Topicsトピックス
What Is the Kumano Kodo?
A Beginner’s Guide to Japan’s Ancient Pilgrimage Trail
You may have heard the name “Kumano Kodo” while planning a trip to Japan.
But what exactly is the Kumano Kodo?
Where does it begin and end?
Can you walk it even if you are not an experienced hiker?
The Kumano Kodo is a network of ancient pilgrimage trails leading through the mountains of Japan’s Kii Peninsula to the sacred sites of Kumano.
For more than 1,000 years, people from all walks of life have travelled these paths in search of prayer, renewal, and connection with nature.
Today, travellers from around the world still walk these same trails.
A Pilgrimage with More Than 1,000 Years of History
In the southern Kii Peninsula are three important Shinto shrines known collectively as the Kumano Sanzan:
- Kumano Hongu Taisha
- Kumano Hayatama Taisha
- Kumano Nachi Taisha
For centuries, Kumano has been considered a sacred place.
During Japan’s Heian period, emperors and members of the imperial court made the long and difficult journey from Kyoto to worship in Kumano.
Over time, the pilgrimage spread to samurai and ordinary people as well.
They crossed mountains, followed rivers and travelled through deep forests to reach the sacred sites of Kumano.
The paths they walked became what we now call the Kumano Kodo.
In 2004, the Kumano Kodo became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”
The Kumano Kodo Is Not Just One Trail
One important thing to understand is that the Kumano Kodo is not a single trail.
It is a network of pilgrimage routes that approach Kumano from different directions.
One of the best-known routes today is the Nakahechi Route.
Starting from the Tanabe area, the trail enters the mountains and passes through places such as Takijiri-oji, Takahara, Chikatsuyu and Nonaka before continuing towards Kumano Hongu Taisha.
Today, the Nakahechi is one of the most popular Kumano Kodo routes for international walkers.
More Than Just Hiking
The Kumano Kodo is certainly a beautiful hiking trail, but walking it is about more than reaching your destination.
Along the way, you will encounter old stone paths, deep forests, small mountain villages, shrines and sacred sites known as Oji.
There are moments when all you can hear are birds, the wind moving through the trees and the sound of your own footsteps.
It is very different from travelling from one busy tourist attraction to another.
You walk slowly.
You experience the landscape.
You encounter the history and everyday life of the people who live along the trail.
And sometimes, the quiet gives you time to think about yourself.
For us, this is one of the special qualities of the Kumano Kodo.
Can Beginners Walk the Kumano Kodo?
Yes.
You do not need to be an expert mountaineer to experience the Kumano Kodo.
However, some sections include steep climbs and descents, and walking days can be long.
The important thing is to choose an itinerary that suits your fitness and hiking experience.
You can walk for only a few hours, or you can spend two, three, four or more days travelling along the pilgrimage route and staying in small accommodations along the way.
On the Kumano Kodo, choosing where you stay, what you eat and how you prepare for the next day is also part of the journey.
Staying on the Kumano Kodo in Nonaka
Our small guesthouse, Kodo-no-Yado Hiyodori, is located directly along the Kumano Kodo in the Nonaka area of the Nakahechi Route.
We welcome walkers arriving after a day on the trail.
Guests can enjoy dinner, rest for the night, have breakfast the following morning and take a prepared lunch box with them for the next stage of their journey.
Our staff know the Kumano Kodo well, and we are happy to help guests prepare for the following day’s walk.
You might want to ask:
“What’s a good time to leave tomorrow morning?”
“Where can I refill my water?”
“How long will tomorrow’s walk take?”
“The weather doesn’t look good. Is it safe to walk?”
These are the kinds of questions we regularly discuss with our guests.
For us, our job is not simply to provide a bed for the night.
We want to help our guests enjoy the Kumano Kodo safely and confidently when they set out again the next morning.
Why Not Walk the Kumano Kodo?
Imagine walking along a path that pilgrims were travelling more than 1,000 years ago.
You cross the same mountains.
You walk beneath the same forests.
And step by step, you make your way towards Kumano.
There is something about the Kumano Kodo that photographs and words cannot completely capture.
You have to walk it.
If you have only just discovered the Kumano Kodo, don’t worry about understanding everything at once.
In future articles, we will share practical information from the perspective of people who live and work along the trail, including:
- Which Kumano Kodo route is best for first-time walkers?
- What should you pack for the Kumano Kodo?
- What is the best season to walk?
- How should you choose accommodation along the trail?
- What is the walk from Nonaka to Kumano Hongu Taisha really like?
We hope these articles will help you plan your journey and discover what makes this ancient pilgrimage route so special.
And perhaps one day, you will find yourself walking along the Kumano Kodo too.
We look forward to welcoming you on the trail.
Kodo-no-Yado Hiyodori
Kumano Kodo, Nonaka, Wakayama, Japan