katsuura | Blue Lapis Road

Day 8 – KII KATSUURA, Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) 2 of 2, Japan

Before our train journey back to Osaka, we spent some time wandering around Kii Katsuura (紀伊勝浦), a fishing town about 25-minute bus ride from Nachisan. From the train/bus station, we walked through a covered arcade to reach the waterfront market near the main pier. Most shops in the arcade were closed except several souvenir shops selling local souvenir such as the Nachi black candies, binchotan-zumi (a traditional Japanese charcoal) and Kii mandarins. The fishing market was closed in the afternoon. Attracted by the catch-of-the-day live display, we stopped by a local seafood store/eatery and had a delightful seafood lunch which included grilled abalone and assorted local shellfishes, miso soup with lobster meat and squid sashimi. After a satisfying meal, we strolled further out to the pier and had some relaxing moments under the afternoon sun and the refreshing sea breeze. Such pleasant afternoon provided us a perfect closure to our Kumano Kodo experience in the Kii peninsula of the Wakayama Prefecture.

The town seemed sleepy as many stores at the waterfront market were closed in the afternoon. But in early morning, the market would present a completely different scene when fishing boats returned to the pier with loads of catches. There were some souvenir shops opened for business near the bus/train station, in the covered shopping arcade that connected the waterfront market with the train station.

There were many restaurants in town but we found this simple corner seafood shop quite interesting. It is a fishmonger doubled as a seafood restaurant.

Display of catches-of-the-day at the storefront attracted much attention of passersby.

Sun-drying squids at the storefront.

Inside the store at the far end, there was a seafood eatery with a few tables. We were given a Japanese menu and we ordered a few tapas-like dishes such as this grilled abalone topped with butter sauce.

Grilled assorted shellfishes.

Along the shore, fishermen were drying seaweed under the sun, adding a fresh and aromatic scent to the sea breeze.

Each day, dozens of tour boats would venture out into the sea for sightseeing, as well as dolphin and whale watching.

A group of eagles gathered at the pier probably looking for some “quick snacks” at the coastal water.

We walked out to the furthest pier and could see the Kii Mountain Range behind the town of Kii Katsuura.

There are a number of mega resort hotels along the shore of Kii Katsuura. Some of which can only be accessed by boat. Parking at the front of this huge resort hotel was a passenger boat which transported hotel guests between the hotel and the main pier. Every time when the passenger boat arrived at the hotel, music would be played which could be heard miles away.

Many locals were trying their luck along the shore.

Fishing boats near the main pier.

Even the floor tiles at the pier reminded us that fishing was the dominating industry in the region.

It was a scenic train ride along the coastline of the Kii Peninsula enroute to Osaka. The whole trip took about 3 hours and 40 minutes.

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Read other posts on 2015 Kansai…
Day 1.0 – Kansai Japan 2015
Day 1.1 – Hanami, Mount Yoshino
Day 1.2 – Feast under the Shades of Sakura, Mount Yoshiko
Day 2 – A Day in Kobe
Day 3 – A Day in Central Osaka
Day 4 – Tanabe – Prelude of the Kumano Kodo
Day 5.1 – Takijiri to Takahara, Kumano Kodo
Day 5.2 – Takahara to Tsugizakura , Kumano Kodo
Day 5.3 – Minshuku Tsugizakura, Kumano Kodo
Day 6.1 – Tsugizakura to Mikoshi-Toge Pass, Kumano Kodo
Day 6.2 – Mikoshi-Toge Pass to Hongu Taisha, Kumano Kodo
Day 6.3 – Kumano Hongu Taisha to Yunomine Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.1 – Ryokan Adumaya, Yunomine Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.2 – Yunomine Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.3 – Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Kodo
Day 7.4 – Wataze Onsen, Kumano Kodo
Day 8.1 – Kumano Nachi Taisha, Kumano Kodo
Day 8.2 – Kii Katsuura, Kumano Kodo
Day 9 – Church of Light, Osaka

September 20, 2015 | Categories: Japan, Japan: Kansai 2015, Kumano Kodo | Tags: 紀伊勝浦, 紀伊山地, fishing, food, Japan, katsuura, Kii, kodo, Kumano, nachi, seafood, Wakayama | Leave a comment

Day 8 – KUMANO NACHI TAISHA, Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) 1 of 2, Japan

After we dropped off our bags at the train station of Kii Katsuura, we took a local bus up to Nachisan, where we would visit the famous Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji Temple and Nachi Waterfall. We arrived at Daimon-zaka, part of the old cobblestone pilgrim steps that leads up to the sacred Kumano Nachi Taisha, just before noontime. Flanked by old Japanese cedar trees and bamboo groves, the atmospheric Daimon-zaka was the last stretch of the old Kumano Kodo we hiked. We walked on the Daimon-zaka for about half an hour before reaching the main uphill path that leads up to the temple site.

After some more steps and uphill paths, we found ourselves reaching the red torii gate of Kumano Nachi Taisha. The temple ground was packed with tourists, both local and foreign, all were drawn to here by the orange coloured shrine structures, and the iconic three-storey pagoda. The pagoda is part of Seiganto-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple that shares the same site of Kumano Nachi Taisha for centuries. On the way walking to the pagoda, we passed by the most popular vista of Nachi Taisha: the orange pagoda in front of Nachi Waterfall (Nachi no Taki), the tallest waterfall in Japan at 133m. From the pagoda, it was another short hike to the base of the waterfall, where a small shrine and a viewing platform stood.

We then took a bus back to Kii Katsuura.

Centuries old Japanese cedar lined up along the path of Daimon-zaka.