Kumano Kodo Day 2 - Kii Tanabe to Chikatsuyu
After a night in Kii Tanabe, I made my way to the bus stop in front of the train station to take the bus to Takijiri marking the start of Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Trail.
The Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage centre is right by the bus stop and is worth checking out. They sell bamboo hiking sticks that a lot of people were using. I was a bit worried about accidentally slipping with it so I walked without one. I saw some people dual wielding sticks and they walked up steep like it was nothing.
Takajiri-oji has been considered since ancient times to be the entrance point to the Kumano region. The golden age of pilgrimages was the 12th and 13th centuries. 230km away from Kyoto.
The route is signposted really well, with these signs that say Kumano Kodo and others that say "Not Kumano Kodo" to keep you on track.
Every 500 meters there are also these posts that are all marked on the trail maps.
And every once in a while you get these really nice distance and branching path signposts.
There were also these markers along the route. I tried looked up what 地籍多角meant and it looks like it's a cadastral survey point that's used for marking boundaries in land surveys. So it might have not been exactly a route marker but there were plenty that guided me when trying to figure out which path in the forests to take.
The paths had a lots of variation from carefully stepping past roots
To quite nice staircases.
After climbing the first of many steep paths, I reached site of the Tsurugi no Yama Sutra mound. Historically this was the site of one of the gates along the road to the Kumano Hongu Shrine. Sutras were placed in sheaths and then jars and then buried there. It was raided in the 19th century so only one remains on display in the pilgrimage centre in Takijiri.
I arrived at Takahara also known as the village of mist about 300m above sea level. Except it was a lovely day with perfect views all around. A small stall vendor was selling home made Japanese Plum Soda and it was really nice after all the uphill climb!
There's also the oldest building along the route at about 1400 years old, the Takahara-jinja Shrine. There's also a small art gallery that's worth visiting.
The route continues past some homes. Being a city dweller, I've never wanted to live in the country side but there's really nice sense of calm there. Where it feels like you don't need to be rushing.
Then not too long after, I was surrounded again by forest.
There's a sense of harmony with nature in terms of how it has been maintained. Where structures are built in a natural way that blends in. There's a sense that rainwater is guided down mountains in intentional paths.
There's just nature all around you, silent except for birds and insects. Though the surprising thing is that you have good mobile phone signal.
The guidebook said one of the things to watch out for are pit vipers. I only saw a couple across the 4 days of walking. They're really well camouflaged in the September foliage, I took the photo because another walker saw it and pointed, but I only spotted it when I looked at the photo afterwards.
Apparently not deadly but there are plenty of warnings not to camp lest you be bitten!
As I was walking along I saw a information sign titled "Three Fold Moon" telling the long ago story of a Yamabushi mountain ascetic that after visiting the Hongu shrine, he visited the people of Nonaka-Chikatsuyu village and told them that on the 23rd day of the 11th month of the lunar calendar he saw the most amazing sight on top of Mt. Takao. The villagers went atop the mountain on that day and saw the moon rise from behind the mountain and then 2 lunar forms appeared to the left and right.
There was a side path to check out the viewpoint, it looked steep but I thought I would regret not going up to see.
There wasn't much to see at all. Except this mysterious object that looked like a giant metal umbrella.
Turns out it was just a shelter that had fallen over and I made my way back to the path.
The walk was really nice there's just a timeless sense to the place.
It doesn't smell and there isn't any litter anywhere.
After a small rest stop, where I grabbed some drinks and cookies. I continued onto the final stretch for the day to a guesthouse in Chikatsuyu.
It feels really peaceful in this town surrounded by mountains and forest.
The local store area had a cool set of three lanterns. With the crow symbol of Kumano, the old name of the area, and Chikatsuyu (近露)
I stayed the night at a Minshuku (Bed and Breakfast / Guesthouse) and had a lovely meal and chatted with other walkers of the route.
The first climb up to 300m was the most tiring of the entire trip. Surprisingly afterwards it didn't feel so bad.
After a good nights sleep, I left my suitcase for the luggage company to pick up and I set off again.
Links:
- Tanabe City Bus Timetables (To get to Takijiri at the start)
- Takahara Village
- Three Fold Moon Info (Japanese）https://www.minomusi.net/youkihi/santaiduki.html
- G Chikatsuyu Guesthouse
- https://www.koba0013.com/en