Walking the Kumano Kodo trails of healing and purification. A journey to rejuvenate yourself in a sacred place of rebirth

With the New Year upon us, it's time to recharge your batteries for the year ahead. Why not take a walk through the Kumano region, a land that has welcomed, healed, and purified all kinds of people, and get some energy from it, while also stopping off at notable spots in the area?

Starting from the ancient "Kumano Hongu Taisha"

Start your trip to Wakayama and Kumano from the town of Hongu, an hour and a half drive from Nanki Shirahama Airport. Hongu is deep in the mountains and shrouded in mist in the morning, adding to the mystical atmosphere.

After climbing 158 stone steps amongst the cedar grove, the cypress bark roofed shrine building of Kumano Hongu Taisha comes into view.

This was the first stop for people who had walked hundreds of kilometers along mountain paths. Fujiwara no Teika, who accompanied Emperor Gotoba, wrote that he was "immediately moved to tears." It is easy to imagine how tough the journey must have been.

The main deity of Kumano Hongu Taisha is Ketsumiko no Okami (Susanoo no Mikoto). It was once enshrined on an island between three rivers called Oyu no Hara, but after a flood in the Meiji era, it was rebuilt in its current location. Currently, Oyu no Hara is home to the largest torii gate in Japan, standing at 34 meters tall, watching over the place of prayer visited by people of the past.

As a memento of your visit, why not pick up a "Japanese charm" designed by Hirohiko Araki, the manga artist known for "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure"?

In prayer for world harmony, the painting depicts the Kumano Kodo trail, the Yatagarasu crow, and the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain, with which Japan has friendly relations.

"Kumano Hongu Kamamochi" (4 pieces for 750 yen), made with "Yatano Mochi" glutinous rice grown in front of the torii gate of Oyunohara, is sold at Ishihara Shoten, a grocery store in front of Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine.

Please enjoy the simple tasting rice cakes produced using a recipe that has been handed down since ancient times as a secret rice cake that is not shared with anyone outside.

Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine

[Stop by] Enjoy the elegant and traditional cream puffs at the popular Western confectionery shop "choux"

If you're feeling a little hungry, stop by the popular Western-style pastry shop "choux" near Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine and get their signature "cream puffs" (350 yen) for takeout. In order to make something delicious and satisfying, they do not prepare it in advance and only produce and sell a limited number of them.

Same-day sales start at 11:00 and 15:00, and numbered tickets are distributed one hour before each. However, please note that there is a limit to the number of items that can be purchased by one person at the store. Advance reservations are available, so we recommend making reservations early once the date of your visit is decided. Reservations and business hours are announced on Instagram.

The cream puffs are very satisfying, with a slightly firm cream and cookie choux pastry. They are rich but not heavy aftertaste, thanks to the generous use of high-quality ingredients.

Owner chef Misaki Yagura, who trained in Tokyo, returned to Wakayama and opened a shop, where she was featured on a TV program as a "business opening girl" and became famous overnight. She opened a shop in Motomiya, where there were no Western-style confectionery shops, because she wanted to provide "sweets in everyday life."

The journey has only just begun. Basking in the sweet afterglow, we head to our next destination, Nachi.

choux

Try on Heian period clothing and imagine the journeys of people in the past

In Nachi, try on a Heian period costume and stroll around to relive the pilgrimage of ancient people. You can get dressed at Daimonzaka Teahouse, located near Daimonzaka, an impressive pilgrimage path with moss-covered stone steps.

There are over 80 costumes in total, ranging from the vibrant vermilion that stands out against the greenery of the Kumano Kodo trail, to white and blue hues.

The attentive and friendly staff will quickly help you dress, and before you know it, you'll be a traveller from the Heian period.

The costume consists of a top and bottom set, and although there is a juban (undergarment) and hakama string, there is no obi (sash), so it is comfortable to wear.

The finishing touches include a hat with a thin cloth draped over the face to hide the face, a kake obi (sash) around the chest to ward off evil spirits, and a kakemamori (charm to hold amulets or medicines).

It will be a great way to remember the journeys of people at that time.

Daimonzaka Teahouse

Daimonzaka: A pilgrimage route through the forest that retains traces of a thousand years ago

The sandals worn in Heian period costumes are modern and easy to walk in. However, on stone-paved stairs that are said to have been there since the Edo period, you will likely have to rely on a walking stick and watch your step as you walk slowly.

She naturally tends to look down, exuding a simple and elegant air, and tourists passing by often ask her to take a commemorative photo.

Daimonzaka is located just a short walk from Daimonzaka Chaya.

The moss-covered stone steps are bathed in sunlight filtering through large cedar trees over 800 years old. This is a typical view of the Kumano Kodo, which beautifully retains vestiges of the past.

Daimonzaka

Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine: Garden of the Gods at the top of 500 steps

After climbing about 500 long stone steps while browsing souvenir shops, you will arrive at Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine.

Standing in front of the beautiful vermilion-painted shrine, which was just renovated in 2019, the tiredness of the walk seems to wash away. The main deity enshrined here is "Kumano Fusumi no Okami (Izanami no Mikoto)", who is in charge of the creation and growth of all things. Next to it stands "Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple", the first temple of the "Saigoku Thirty-three Temples".

Once you have finished praying, we recommend trying your luck with the "Large Omikuji Slip" (100 yen), a cylindrical slip of paper measuring approximately 130 centimeters in length.

If you go north through the temple grounds, you will come across a three-story pagoda, which is a viewpoint from which you can see the whole view of Nachi Falls in the distance. You can expect to get the perfect picture-postcard shot.

Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine

[Stop by] Feel the origin of life in the water pouring down from the sky at Nachi Falls

Nachi Falls is the object of worship for Hirojinja Shrine, an auxiliary shrine of Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine. It is 133 meters high, 13 meters wide at the mouth, and the depth of the waterfall basin is over 10 meters, making it the most famous waterfall in Japan.

The waterfall, which seems to fall from the sky, makes a loud noise and falls ceaselessly, symbolizing that water is the mother of life. When you immerse yourself in the splashes and roaring sound of the water, you can feel your mind being refreshed and refreshed as your everyday thoughts are washed away.

Nachi Falls

Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine, where a married couple of deities are enshrined with the Kumano River at its back

On your journey around the Kumano Sanzan shrines, head to Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine in Shingu City.

It is located at the mouth of the Kumano River and enshrines the husband and wife gods Kumano Hayatama no Okami (Izanagi no Mikoto) and Kumano Fusumi no Okami (Izanami no Mikoto), as its main deities.

Within the grounds is a sacred Nagi tree that is over 1,000 years old and was planted by Taira no Shigemori.

Nagi is known as a tree of prayer for peace, as it is associated with "calmness" and "tranquility," and is also famous as a tree of "bonds" that connects important feelings because its veins are strong and the leaves are hard to break. It is also said to bring about good luck in love.

Hayatama Taisha Shrine enshrines a married couple of deities, so it might be a good idea to have your love life predicted with the "Nagi Mikuji" (200 yen).

Halfway up Mount Kamikura in Shingu City, there is a huge rock that is the object of worship, Gotobiki Rock. In ancient primeval times, the gods of Kumano descended upon this sacred rock. The gods were then enshrined in Kumano Miwanomura (present-day Shingu City), and in 128 the current site was chosen as the final resting place, leading to the founding of Kumano Hayatama Taisha. The town's name comes from the fact that it was called "Shingu" in contrast to the "Motomiya (Motokurayama)" of the Kumano Sanzan.

Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine

[Stop by] Nikainomad, an organic cafe that will warmly welcome you back from the sacred area

After visiting Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine, we went to the cafe "Nikainomad." The sweets and drinks are additive-free and free of artificial seasonings, and they are particular about using organic ingredients as much as possible (currently closed for lunch).

The classic "Basque Cheesecake" (450 yen) uses raw sugar instead of white sugar, giving it a rounded sweetness. When eaten with the "Soy Milk Spiced Chai" (500 yen) with the aroma of cinnamon and ginger, the gentle sweetness and spices slowly seep into your body.

The interior of the store, a postwar wooden building that was renovated by the owner himself, houses a select shop called "Tipipao." Clothing made from natural materials and miscellaneous goods from around the world are lit up by the light coming in from the "second floor windows."

Reflect on your journey in a natural space that will comfortably accommodate your refreshed mind and body after your journey of rejuvenation.

Nikainomad/Tipipao

Kumano Sanzan is a land where gods live in the midst of magnificent nature. By continuing to walk through nature with the presence of the gods, I was able to feel the dynamism of life once again. It will be a "journey of rebirth" where you can come into contact with the energy of the sacred area and awaken the important things within yourself. Why not try traveling to Kumano to nourish your vitality for the future?