LIVE from the Camino Walking the Dream Part 2 - Kumano Kodo in Japan sister pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago

[SantiagoCruzB]

Day 0 – Hong Kong to Osaka to Kii-Tanabe

Sept 29 – 30, 2024
It was almost exactly one year ago today when we started our pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago last year.

This time we’re doing the Kumano Kodo, the sister pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in Japan.

But first, we must get to the starting point, a city called Kii-Tanabe in Wakayama, about 3 hours by rapid train south of Osaka.

Our flight was at 0705 HKT to 1155 OST (Japan is one hour ahead of Hong Kong). This means we must be at the airport very early (0500). Since getting to the airport at those hours was stressful (buses were few and far between, and a taxi would be too pricy) we decided to spend the night at the airport.

This is the first time we ever did this in our years of traveling, and it wasn’t as bad as we expected. At the airport, we still managed to get some food, although the restaurants were already closing because it was almost midnight. Only McDonald’s offers 24-hour service.

It turns out, many people spend the night at the airport to catch their early morning flights. We saw people with sleeping bags, mats, etc., really prepared to spend the night. We found a spot in the arrival hall where the seats are wide comfortable enough to lie down if you wanted to. It took a while, but Tess (my wife) and I managed to get some sleep. I sort of catnapped for 30-minute stretches.

We got up about 3 hours before our flight and proceeded to the counter only to find a long queue of passengers already there even though the counters were still closed. Anyway, check-in was efficient and quick considering the huge crowd of passengers. We still had time to grab breakfast at McDonald’s before proceeding to our gate.

The flight departed as scheduled and was uneventful. We took HK Express which is relatively comfortable and efficient for a budget airline. My only complaint is that the aircraft had only three toilets for about 200 passengers on a four-and-a-half-hour flight. Almost everyone spent to whole flight sleeping despite some stretches of turbulence.

Arriving at Kansai International Airport was uneventful although many things have changed in terms of airport procedures since the last time we were here in Feb 2018 before covid.

Foreigners (non-Japanese) must fill in an arrival card (you can do this during the flight), go through immigration, claim their luggage, fill in a declaration form even if you have nothing to declare, and get a QR Code from one of the airport terminals. This took time because of the huge volume of arriving passengers.

We had to catch the 13:32 rapid train to Kii-Tanabe and I was worried we wouldn’t make it on time. Fortunately, we found the Tourist Information Centre quickly after exiting the arrival hall and here a very efficient young man who spoke perfect English assisted us in getting the tickets.

Just a tip: it’s better to know the schedule of the train you want to take beforehand to save time and stick to your travel schedule.

We found the train terminal and our platform quickly and boarded just five minutes before departure. Whew! That was close.

From KIX, we had to transfer to another station (Hineno) to take the 13:57 train that would take us to Kii-Tanabe. Finding the station was easy (it was only 2 stops after KIX). We got to Hineno about 10 minutes before departure.

But we had some anxious moments at Hineno finding the right platform for Kii-Tanabe. Fortunately, we had some help from a local girl (a commuter) who spoke good English (she said she wasn’t Japanese).

The train ride to Kii-Tanabe was uneventful. Since we didn’t have time to get lunch at the airport, we had some of the light snacks we brought with us for such an occasion.

After 2 hours, we disembarked at Kii-Tanabe and went straight to the Tourist Office which was just next door to the train station. The staff was very helpful. They gave us maps, our credentials, the bus schedules, and directions.

We then went to the 7-11 next door (here they have an ATM that takes foreign cards), bought some food to go, and walked to our hotel which was just 5 minutes away. We arrived at about 1600 and fell asleep quickly since we were tired.

It’s 22:40 local time as I typed this. After a few hours’ sleep, I’m feeling recovered and ready to start tomorrow’s walk on the Kumano Kodo.

My takeaway for today is: Getting to the starting point isn’t always easy but it’s worth it.

Thanks for reading this far, going back to sleep.

Bani

 

[MikeJS]

Fantastic. I look forward to reading about your adventure.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Looking forward to reading of your KK adventures Bani & Tess!
Gambatte

 

[dfox]

Day 0 – Hong Kong to Osaka to Kii-Tanabe

Bani

Just received wife's permission to walk the Kumano Kodo. I am eagerly looking forward to reading your experience to prepare for the journey.

Thanks,

 

[Phil&Barb]

Kii-Tanabe

You are bringing back memories of our own. My wife and I did the KK last year in mid-October. When we arrived at the train station in Kii-Tanabe found a great little fruit stand across from the station where the kind gentlemen running the stand turned us on to their excellent oranges and other fruit to take along on our trek. You will have a wonderful time.

 

[GuyA]

I walked it in 2015 an absolutely amazing experience. I’m sure you are looking forward to getting your Dual Pilgrim recognition. Remains one of my most cherished walking experiences. Enjoy!

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Day 1 Takijiri to Michi-no-Eki, 10km, Oct 1 2024

Very tough day on the Kumano Kodo, Nakahechi route

The first two kilometers is the toughest of any hike we’ve ever done. We’ve seen videos of this before and we knew it was difficult, but the videos do not really indicate how difficult it is in real life.

It goes uphill from Step 1 and shoots up and down in elevation from 1,400 to 600 feet. Unlike St. Jean Pied de Port, which starts mostly on paved roads and trails, what makes this part of the Kumano Kodo much more difficult is the very rough conditions of the trail, which is completely covered by rocks and tree roots. The path is very uneven, it’s so easy to break an ankle, and is a killer on the knees, quads, and legs in general.

We must constantly use our hiking poles to keep our balance and watch where we put our feet with every step. Also, from the beginning, the trail keeps going up continuously (no switchbacks) and is very steep. In many places, it was so narrow there was barely any place to secure a firm footing. There was always the risk of slipping and falling off the steep mountainside.

In my mind it felt like climbing up the tallest building in the world on a stairwell that is so uneven (one step maybe 6-inches, the next 18-inches, then 24-inches, then 6-inches again, etc), it’s taxing not only on the legs and body but also on the mind. You constantly have to keep your mind focused on every step in such a way that you can’t think of anything else. After a while, you no longer feel the pain and tiredness, you just take it one step at a time.

Needless to say we went very, very slowly, it took us one hour to finish the first kilometer (as a benchmark it takes a reasonably fit adult about one hour to finish 5 kilometers walking on a flat surface). It’s good that we only have to finish 10 kilometers today.

We were playing catch-up and pass with a group of young Chinese (male and female) who all looked very fit. I wouldn’t be surprised if they all belong to the same gym back home

On the bright side, the forest was so beautiful with the bright sun piercing strongly through the trees lighting up the trail in many places. It was a hot day (30C) but it was cooler under the trees making walking comfortable weather-wise. (I can imagine how much more difficult and dangerous the trail would be when its raining and wet.)

It could be just my imagination but after a while, it felt like the peace, quiet, and overall serenity, was so soothing to the mind and soul. The whole place had a sense of tranquility and positivity that overcomes any challenges one may feel about hiking through these mountains. (Perhaps that is why this has been a pilgrimage place for the Japanese since ancient times.)

We actually started late because we were thinking it was only a 10-km hike. We took the 09:10 bus from Kii-Tanabe to Takijiri. The bus was filled with hikers, including the Chinese group I mentioned earlier. I remember them because one of the girls wore yellow hiking pants (Tess and I called her Miss Yellow Pants ) The bus ride was supposed to be 40 minutes, but it took almost an hour this morning.

For those who are asking, booking a place to stay at Kumano Kodo is a bit tricky. Unlike the Camino, this is not a place where there are lots of albergues or other accommodations available close to the trail.

When I was planning this hike, I tried using the official Kumano Travel website but there was no guarantee of getting a booking on time. The places available were booked months ahead. I tried searching other channels but many of the places available on Booking.com or Airbnb, for example, were either too far, inconvenient, or too pricey.

I lucked out when someone on the Facebook Camino page sent a message referring me to a host who offers her house (that’s relatively close to the trail and where she stayed recently) for Kumado Kodo hikers. Fortunately, it was available on the dates we needed.

In addition to the accommodation, the host offers a package which includes breakfast and dinner, transfers (she will pick you up on a designated location at the end of your hike for the day and bring you back to the same location the next day to resume your hike), and a bento box for lunch (there are few places to stop for lunch along the Kumano Kodo, most hikers bring their own food). The package was relatively pricey but I felt it was value for money considering what she offered.

Anyway, when the bus got to Takijiri, our host (Miko-san was charming, friendly, and spoke very good English) was waiting for us to take our luggage so we can start our hike immediately. She will pick us at the Michi-no-Eki rest area at the end of our hike. We just need to send her a Whatsapp when we got there.

Going back to the hike, we finally reached Takahara at 1230 (we started walking at 1015) where I had booked (also months before) lunch at a vegetarian restaurant, the only one that serves lunch in the village. The place was owned by a local who has done the Camino and spoke to us in Spanish (after he learned we had done the Camino too). When we were there, he was telling stories to a group of guests (middle-aged Japanese who traveled by car) who seem enthralled by his tales about the Kumano Kodo. (I speak very limited Japanese and only understood a few words but they were ohhing, ahhing, and clapping as he told his stories)

Lunch was Italian (the pasta was delicious and the food was all organic) instead of Japanese. For us it felt strange, in a good way, to be having an Italian lunch in the middle of the mountains in Southern Japan

We resumed our hike after lunch. By this time the sun was hot while we were on the road but it was cooler again once we were back in the forest.

The trail after Takahara was relatively gentler compared to earlier although it was still challenging and required focus.

We caught up with the young Chinese group again (not sure where they had lunch) and passed a middle-age European couple who looked like they may be Camino veterans. The wife jokingly asked us for the “password” since the trail was so narrow they had to step aside to let us pass (By this time, we didn’t have time to stop and chat because the shadows created by the sun through the trees was getting longer and we anticipate the forest will be dark soon, so we were sort of rushing but still being very careful where we step.)

On the last leg, we passed several hikers who I’m assuming were also rushing to finish soon. But we still had to stop for short breaks and water stops as the trail does not really allow you to rush. (We can feel our hearts beating strongly whenever we were going too fast on the uphills, while our legs were also protesting when we were going too fast on the steep downhills)

We reached Michi-No-Eki at 16:30 and sent Miko-san a message. She responded quickly saying she will be there in 20 minutes. There was a shop where we bought some cold drinks while waiting.

Miko-san’s place was located in one of the backroads and quite remote but it was a beautiful, modern Japanese house. The location reminded me of Miyazaki’s Totoro, there was even a stream rushing through the back of the house who’s sound offer another soothing rhythmn to the already zen-like surroundings.

It was a very nice place to rest and relax after a very tough day on the Kumano Kodo.

My takeaway for today is: Tough days can be beautiful too.

Thanks for reading this far,

Bani

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Thanks for this! We are doing the KK in early April, so this "preview" is much appreciated.

 

[PeteD]

Thanks for bringing back wonderful memories! Looking forward to the next installment.

 

[mick53]

Day 0 – Hong Kong to Osaka to Kii-Tanabe

Sept 29 – 30, 2024
It was almost exactly one year ago today when we started our pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago last year.

This time we’re doing the Kumano Kodo, the sister pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in Japan.

But first, we must get to the starting point, a city called Kii-Tanabe in Wakayama, about 3 hours by rapid train south of Osaka.

Our flight was at 0705 HKT to 1155 OST (Japan is one hour ahead of Hong Kong). This means we must be at the airport very early (0500). Since getting to the airport at those hours was stressful (buses were few and far between, and a taxi would be too pricy) we decided to spend the night at the airport.

This is the first time we ever did this in our years of traveling, and it wasn’t as bad as we expected. At the airport, we still managed to get some food, although the restaurants were already closing because it was almost midnight. Only McDonald’s offers 24-hour service.

It turns out, many people spend the night at the airport to catch their early morning flights. We saw people with sleeping bags, mats, etc., really prepared to spend the night. We found a spot in the arrival hall where the seats are wide comfortable enough to lie down if you wanted to. It took a while, but Tess (my wife) and I managed to get some sleep. I sort of catnapped for 30-minute stretches.

We got up about 3 hours before our flight and proceeded to the counter only to find a long queue of passengers already there even though the counters were still closed. Anyway, check-in was efficient and quick considering the huge crowd of passengers. We still had time to grab breakfast at McDonald’s before proceeding to our gate.

The flight departed as scheduled and was uneventful. We took HK Express which is relatively comfortable and efficient for a budget airline. My only complaint is that the aircraft had only three toilets for about 200 passengers on a four-and-a-half-hour flight. Almost everyone spent to whole flight sleeping despite some stretches of turbulence.

Arriving at Kansai International Airport was uneventful although many things have changed in terms of airport procedures since the last time we were here in Feb 2018 before covid.

Foreigners (non-Japanese) must fill in an arrival card (you can do this during the flight), go through immigration, claim their luggage, fill in a declaration form even if you have nothing to declare, and get a QR Code from one of the airport terminals. This took time because of the huge volume of arriving passengers.

We had to catch the 13:32 rapid train to Kii-Tanabe and I was worried we wouldn’t make it on time. Fortunately, we found the Tourist Information Centre quickly after exiting the arrival hall and here a very efficient young man who spoke perfect English assisted us in getting the tickets.

Just a tip: it’s better to know the schedule of the train you want to take beforehand to save time and stick to your travel schedule.

We found the train terminal and our platform quickly and boarded just five minutes before departure. Whew! That was close.

From KIX, we had to transfer to another station (Hineno) to take the 13:57 train that would take us to Kii-Tanabe. Finding the station was easy (it was only 2 stops after KIX). We got to Hineno about 10 minutes before departure.

But we had some anxious moments at Hineno finding the right platform for Kii-Tanabe. Fortunately, we had some help from a local girl (a commuter) who spoke good English (she said she wasn’t Japanese).

The train ride to Kii-Tanabe was uneventful. Since we didn’t have time to get lunch at the airport, we had some of the light snacks we brought with us for such an occasion.

After 2 hours, we disembarked at Kii-Tanabe and went straight to the Tourist Office which was just next door to the train station. The staff was very helpful. They gave us maps, our credentials, the bus schedules, and directions.

We then went to the 7-11 next door (here they have an ATM that takes foreign cards), bought some food to go, and walked to our hotel which was just 5 minutes away. We arrived at about 1600 and fell asleep quickly since we were tired.

It’s 22:40 local time as I typed this. After a few hours’ sleep, I’m feeling recovered and ready to start tomorrow’s walk on the Kumano Kodo.

My takeaway for today is: Getting to the starting point isn’t always easy but it’s worth it.

Thanks for reading this far, going back to sleep.

Bani

If you like walking in Japan then add the 88 Temples Buddist Pilgrimage to your list ... 1100km around Shikoku Island.

We did it in2016
.

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

If you like walking in Japan then add the 88 Temples Buddist Pilgrimage to your list ... 1100km around Shikoku Island.

We did it in2016
.

Thanks for the suggestion

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Day 2 Michi-no-Eki (Gyuba-doji-Guchi) to Log Bridge, 8.9km, Oct 2 2024

Getting lost on the Kumano Kodo (KK), Nakahechi route

Just a heads up, “Michi-no-Eki” just means rest area in Japanese and is not the official name of the place. The official name of this place is Gyuba-doji-Guchi. The reason I mention this is if you’re looking at the official KK map “Michi-no-Eki” is printed much bigger (than Gyuba-doji-Guchi) I thought it (Michi-no-Eki) was the name of the place. I was looking for signs that said “Michi-no-Eki” but there are none. Also, when using Google Maps several Michi-no-Eki come up, it can get confusing so it’s better to type in Gyuba-doji-Guchi. There is also a bus stop here.

Anyway, today Miko-san brought us back to Gyuba-doji-Guchi where we started walking from at 0930. I would have wanted to start earlier but Miko-san serves breakfast at 0800 and it takes another 20 minutes to get there.

The trail from here is gentler compared to yesterday although you still have to step carefully. Also, there are portions where it gets very narrow with a steep and dangerous drop on one side. Just before we started walking, a Japanese woman warned us about this using Google Translate.

The trail then gets out of the forest onto the open road to Chikatsuyu, a biggish town with a coffee shop that appears to be a favorite for hikers. We didn’t stop here and continued walking.

Another heads up, if you see bright pink ribbons on the trail do not mistake them for KK markers. In the forest we saw a lot of these pink ribbons yesterday, many of them tied to trees or branches right next to the KK signs and thought they were like the “yellow arrows” of the Camino de Santiago, but there were not. We made the mistake of following them and ended up lost in the backroads of Chikatsuyu. A motorist stopped and told us the KK is not on this road, and told us to go back to the main road. We were lost for about 30 minutes.

Just a side note, like on the Camino, many of these towns villages looked deserted, it’s not easy to find someone to ask for directions if you need to.

Back on the main road, we saw the KK sign that we should have noticed earlier (sigh) across the road from the coffee shop.

From here the trail follows the main road, goes back into the forest, and then goes back to the road again. This time we really kept our eyes out for the KK signs.

The walk was uneventful until we got to Tzugizakura-oji (an Oji is subsidiary shrine of the KK) where we decided to stop for lunch. Here there is a roadside café just a few meters before the Oji owned by a very nice Frenchman name Dennis. We ordered some drinks and dessert to go with our bento box from Miko-san.

Dennis is from the South of France, close to Lourdes, which is just below San Jean Pied de Port. We’ve been to Lourdes a few times before covid so we had a nice chat.

We were warned by Miko-san that there is no signal in the Log Bridge area where she would meet us so we have to send her a message from Tsugizakura to let her know what time we would be arriving, so we did that.

We followed the road again until Kabiro-oji where it re-entered the forest. Here the trail gets treacherous again demanding focus and concentration. There is a point where the KK sign post points to Kumasegawa-oji, Iwagami-oji, and Kabiro-oji, all pointing different directions. Looking at the map we decide to take the direction to Kumasegawa-oji. But it turned this is just a big loop which goes up the mountain and brought us right back to where we started (where the signpost pointing to 3 directions is located).

We decided to walk in the direction of Iwagami-oji since according to the map it appears to be in the same general direction of Log Bridge. By this time we were walking through dense forest with steep treacherous trails where the sun doesn’t penetrate through so it was relatively dark. While these forests are beautiful, they can also be dangerous. I wouldn’t want to be walking through these woods alone. (Miko-san later told us there was an American woman, apparently an experienced solo hiker, who went missing on one of the less traveled KK trails last year and still hasn’t been found)

We had to do some more climbing before the trail changes and goes very steeply downhill. It finally ends abruptly on a forest road where Miko-san was waiting for us. We were happy to see her after those anxious moments scrambling down the mountain through the forest.

We spent several minutes chatting happily while walking back to her car that was parked on the shoulder on a wider stretch of the road. On the map, Log Bridge appears to be an important marker but to me it’s easy to miss it if you don’t know where it is.

Anyway, finding Miko-san at the end of the road waiting for us was a fitting ending to another beautiful day on the Kumano Kodo.

Miko-san later served us a delicious barbeque meal of Kumano wagyu and Kobe beef in the garden outside the house from where we can also hear the river while we ate.

My takeaway for today is: Do not always trust obvious signs on the Kumano Kodo.

Thanks for reading this far,

Bani

 

[dfox]

We must constantly use our hiking poles to keep our balance and watch where we put our feet with every step. Also, from the beginning, the trail keeps going up continuously (no switchbacks) and is very steep. In many places, it was so narrow there was barely any place to secure a firm footing. There was always the risk of slipping and falling off the steep mountainside.

In my mind it felt like climbing up the tallest building in the world on a stairwell that is so uneven (one step maybe 6-inches, the next 18-inches, then 24-inches, then 6-inches again, etc), it’s taxing not only on the legs and body but also on the mind. You constantly have to keep your mind focused on every step in such a way that you can’t think of anything else. After a while, you no longer feel the pain and tiredness, you just take it one step at a time.

The information is very helpful, which is very much appreciated, but it is also VERY scary for me.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Yikes...not a walk (scramble?) for the faint hearted...or balance-challenged (me)...or solo it seems.
Wonderful writing Bani; a joy to read & really conveys the ups & downs...literally & figuratively.
Do you have any photos you could include?
I also second the suggestion of @mick53 ...the Way of 88 Temples is far & away my favourite of all my long distance trails.

Onwards & upwards...but hopefully not as steep or treacherous!

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Here's a short video at the beginning of our walk on Day 1. After these, we couldn't video anymore as we had to focus on walking carefully

 

[dfox]

Here's a short video showing at beginning of our walk on Day 1. After these, we couldn't video anymore as we had to focus on walking carefully

This video helps a lot. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Here's a short video at the beginning of our walk on Day 1. After these, we couldn't video anymore as we had to focus on walking carefully

Wow...that is tough going.
Thanks for the video...shows the conditions exactly & what prospective pilgrims have to prepare for!

 

[mbox]

Hi Bani and Tess, I was so pleased to see your posts. Thinking of you brought back memories of the crazy wind and rain we had on last year's Camino!
I have been dreaming of Japan and the 88 Temples Pilgrimage for a few months now, and so your detailed posts are very welcome.
Please keep posting, and know I am with you in spirit!

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Day 3 Komorian House, Takahara, Japan Oct 3 2024
Aborting the dream

In the past two days, we’ve had beautiful weather. Bright, sunny, and hot (32C) when outside the forest. But today it was drizzling when we woke up and the rain got heavier as the morning progressed.

In the Camino, there were many mornings when we started walking early in, and it was still dark and raining. But here considering how much more difficult the trails are, we were forced to re-evaluate our plans for walking today.

Based on the official maps, from Log Bridge to Hosshinmon-oji is 10 km, all forest. It starts with a very sharp climb, (the same as on the first day when it took us one hour to do the first km and that was when there was no rain. It then descends sharply for about 4km, ascends sharply again for another km, then descends sharply for about 4-5km.

After consulting with Miko-san who has walked the KK herself, we confirmed that today’s route is just as difficult, if not more so, than our route on the first day. It also goes through the forest the entire way. There are no pickup points between Log Bridge to Hosshinmon-oji. In short, once we start walking we are committed to walking the entire route. But considering it’s raining heavily, the trails would be very wet, slippery, and more dangerous.

Unlike on the Camino, where you can find a café and call a taxi if you get too tired or injured or in case of very bad weather, the only way a hiker can get out of the forest on this portion of the KK is by an ambulance, according to Miko-san.

Since, from the previous two days we know how difficult and treacherous the trail was (many places were covered with rock-coated moss which were slippery even during dry weather), we could imagine how much more challenging and dangerous it would be in the rain.

We decided to wait until mid-morning to see if the weather would improve but it did not. After consulting with Miko-san again we decided to abort our walk for today.

Thus, ended our dream of becoming a dual Kumano Kodo-Camino de Santiago pilgrim. Since we won’t be getting any stamps/cellos today, we would no longer qualify for the dual pilgrim certificate. But we decided it was the price we had to pay for being safe rather than sorry.

The rain didn’t stop throughout the day and evening so we just spent the whole day indoors.

Miko-san, who was concerned we had nothing to do the whole day, suggested a trip to a theme park which was a 40-minute drive away, but we weren’t interested, not in this kind of weather.

Since the house is located in the middle of nowhere (there used to be only 10 people living in this village, mostly retirees, but one recently passed away), it was a very restful place (it’s the kind of place where deer occasionally come into the garden to eat some of the vegetation) we were just happy to enjoy this unexpected day of rest and relaxation after two strenuous days on the Kumano Kodo.

On this pilgrimage, we still have one more day to do tomorrow, hopefully the weather will be better. We decided that what matters is that we were able to experience how it is to walk the Kumano Kodo, and share our experiences, even if we didn't complete this time.

We may still do the Kumano Kodo again and hopefully complete it someday, but for now, it’s not meant to be.

My takeaway for today is: sometimes you have to abort a dream to stay safe.

Thanks for reading this far,

Bani

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Hi Bani and Tess, I was so pleased to see your posts. Thinking of you brought back memories of the crazy wind and rain we had on last year's Camino!
I have been dreaming of Japan and the 88 Temples Pilgrimage for a few months now, and so your detailed posts are very welcome.
Please keep posting, and know I am with you in spirit!

Hi Mary,
It's so nice to hear from you. Yes, we have fond memories of our dinner in Moratinos and our walk in the heavy rain to Sahagun We trust you're in the best of everything. We're looking into the 88 Temples Pilgrimage too. But Japan is worth a visit even if you don't do a pilgrimage.
Stay healthy and safe,
Bani &Tess

 

[dfox]

Hi Bani;

Not knowing your schedule, here is my 2 cents:
One of the four options to obtain the dual pilgrim certificate, which I think is the easiest one, is 1) to walk about 7.5 km, as indicated in the right hand side of the chart below, from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha, 2) then take a bus from Kumano-Hongu Taisha to visit the Kumano Hayatama Taisha, then, 3) take another bus from Kumano Hayatama Taisha to Kumano Nachi Taisha. According to Google map, buses are available, if not every hour, then every other hours from these Taisha. Such arrangement may help you get the necessary stamps to obtain the dual pilgrim certificate.

By the way, The 1st 1.1 km of the Nakahechi Main Route, as indicated below, is really steep!



Bani, wishing you all the best!

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Day 4 Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Oct 4 2024

Camino journey comes full circle

Today the weather is better. It was still raining when we woke but it was lighter than yesterday and last night. By the time we’ve had breakfast and were ready to leave it had subsided to a slight drizzle (you can stand outdoors for short periods without getting too wet).

(Today we also have to check out of Komorian House (KH) and move to another accommodation for our last night on the Kumano Kodo (KK). When I booked KH back in April it was no longer available for this last night of our 4-day hike. That is how much lead time you need to get accommodation on the Kumano Kodo)

Miko-san drove us to Hosshinmon-oji where we’ll start our walk, we said our goodbyes, and agreed to stay in touch (she has become a real friend, no longer just a host).

The rain had strengthened a bit again and most hikers were wearing raincoats. Fortunately, the weather improved and we could take off our raincoats about an hour into the hike.

The trail from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha was partly road and partly forest, a bit like the trails of Galicia on the Camino Frances. It meandered through pastoral villages, deserted country roads, and forests.

Needless to say, it was like a walk in the park when compared to the trails of the first three days (from Takijiri to Hosshinmon-oji). It took us only 2 hours to cover about 8km.

As soon as we arrived in Kumano Hongu Taisha (this is a major shrine for Shintoism and many Japanese visit here without hiking the KK), it started raining again. The shrine was filled with pilgrims, hikers, and non-hikers, and most people had their umbrellas out, but we were just so happy we made it.

On an off-chance, we asked about getting the dual pilgrim certificate from the admin office but we were referred to the Tourism Information Office which is located on the highway below the shrine. To get there we had to go down stairs with 158 steps but we didn’t mind.

The Tourism Office is a huge library-like place with books and exhibits. After hearing our explanation (that we were not able to hike yesterday because of the heavy rain) the girl at the counter flipped through our KK credentials quickly, looking just at the beginning pages and the ending pages. But when we presented our credentials from the Camino de Santiago (two pilgrim passports each filled with sellos from end to end) she was quite impressed and immediately gave us application forms for the dual pilgrim certificates.

We filled it up quickly and waited. After about 15 minutes, we were presented with the certificates and had our photos taken for their webpage (yehehey!!!)

Although we weren’t expecting it, it was the best ending to our KK pilgrimage.

But there’s more. We were told we had to go back up to the shrine if we wanted to do the drum ceremony for dual pilgrims. That meant climbing up those long stairs again but we didn’t mind.

The drum ceremony was brief but meaningful. For me there was a sense of awe and great accomplishment when hitting those drums that signified the fulfillment of something that was once just a dream but is now reality. (We saw only one other hiker, (a Chinese girl) who did the drum ceremony that morning)

After having our bento lunch (courtesy of Miko-san) we took the bus to our new accommodation which was close to the Watarase Onsen where we enjoyed soaking in the hot, healing waters, anoter fitting end to our Kumano Kodo journey.

Today, Oct 4 also marks the first anniversary of our pilgrimage on the Camino Frances which we did from Oct 4 to Nov 5 2023.

In a sense, our Camino journey has come full circle.

My takeaway for today is: Sometimes a dream that has ended can still come true.

Thanks for reading this far,

Bani

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Hi Bani;

Not knowing your schedule, here is my 2 cents:
One of the four options to obtain the dual pilgrim certificate, which I think is the easiest one, is 1) to walk about 7.5 km, as indicated in the right hand side of the chart below, from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha, 2) then take a bus from Kumano-Hongu Taisha to visit the Kumano Hayatama Taisha, then, 3) take another bus from Kumano Hayatama Taisha to Kumano Nachi Taisha. According to Google map, buses are available, if not every hour, then every other hours from these Taisha. Such arrangement may help you get the necessary stamps to obtain the dual pilgrim certificate.

By the way, The 1st 1.1 km of the Nakahechi Main Route, as indicated below, is really steep!

View attachment 178539

Bani, wishing you all the best!

Thanks for the suggestion dfox. We did consider this option but we thought it would be too stressful to try and do all these in one day. We hope everything will work out for you in your own KK. Buen Camino and God bless!

 

[dfox]

..., we were presented with the certificates and had our photos taken for their webpage (yehehey!!!)

The drum ceremony was brief but meaningful. For me there was a sense of awe and great accomplishment when hitting those drums that signified the fulfillment of something that was once just a dream but is now reality. (We saw only one other hiker, (a Chinese girl) who did the drum ceremony that morning)

Congratulations!

 

[mbox]

Wow! Such great news! Congratulations on completing your credential. I was so disappointed for you when your walk was delayed. But like so many things in our lives, everything works out in the end.
I hope you will continue to post about your trip returning home.

 

[davnel]

Thank you for sharing your experiences, it brings back wonderful memories of walking the KK in April this year! It’s not an easy walk but it is peaceful and beautiful. I hope to walk it again some day.

If booking far enough in advance, the Kumano Travel service is very helpful. The experience overall is very different to the Santiago pilgrimages and very wonderfully Japanese.

And how good are Japanese 7-11’s! Returning for the KK, after 35 years away from Japan, I really knew I was back when I walked into a 7-11 and scored an umeboshi onigiri and a decent coffee for breakfast. (Also when I found the vending machine outside Kii-Tanabe station that, in 90 seconds, made me a freshly-brewed skinny flat white in a take-away cup with a lid and all… they didn’t have those back in 1989.)

The Shikoku 88 pilgrimage looks wonderful, and not as mountainous as the KK. Perhaps you will walk it in future? If so, ganbatte kudasai!!

 

[Maureen McGovern]

Day 0 – Hong Kong to Osaka to Kii-Tanabe

Sept 29 – 30, 2024
It was almost exactly one year ago today when we started our pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago last year.

This time we’re doing the Kumano Kodo, the sister pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in Japan.

But first, we must get to the starting point, a city called Kii-Tanabe in Wakayama, about 3 hours by rapid train south of Osaka.

Our flight was at 0705 HKT to 1155 OST (Japan is one hour ahead of Hong Kong). This means we must be at the airport very early (0500). Since getting to the airport at those hours was stressful (buses were few and far between, and a taxi would be too pricy) we decided to spend the night at the airport.

This is the first time we ever did this in our years of traveling, and it wasn’t as bad as we expected. At the airport, we still managed to get some food, although the restaurants were already closing because it was almost midnight. Only McDonald’s offers 24-hour service.

It turns out, many people spend the night at the airport to catch their early morning flights. We saw people with sleeping bags, mats, etc., really prepared to spend the night. We found a spot in the arrival hall where the seats are wide comfortable enough to lie down if you wanted to. It took a while, but Tess (my wife) and I managed to get some sleep. I sort of catnapped for 30-minute stretches.

We got up about 3 hours before our flight and proceeded to the counter only to find a long queue of passengers already there even though the counters were still closed. Anyway, check-in was efficient and quick considering the huge crowd of passengers. We still had time to grab breakfast at McDonald’s before proceeding to our gate.

The flight departed as scheduled and was uneventful. We took HK Express which is relatively comfortable and efficient for a budget airline. My only complaint is that the aircraft had only three toilets for about 200 passengers on a four-and-a-half-hour flight. Almost everyone spent to whole flight sleeping despite some stretches of turbulence.

Arriving at Kansai International Airport was uneventful although many things have changed in terms of airport procedures since the last time we were here in Feb 2018 before covid.

Foreigners (non-Japanese) must fill in an arrival card (you can do this during the flight), go through immigration, claim their luggage, fill in a declaration form even if you have nothing to declare, and get a QR Code from one of the airport terminals. This took time because of the huge volume of arriving passengers.

We had to catch the 13:32 rapid train to Kii-Tanabe and I was worried we wouldn’t make it on time. Fortunately, we found the Tourist Information Centre quickly after exiting the arrival hall and here a very efficient young man who spoke perfect English assisted us in getting the tickets.

Just a tip: it’s better to know the schedule of the train you want to take beforehand to save time and stick to your travel schedule.

We found the train terminal and our platform quickly and boarded just five minutes before departure. Whew! That was close.

From KIX, we had to transfer to another station (Hineno) to take the 13:57 train that would take us to Kii-Tanabe. Finding the station was easy (it was only 2 stops after KIX). We got to Hineno about 10 minutes before departure.

But we had some anxious moments at Hineno finding the right platform for Kii-Tanabe. Fortunately, we had some help from a local girl (a commuter) who spoke good English (she said she wasn’t Japanese).

The train ride to Kii-Tanabe was uneventful. Since we didn’t have time to get lunch at the airport, we had some of the light snacks we brought with us for such an occasion.

After 2 hours, we disembarked at Kii-Tanabe and went straight to the Tourist Office which was just next door to the train station. The staff was very helpful. They gave us maps, our credentials, the bus schedules, and directions.

We then went to the 7-11 next door (here they have an ATM that takes foreign cards), bought some food to go, and walked to our hotel which was just 5 minutes away. We arrived at about 1600 and fell asleep quickly since we were tired.

It’s 22:40 local time as I typed this. After a few hours’ sleep, I’m feeling recovered and ready to start tomorrow’s walk on the Kumano Kodo.

My takeaway for today is: Getting to the starting point isn’t always easy but it’s worth it.

Thanks for reading this far, going back to sleep.

Bani

I walked the Kumano Koda this year it was absolutely amazing enjoy every minute

 

[kamleman]

We did the Kumano Kodo last year. For those contemplating it, realize it is much tougher than the Camino (either Frances or Primitivo). The terrain is really rough, and slopes both up and down very steep, with few amenities between stages.
Book accommodation early as possible. We found the official site very helpful. We thought we were running out of time for confirmation, so I emailed them to ask for help, and they came through with bookings in a few days. If you can afford, stay at a Ryokan for one or two stops. Traditional inn with hot spring. Fantastic food and the hot springs are so good after a day scrambling up and down hill.
Luggage transfer for those who use this is not as easy as Correos. There are services, but very expensive. What we did was to split into two and use the Tak Q bin service to the destination one day ahead - needs planning but you will save 100’s of euros.
Don’t worry too much about the credential. The people at the office in Hongu are super nice, and I got the feeling that if they felt you had made a genuine attempt they would give it to you.
It was very hard - the first day was about as hard a walk as I have ever done, but a unique experience well worth it.

Buen Camino!

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Some tips for walking the Kumano Kodo
We just completed the KK Oct 1-4 here’s some tips based on our experiences:
1: Be prepared for walking steep uphills and downhills on footpaths (killer on the knees) with loose rocks, tree roots, etc. where you have to thread carefully (it’s easy to trip and break an ankle). Walking sticks are a must for this kind of trails although I saw many hikers with no sticks.
2: Be prepared to spend a lot of time waiting for the bus before you can start your walk for the day, and at the end of your hike. The accommodations are usually a long way from the trail and bus stop. It’s not like on the Camino Frances where you can start your walk at the doorstep of your albergue, hostal, or hotel.
3: The trails are treacherous in good weather but extra dangerous when it rains so be prepared to be flexible with your hiking plans. It rained heavily on the third day of our hike when we were supposed to hike from Log Bridge to Hoshinnmon-oji which is a tough stretch of the trail. We wanted to be safe rather than sorry so aborted our hike for that day.
4: Unless you’re really super fit, I would recommend you walk the Nakahechi trail in 10km stretches. Some hikers do it 15km to 20km, 25km in one day, but based on our experience this would be too taxing on the body and the mind.
5: On the stretch from Log Bridge to Hoshinnmon-oji (10-12km), a very tough stretch with steep uphills and downhills, the whole trail is inaccessible to motor vehicles, there is no place where you can be picked up in case of emergency.
6: There are no places where you can refill your water bottle so bring enough for your needs. There are also few places to stop for lunch (unlike on the Camino), so bring enough food to last the hike.
7: We started from Takijiri and end in Hongu-Taisha. Others go the opposite way. Based on our experience, I would recommend starting from Takijiri since you will still be strong and fresh when tackling the first kilometre which is a very sharp uphill. I wouldn’t want to do this stretch on the last day when you’re already tired and exhausted.
On the first day, it took us one hour to finish the first km. and about 4 hours total walking time to reach Michi-no-Eki rest area (11.8km). We stopped for an hour in Takahara where we had lunch at the only restaurant (Kirinosato) in the village. You have to book in advance, they’re on Instagram.
The second and third days are also tough but the last day from Hoshinnmon-oji to Hongu-Taisha is like walking through the trails of Galicia on the Camino Frances (relatively flat with smoother trails). This would be a relatively relaxed hike and a fitting end to your KK.
Hope this helps.
Bani

 

[dfox]

Hi Bani;

It's very kind and generous of you to spend time documenting and sharing this practical information.

Many BIG heartfelt thanks,
DF

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Hi Bani;

It's very kind and generous of you to spend time documenting and sharing this practical information.

Many BIG heartfelt thanks,
DF

No worries DF, happy to help. Good luck on your KK. Buen Camino!

 

[acsma]

…

We decided to wait until mid-morning to see if the weather would improve but it did not. After consulting with Miko-san again we decided to abort our walk for today.

Thus, ended our dream of becoming a dual Kumano Kodo-Camino de Santiago pilgrim. Since we won’t be getting any stamps/cellos today, we would no longer qualify for the dual pilgrim certificate. But we decided it was the price we had to pay for being safe rather than sorry

Hi Bani,
Thanks for sharing your journey, very detailed and good reading. I’m still learning more about the Kumano Kodo and dual pilgrimage and was hoping you could help clarify the above. From reading the above, I got the impression that you have to walk everyday or complete the KK in a certain amount of time. I’ve not seen that requirement in what’ve I’ve researched so far.. could you please point me to that info so I can understand further?

Thanks!

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Hi Acasma,
To become eligible for Dual Pilgrim status on the Kumano Kodo side, you will need to complete one of the following on foot and collect the stamps along the way: Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha (approximately 38 km) Kumano Nachi Taisha to/from Kumano Hongu Taisha (approximately 30 km)

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Just like in the CF you have to collect all the stamps along the way. You can also go to the KK Travel website for more detailed info.

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Here’s the link:

Dual Pilgrim｜Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau

Overview A “Dual Pilgrim” is someone who has walked both the Kumano Kodo and the Way of St.James (Camino de Santiago). This program was developed to celebrate, honor, and share the stories of those who have completed both of these UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage routes and began on Feb 1st...

www.tb-kumano.jp

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Although I have little interest in walking the KK, I really enjoyed reading your daily reports with your many details. It made me feel like I was "there" with you, like reading a good book.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us. I know how time consuming and what a commitment it is.

 

[acsma]

Hi Acasma,
To become eligible for Dual Pilgrim status on the Kumano Kodo side, you will need to complete one of the following on foot and collect the stamps along the way: Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha (approximately 38 km) Kumano Nachi Taisha to/from Kumano Hongu Taisha (approximately 30 km)

Thanks!