to Kii-Katsuura - beautiful fishing village.
Stay at Nakanoshima - my absolute favorite ryokan to date.

Day 5 - Kii-Katsuura to Tokyo

Wake up and take the bus leaving from the train station to Nachi Taisha. You can get off a few stops ahead and walk up the beautiful stone path through the trees.
There are a few different places to visit, the main shrine, the pagoda and the waterfall. All are worth it. Hike back down to the bus, to Kii-Katsuura.
Highly recommend Amai Cafe for a spot of lunch or coffee before the train.
Another 5+ hours of trains to get back to Tokyo. The Kuroshio line hugs the coast most of the way to Osaka and is a truly beautiful and scenic ride.

I’ll be taking a very small group to hike the Kumano, March 26th - 30th (slightly different itinerary than the above). Message me for me details - as of now we have two spots left!

Or you can book accommodations through:

Kumano Travel
Booking.com (many of the inn's from Kumano Travel have accounts there as well!)
Calling the inn's directly (only a good option if you speak Japanese)

Reflections from the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage

Japanese Version Here - 日本語のブログはこちら

When I set out to do the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage I didn’t know what to expect. I was disappointed that I only had time to complete it by car, and that I wasn’t going to be able to walk. I had thought that using the car was going to limit my interactions with others and reduce the “transformative power” of the journey. I’m happy to say I was completely wrong. The journey was incredible, not only did I get to explore the entire island but I also got to practice Japanese and make friends.

Kukai, founder of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Dressed in traditional outfit, straw sandals and hat, beggars bowl, staff, etc.

In one day I received 3 oranges, an onigiri (triangle-shaped-rice snack), 2 bananas, a pair of slippers, 2 temple charms, a bath towel, 3 candies, many bows, a hug and was treated to lunch. These were all gifts from strangers, whom I had the pleasure of sharing a brief conversation.

One of my favorite interactions was with a couple, we’ll call the “coffee and compliment” couple. I never learned their names. We met on the last day of my adventure. I was at temple 7 reading the heart sutra, and they hung back to listen. When I finished they approached and asked if I had been practicing and complimented me. We made small talk as we walked over to the stamp office where they proceeded to tell the staff about my “reading.” It was sweet and I was touched. We said our goodbyes in the parking lot, but then at Temple 6, I saw them again! This time we chatted a bit longer over coffee. After we finished our drinks we got in our respective cars and drove away. I was a little sad when I didn’t see them at Temple 5, but figured they had stopped for lunch. But when I pulled into Temple 4, there they were. Waiting for me in the parking lot. The husband ran up to my window and said his wife had been worried sick. “Where had I gone? Why had it taken me so long to get there? Was everything okay?”

I was so surprised and reassured them of my own coffee stop and thus delay. I told them not to worry “心配しないでください” and thanked them for their concern. And that was it. Once they knew I was safe they went back to their car and continued on.

They have no idea how much that experience impacted me. How for the rest of the day I looked for opportunities to share the love they had bestowed on me, even if it was just smiling at someone at the temple. I still smile when I think of those two. Such characters. Absolute treasures.

Another amazing interaction occurred in Matsuyama. I was pulling into my hostel for the evening and asked a couple standing out in front to help me while I parked. They turned out to be from Switzerland and were spending the summer biking their way through Japan. They were staying in Matsuyama longer than planned because one of them had twisted their ankle and needed to rest it. Since they couldn’t bike, I offered to take them to the temples I was visiting the following day, and they accepted. We went to temples 44 and 45, which were gorgeous mountain temples surrounded by gigantic trees. When we were getting ready to part ways we were approached by two French Pilgrims – they were having trouble booking a place to sleep for the evening. Since the Swiss couple spoke French fluently they acted, as middlemen, translating into English what the French men needed, and then I would speak in Japanese to the inn owners. The first few places we called were full, but we eventually found them a place to stay! The teamwork was incredible. And for my personal goal of learning Japanese it helped to build my confidence and motivation. Every time I said something and the native speaker actually understood me was like Christmas! It was such an enjoyable and practical way to solidify what I had learned in the classroom.

I could tell you stories for days, about the people I met on the journey and the experiences I had. There was the taxi driver that turned our car into a roller coaster. Or the pitch-black tunnel that reminded me just how grateful I am for friends, family and partners in this life (more about that here). And the sisters from Kobe that took me under their wing and taught me everything they knew about proper temple etiquette.

Sisters from Kobe, showing me the ropes.

Since I’m not Shinto or Buddhist, these connections were the most spiritual part for me. Feeling that shared humanity – what we all have in common – is what touched me most deeply.

Out the window on the train back to Tokyo from Shikoku I saw one last pilgrim, dressed in white with his cone shaped hat, walking in the rice fields. It was a gorgeous scene and it pained me to think that I wouldn’t have that visual reminder of the experience when I was back in the city.

But then I thought, if a pilgrimage really means “life viewed as a journey” then all of us are just pilgrims in plain clothes.

I'm heading back to where I started, to begin again.

Thank you to Forrest, Joe, Kate, Luis, Marguerite, and Megan - couldn't have put this together without you.

Hello from Tokyo! Elizabeth here. I'm so excited about all the Japan has to offer and am working to connect travelers to locations based on their interests and passions.

If you want to experience the Shikoku Ohenro or would like support in planning your trip, please email e@behere.asia and we can set-up time to talk.

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