Japan 2015 - Kumano Kodō - Day 6
| Stayed | Nakahechi-cho | Minshuku Tsugizakura | |
| Travel | Walking | ~17 km (10.6 miles), 8.5 hours, 1260 meters up, 850 meters down |
Takijiri-Oji to Kumano Hogu Taisha Grand Shrine
Today was the first day of hiking on the Kumano Kodō, an ancient pilgrimage trail in Southern Honshu’s Kii Peninsula.
The hike goes over rolling hills, through dense forrests and tiny villages. It was very quiet and very pretty. We only saw a few people all day. The trail is very well marked, with signposts every kilometer. There was really no way to get lost.
In the late afternoon, we arrived at the home we were staying in. It was owned by a former hotel chef and his wife. The dinner was amazing, the fanciest we had on the whole trip. There was one other couple there, doctors from the USA.
The Kumano Kodō (熊野古道) is a series of ancient pilgrimage routes that crisscross the Kii Peninsula, the largest peninsula of Japan. These mountainous trails are used by pilgrims to the “Kumano Sanzan” (熊野三山) - the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano: 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). These three shrines are the holiest sites of the ancient syncretic Kumano religion.
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