DAY 5 – TAKIJIRI to TAKAHARA, Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) 1 of 3, Japan
Along with Way of St. James in Spain, Japan’s Kumano Kodo is one of the two pilgrim routes inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage. We first came across Kumano Kodo during travel research when we were looking for an off-the-beaten path destination in Japan. Learning the historical and spiritual significance of the centuries-old pilgrim trail, we immediately fell in love with Kumano Kodo. Since the 10th century, pilgrims from Kyoto and other Japanese cities took the Kumano Kodo to reach the sacred sites of Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山) in the Kii Mountains. The Kumano Sanzan includes three sacred mountain shrines: Kumano Hongu Taisha (熊野本宮大社), Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社), and Kumano Hayatama Taisha (熊野速玉大社). Nowadays, the Kumano Kodo is a popular hiking destination for both local and international hikers. Most visitors do the Kumano Kodo as a three-to-five day hike, staying at minshuku (local bed and breakfast) along the way. In the middle of Kii Mountains near Kumano Hongu Taisha lies the famous Yunomine Onsen, the oldest hot spring in the country. Most pilgrims, past or present, would go for a dip in the healing hot spring after days of walking. Out of the various Kumano Kodo routes, we decided to take the popular Nakahechi route from Takijiri to Hongu Taisha. This route would take two days. On the first day, we walked from Takijiri to Tsugizakura (18.2km), and the second from Tsugizakura to Hongu Taisha (22.1km). 
Another rainy day to start off with. From Tanabe train station, we took the 6:50 bus heading into the mountains. At 7:28 we get off at Takijiri (滝尻), the official trail head of the Nakahechi route. The Kumano Kodo visitor centre had not yet opened its doors. At 7:30, the van of our backpack shuttle service arrived and we gratefully handed over our backpack to the driver, who would deliver our bag to the minshuku where we were staying the night. 
Along the way on Kumano Kodo, there are many oji shrines. These oji are subsidary shrines of the Kumano grand shrines. Takijiri Oji is situated right at the trail head of the Nakahechi route of Kumano Kodo. 
One of the first things encountered on Kumano Kodo was the beautiful cedar forest. 
The rain stopped soon after we ascended into the mountains. High up on the first lookout we could admire the picturesque valley and distant mountains of the Kii Mountain Range. 
Mount Meshimori-yama, the first lookout on the trail. 
About 1.5 hour from Takijiri, we were soon approaching the village of Takahara (高原). 
Small family farms overlooking the Kii Mountain Range. 
In Takahara, we visited a local wood shop. The scent of the local wood filled the entire shop. The owner showed us his master piece, wooden frame of a double bed. Beside the workshop there was a small souvenir shop selling all kinds of things made of wood, from key chains to photo frames. 
Takahara is an attractive small mountain village famous for its mountain views and morning sea of clouds. 
Takahara Kumano-jinja, the main shrine in the mountain village of Takahara. 
From Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area, we stayed for a short while to enjoy the view. 
The vending machine at Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area was selling all kinds of drinks. 
At Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area we ate the snacks that the wood shop owner gave us. 
After Takahara Kiri-no-Sato rest area the sign pointing to Chikatsuyu Oji, the next major village about 9km down the road. 
After a few more minutes of walking, we exited the village of Takahara and came to a fork road where a cherry tree stood and a “Kumano Kodo” sign that pointed to an uphill path. 
At the top of the path we came across a number of rice paddy fields. In the reflection of the blue sky, rows of young seedlings shooting upwards against a backdrop of the Kii mountains.
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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
DAY 4 – PRELUDE OF THE KUMANO KODO, Tanabe (田辺市), Japan
It was a rainy day. Leaving Osaka’s Tennoji Station behind, the JR Kuroshio limited express took us southwards to Kii-Tanabe. The train ride took slightly less than 2 hours. The rain stopped by the time we arrived Tanabe in the afternoon. As planned, we walked to the souvenir shop beside the station to pick up the keys of our reserved timber townhouse, where we would stay the night. The host handed us a map and a leaflet of house rules. We put on our backpacks, stepped out the shop, and found our way into the winding streets of Tanabe. Situated along the southwest coast of Kii Peninsula, Tanabe is a fishing city in Wakayama Prefecture. Throughout history, Tanabe had been the traditional starting point of the Kumano Kodo where pilgrims turned away from the coast to enter the inland mountains. Through the mountainous trails eastwards, pilgrims would wind through the Kii Mountains and reached Hongu Taisha, the most sacred shrine in this pilgrimage area in about two days. This route is known as Nakahechi Route, and has become the most popular route among all Kumano Kodo trails today. We also chose to explore Kumano Kodo via Nakahechi Route. Tanabe, therefore, became the obvious place where we would spend the night before heading into the mountains. 
We arrived at Kii Tanabe in the afternoon. 
We were intrigued by the minimalist house setback from the street on a narrow lot. 
No surprise, the seaside town of Tanabe is a great place for seafood. We dropped in a local restaurant called Ginchiro Ekimae near the train station. 
The local dish in Tanabe includes the double-decked seafood rice bowl. The lower bowl contained rice and small silver fish.
The upper bowl included sashimi, cooked seafood and sour plums. 
Community shrine.
Near the railway station there is a network of small lanes lined with restaurants and izakayas. Two security patrols sat at the central intersection of the main lanes waiting for the night to fall upon.
Finally we arrived at Konyamachiya Townhouse, the traditional two-storey timber house where we would spend the night. Konyamachiya Townhouse is a Machiya townhouse 町屋, a type of traditional timber townhouse found in much of Kyoto area.
The house was tidy, spacious, atmospheric and furnished with handmade furniture. The dining room opened to a small garden deck. The kitchenette was neatly situated behind a wall of sliding panels, which could be fully concealed when not in use.
There were two tatami bedrooms on the upper level. The traditional wooden structure of the roof was completely exposed. It had been raining most of the day. There scent of the bamboo mats was very strong when we entered the room. 
A neat lamp made of bamboo by local artisan was a decent feature in the bedroom. 
A long and winding yellow street connected the neighborhood of our Konyamachiya Townhouse to the town centre.
The yellow-painted street passed by shops of various kinds.
Traditional shrines and temples were very well maintained in many cities in Japan, including Tanabe.
This shrine near our Konyamachiya Townhouse offered a sense of peacefulness in an already relaxed fishing town. 
At last we stopped by a traditional soba (蕎麦) restaurant for dinner. It was already quite late in the night. The chef prepared us whatever left available for us. 
A simple soba dinner, including tempura shrimps and vegetables, was one of the most special meal for our trip. No tourist menu, and no sample images. A simple and unpretentious effort from the chef just before the restaurant closed its doors gave us an unforgettable pleasure of a local dining experience in a small Japanese town. 
From the dike of Aizu-gawa River, we looked back at the end of Konya-machi, the street where our townhouse stood. A quiet night in the sleepy town of Tanabe, we awaited the arrival of the beginning of our hike the next day.
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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
Blue Lapis Road 