I could tell that my legs and feet would be hurting after this hike. I wondered if it would be worth the pain. This part of the trail was shaded by a beautiful canopy of trees. Each step in the hand-crafted stone walkway were steps that hundreds of pilgrims had taken before. Thinking about how they had climbed up in their wooden sandals gave me inspiration to keep climbing.
The Kumano Kodo Roman Road
The hiking trails that are a part of the Kumano Kodo lead to a network of Shinto shrines (and a few Buddhist temples). Spiritual pilgrims have walked the challenging trails for a variety of reasons.
It started more than 1000 years ago with Japanese emperors and members of their court. This was back when the capital of Japan was in Kyoto. These spiritual pilgrimages would start in Kyoto and could take 30 – 40 days. They believed that the gods lived in the forests and through the journey, they would experience heaven on earth. The journey was so difficult, unfortunately, some died during their pilgrimages.
The various paths led to three shrines, collectively known as the Kumano Sanzan. They are Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, and Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine. Over time, these sacred journeys became popular among the samurai class and on down to ordinary people. Eventually, the feudal classes in Japan broke down and so did many of the well developed paths of the Kumano Kodo.
Renovation and Renewal
These hiking trails gained popularity again in the 1990’s. The Nakahechi, Kohechi, and Iseji routes are the most used with the Nakahechi route being the easiest route to access from Kyoto and Osaka. Since there aren’t really start and finish points, any route is fine.
In my case, I chose to drive around to Nachi Katsuura to do a short section of the hike up to Nachi. This worked better for me with the summer heat and humidity and I was only on the trail for a few hours instead of a few days.
UNESCO World Heritage designation
In 2004, the Kumano Kodo received the UNESCO World Heritage designation. The Kumano Kodo and the Camino de Santiago are the only two pilgrimages with this designation. If it is on your bucket list to take these two pilgrimages, you can receive a certificate of your accomplishment.
Although both pilgrimages share this designation, they are not the same. Some differences include:
- The Kumano Kodo can be fully experienced in 5 – 10 days rather than the few weeks that can be spent on the Camino de Santiago.
- There are fewer towns along the Kumano Kodo.As a result, there are fewer restaurants and places to stay along the Kumano Kodo.
- Fewer people hike the Kumano Kodo.
- People consider the Kumano Kodo a much more difficult hike, so proper hiking boots and supplies are recommended.
Arriving at Nachi Taisha and Waterfall
At the culmination of my hike, there was the Nachi Kumano Taisha (Shinto) and the Nachisan Seiganto-ji (Buddhist). Since the 6th century, rather than competing, these two religious traditions have engaged in a long process of harmonious mixing here at Nachi. Both the shrine and the temple are magnificent structures to look at, but the view of the 3-storied pagoda with the Nachi waterfall in the background is also very impressive.
After viewing the Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple (I wasn’t allowed to take photos in the Buddhist temple, but view Kumanosan Seiganto-ji here), I made my way over to the pagoda and the waterfall. Nachi waterfall is the tallest single-tiered waterfall (133 meters) in Japan.
It has been a dream of mine to see the Nachi waterfall for many years. Despite the challenging hike and the pain in my legs and feet, I’m glad I finally made it. I found that for me the best way to enjoy the trail was to take it slowly, rest along the way, and take in the beauty and serenity along the hike.
Taking the time to stop, listen to the sounds of the cicadas, birds, and stillness of the forest was enough of a spiritual experience for me to feel a deeper sense of appreciation for life.
The Kumano Kodo can be hiked at most anytime of the year, but I would recommend choosing the spring or fall seasons. I hear that the fall is especially beautiful with the changing colors of the leaves. Whether you are an avid hiker or might need to train a little before visiting the Kumano Kodo, I hope you’ll consider this travel destination in Wakayama, Japan.