Kumano Kodo Day 1 - Kii-Tanabe
My adventure began in the small town of Kii Tanabe in the west of the Kii Peninsula south of Osaka
Getting there I took the express train called the Kuroshio from Osaka to Kii-Tanabe and then boarded the shuttle bus from the station to the Kame no I hotel
It wasn't too much more expensive to take the first class carriage so I thought I'd give it a go.
The train was super comfortable and spacious with massive windows.
Whilst the hotel felt a bit old, it was in good condition with a nice vibe.
The room was lovely with a view of Moto island and the ocean.
Before dinner the the hotel staff recommended that I go for a walk along the the fishing area
It really felt picturesque with fishing boats and people fishing along the breakwater
Motoshima Shrine's Torii gate looked really cool with the breakwater in the background
Walking around the town in the late afternoon the sound of cicadas was everywhere, it gives walking around a sort of nostalgic calmness to it though I've never lived in a place with them.
As I watched the sunset from my room the sounds of the cicadas also changed, I read that it's possible to tell the time of day and season by the sounds of the cicadas that chirp!
My first day of the Kumano Kodo was a lovely walk around a coastal town, a multi course dinner and rest.
Kumano Travel organised a luggage delivery service so every hotel and guesthouse I travelled to on foot, I'd arrive to find my suitcase already there. So I didn't need to worry about packing light.
The next day is where I start with a bus to the Kumano Kodo tourist centre. And the start of the Nakahechi route!
Links:
- Kuroshio Train
- Kamenoi Hotel Kii Tanabe
- Interesting Information about Cicadas
- https://tsukublog.wordpress.com/2023/07/16/whats-the-buzz-about-again-the-cicadas-semi-of-japanese-summer/
- https://www.kumano-travel.com/en/travel-services/luggage-shuttle-kumano-kodo-shuttle-service