Kumano Kodo Pilgrim Trails, Honshu, Japan, is an unbelievable hiking trail that will give you an incredible experience. In this place, you’ll have one of the most remote and rewarding trips of your life. This is the perfect place for those adventure lovers.
Activity/Place Highlights
Kumano Sanzan
In this place, you will find a collection of sanctuaries. Over here, you’ll find Honhu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha, and Nachi Taisha. Once there, you’ll learn how the Japanese people venerate these three great temples. Later, you can admire the incredible landscape full of a mystery sense. Also, you can see the architecture blends harmoniously with the surroundings. At the same time, you’ll see its own form of worship of nature.
Kumano Hongu Taisha
The most important shrine of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route is probably the Kumano Hongu Taisha. Over there, you’ll find a consecrated sacred property as well as other sanctuaries such as Amaterasu, goddess of the sun. Later, at the key point of the pilgrimage, you’ll admire the Kumano River and The Kumano Hayatama Taisha sanctuary. It is located in the municipality of Shingu that literally means “New Sanctuary”.
The Shrine of Kumano Nachi Taisha
First of all, you’ll see religious complex and a syncretization of the Buddhist and Shinto religions. Over there, you’ll learn about the separation of these two religions. Also, you’ll be able to achieve all the amazing history of the Kumano Zone.
How to get there
There are two main ways to get to Boti from El Tari Airport. (KOE).
- By Taxi: it is a 3 hour and 52-minute trip from the airport to Boti. It has a price of $55 to 70 USD.
- By Drive: you can rent a car at the airport with a price of $9 to 13 USD.
When to go
The best time to visit this place is spring and autumn. Also, I recommend you to go during the Kumano Hongu Taisha Festival in April and the Nachi-no-Hi Matsuri fire festival in July.
How long
To know all the different temples and beautiful places here I recommend you stay around 3-4 days. Also, take at least an entire day to make a complete hiking trip to the temples.
Opening and Closing Hours
You can take this trip at any time you want. Remember to book the best tour for your planing schedule.
Planning
For visiting Kumano Kodo Pilgrim Trails you can stay in the city of Tanabe. Over there you can book for the best hotels and restaurants you want. Also, I recommend you to go to the Nanki Tanabe Tourist Information Center in front of the Takjiri-oji train stations. Over there you can solve all your doubts.
Inside Information
When you make your pilgrimage route you can hydrate yourself in the thermal springs at the Kii-hanto peninsula. Remember you won’t have wi-fi or signal during your trip. You must take your bottle of water, some snacks, and your best hiking shoes. Have in mind that this is going to be a rough trip.
History
The Kumano Kodo is a network of pilgrimage trails that have been in use for over 1000 years. They are the only pilgrimage routes besides the Camino de Santiago as a world heritage site from UNESCO.
These routes represented a way for people to move between the sacred areas on the Kii Peninsula. At first, by the 12th century, the Kumano Sanzan were well-known shrines in Japan. Besides the pilgrimage trails were designed to be a religious experience, it has always been a hard pass to get there.
Also, these mountainous regions have been considered for centuries as a place where the gods inhabit. From the beginning, the pilgrims made an arduous journey for 30 to 40 days. They made this trip from the ancient capital of Kyoto in order to seek heaven on earth.
On the other hand, the sanctuaries attract pilgrims even from Kyoto, Osaka and more. Finally, The Kumano Pilgrimage trails were designed to be a religious experience. To truly feel it, you must go through difficult mountainous terrain and be exposed to a physical way as spiritual.
Websites
Other Nearby Attractions
Nakahechi trail
This trail is going to help you with its well-preserved and relatively easy walk. Also, it is going to lead you to hilly, forested landscapes and occasional villages. Over there, you can make a two day trip between Takjiri Oji and Hongu. Finally, at the Hongu Taisha, you’ll admire the most spectacular view of the shrine’s massive torii gate.
Ohechi Trail
Right next to Tanabe and Nachi Taisha you can find this beautiful trail. Over there, you’ll be able to appreciate the ancient parts and the modifications due to the construction of modern roads. You’ll be one of the 30,000 people that go around this trail each year.
Kohechi Trail
This is going to be the trail that connects your way with Koyasan. Over here, you’ll see a long and challenging mountaintop. If you want to hike this, you must have a careful preparation. Also, you will find zigzagging Inss up and down the mountainsides. At the same time, you’ll get to know beautiful valley towns along your trip.
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