Top 10 Reasons To Walk The Kumano Kodo And How To Earn A Dual Pilgrims Certificate.

[Kevin Considine]

I recently completed my third of the 5 Kumano Kodo Routes along With Mika, my Japanese Wife. Have compiled information for those interested in Kumano, Shikoku 88 Temple, and Nagasaki “Hidden Christians” pilgrimages:

1. How The Kumano Kodo Is Different From The Camino.

2. Everything You Need To Know To Earn a Dual Pilgrims Certificate.

There is too much information to post here but I will provide a link and give you the Top 10 Reasons To Walk The Kumano Kodo:

1. It’s the best way to experience Japan and its people.
2. Beautiful mountain walking and nature
3. Experience onsens (natural hot baths)
4. Enjoy traditional Japanese Food
5. Experience Ryokans and Minshukus
6. Earn a Dual Pilgrim Certificate
7. Open your mind. Experience Shintoism
8. Doesn’t require too much time. 2-14 days
9. A weak Yen makes it relatively inexpensive
10. Experience Japanese toilets

There is an explanation for each of the 10 Reasons as well as the other posts on the Kumano Kodo at:

Japan – Global Pilgrim

globalpilgrim.net

There are also posts on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage and new Nagasaki “Hidden Christians” sites pilgrimage.

Happy to help those interested in a pilgrimage in Japan.

 

[dbier]

I'll check the link, but I hope you address two topics:

1. Markings
2. Should a Pilgrim who speaks/reads absolutely 2 words of Japanese even consider this?

 

[Kevin Considine]

I'll check the link, but I hope you address two topics:

1. Markings
2. Should a Pilgrim who speaks/reads absolutely 2 words of Japanese even consider this?

1. It is well marked. There are maps readily available
2. Plenty of pilgrims in Japan speak no Japanese. Today you can use google translate and sign language to get by.

 

[dbier]

1. It is well marked. There are maps readily available
2. Plenty of pilgrims in Japan speak no Japanese. Today you can use google translate and sign language to get by.

:::chuckle:::I was hoping youd mention in the posts what the markings were, but no matter.

As long as I don't need to make a phone call, I suppose. But I don't tend to use GT...not necessarily accurate, if one of the speakers uses a lot of idioms.

Thanks for the info

 

[Kevin Considine]

:::chuckle:::I was hoping youd mention in the posts what the markings were, but no matter.

As long as I don't need to make a phone call, I suppose. But I don't tend to use GT...not necessarily accurate, if one of the speakers uses a lot of idioms.

Thanks for the info

The markings on the Kumano Kodo are signs with Kumano Kodo printed in English and Japanese Chinese symbols. The 88 Temple has red arrows and red pilgrims (henros) with walking sticks and sedge hats.

 

[gordon1]

I recently completed my third of the 5 Kumano Kodo Routes along With Mika, my Japanese Wife. Have compiled information for those interested in Kumano, Shikoku 88 Temple, and Nagasaki “Hidden Christians” pilgrimages:

1. How The Kumano Kodo Is Different From The Camino.

2. Everything You Need To Know To Earn a Dual Pilgrims Certificate.

There is too much information to post here but I will provide a link and give you the Top 10 Reasons To Walk The Kumano Kodo:

1. It’s the best way to experience Japan and its people.
2. Beautiful mountain walking and nature
3. Experience onsens (natural hot baths)
4. Enjoy traditional Japanese Food
5. Experience Ryokans and Minshukus
6. Earn a Dual Pilgrim Certificate
7. Open your mind. Experience Shintoism
8. Doesn’t require too much time. 2-14 days
9. A weak Yen makes it relatively inexpensive
10. Experience Japanese toilets

There is an explanation for each of the 10 Reasons as well as the other posts on the Kumano Kodo at:

Japan – Global Pilgrim

globalpilgrim.net

There are also posts on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage and new Nagasaki “Hidden Christians” sites pilgrimage.

Happy to help those interested in a pilgrimage in Japan.

Thank you for the link.I am thinking and planning for next march/April

 

[KayfromUK]

I'm planning to do it when I go back to Japan. The information will be very helpful. Thank you. How easy do you think a single person to find reasonably priced accommodations? It was easy in Camino.
The reason no 10 made me laugh .
Google translation between Japanese and English can create 'fantastic' - nonsense in other words - conversations. Don't do it. As I'm originally from Japan, I don't know how foreign visitors manage, but where there are foreign visitors, things are written in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese, though you may find some strange English. You'll always find the names of this station, the previous station and the next station in Romans in the platform and the doors open for you. There's always an announcement when bus reaches at a bus stop.

 

[tominrm]

I have done both Kumano Kodo and 88 Temple Pilgrimage. Kumano Kodo is easy because one of the route takes three days, and the walk qualify for Dual Pilgrimage certificate.
The 88 Temple pilgrimage (about 6 years ago) was done in October but it was too hot for me to walk. For lodgings I depended mostly on ryokan type. You have to make reservation at least a day early or the same day in the morning because you not only secure a room but also have to tell the owner whether you will have dinner. That way the owner knows how many will eat dinner and go grocery shopping. So you have to use your phone. Perhaps you can ask the current host to make a call for you if you know where to stay next day.
In Japan real estate is premium so roads are narrow, and train tracks are single lane except large cities and near each station. So walking along the road sometimes can be less than safe. You need to be aware of that. But most drivers drive very carefully. I found the majority of Japanese pilgrim come on buses. I saw only handful of Japanese walking pilgrim. If not on a bus with a group they show up in their car or motorcycle/scooter. I started walking but after couple of weeks I started taking trains to the city and then walk up to the temples. Except a handful temples in the cities, most temples are in the mountains.
It was so warm for me to climb mountains with my backpack in October in Shikoku, I did not finish in one go and went to Hokkaido to cool me down. I returned 2years later to finish all. Shikoku island is in south of Japan (warm) so they can harvest rice twice a year.

 

[Kevin Considine]

Thank you for the link.I am thinking and planning for next march/April

A great time as the cherry blossoms are blooming.

 

[Kevin Considine]

I'm planning to do it when I go back to Japan. The information will be very helpful. Thank you. How easy do you think a single person to find reasonably priced accommodations? It was easy in Camino.
The reason no 10 made me laugh .
Google translation between Japanese and English can create 'fantastic' - nonsense in other words - conversations. Don't do it. As I'm originally from Japan, I don't know how foreign visitors manage, but where there are foreign visitors, things are written in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese, though you may find some strange English. You'll always find the names of this station, the previous station and the next station in Romans in the platform and the doors open for you. There's always an announcement when bus reaches at a bus stop.

I walked 10 days on 88 Temple alone. Prices are typically per person in minshukus and ryokans and I listed in the Hiw the Kumano Kodo is Different From The Camino the average daily cost of ¥12,964/$82.75/€76.06. Kohechi and Iseji was significantly cheaper at ¥8,500/$54.26/€49.8.

Now is a great time to walk as the yen is very weak against the $ and €

 

[Chizuru]

We walked it last year. Firstly, it is almost impossible to get lost. It is very clearly marked and there are clear NO signs to show you that any possible other trails are not your ones. There are also number posts as you walk which are there to let emergency services know where to look for you if you get injured and these give you an excellent idea of exactly where you are on the map. There are also spots along the way to get stamps for your credential which is proof that you have walked all the way. Many of these are at the top of a difficult section!

I suggest prebooking accommodation. It is very popular and there are very limited accommodation options.
Do lots of hill training. The trails are very steep and uneven. You are walking up and down what I call root steps. I hour straight up followed 1 hour straight down, walk a few meters and repeat!

Unless you want to get your Dual Camino certificate, I prefer the Nakasendo walk. I found the Kumano Kodo to be through a lots of active logging forest and not as beautiful with very little wildflower and bird life compared to the Nakasendo. Both are very historic paths.

For those on the Nakahechi Route who are struggling and think that section 3 is too long and hard, it is possible to break it into 2 or 3 days and use the excellent bus system (81R or 85R) to pick you up on the road just near the log bridge, take you to your accommodation, and bring you back to where you left off the next morning, then walk to Hosshinmon togi bus stop and either continue to the end or take the bus and restart there the next day which lets you spend the afternoon at the beautiful Kumano Hongu Taisha. If you have collected all of the stamps along the way, you are then entitled to the Dual Camino. You probably need to spend 2 nights in the lovely Yunomine area to make this work.
You can then chose to finish here as you have done your Dual Camino but you can also walk to Kumano Nachi Taisha, or take the bus down to the third temple, Kumano Hayatama Taisha then the train and bus back to Nachisan if you are short of time and want to see the other 2 beautiful temple complexes.

 

[gordon1]

I recently completed my third of the 5 Kumano Kodo Routes along With Mika, my Japanese Wife. Have compiled information for those interested in Kumano, Shikoku 88 Temple, and Nagasaki “Hidden Christians” pilgrimages:

1. How The Kumano Kodo Is Different From The Camino.

2. Everything You Need To Know To Earn a Dual Pilgrims Certificate.

There is too much information to post here but I will provide a link and give you the Top 10 Reasons To Walk The Kumano Kodo:

1. It’s the best way to experience Japan and its people.
2. Beautiful mountain walking and nature
3. Experience onsens (natural hot baths)
4. Enjoy traditional Japanese Food
5. Experience Ryokans and Minshukus
6. Earn a Dual Pilgrim Certificate
7. Open your mind. Experience Shintoism
8. Doesn’t require too much time. 2-14 days
9. A weak Yen makes it relatively inexpensive
10. Experience Japanese toilets

There is an explanation for each of the 10 Reasons as well as the other posts on the Kumano Kodo at:

Japan – Global Pilgrim

globalpilgrim.net

There are also posts on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage and new Nagasaki “Hidden Christians” sites pilgrimage.

Happy to help those interested in a pilgrimage in Japan.

Arriving in Japan at Tokyo. What is the next connecting route to the kumano,is it Osaka?

 

[Kevin Considine]

Arriving in Japan at Tokyo. What is the next connecting route to the kumano,is it Osaka?

Yes Osaka. Then a train to Tanabe.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

I just sent in my booking request to Kumano Travel to walk from Takijiri-oji to Hongu and then by boat and bus to Katsuura to visit Hayatama Taisha and Nachi Taisha, beginning April 6. As suggested by @Chizuru , I built in an extra day in Yunomine Onsen if I need to split up that third day (walking from Nonaka to Hongu), or just need an extra day soaking in hot springs to recover. And for two people, for all lodging, breakfast and dinners, and boat ride, it was about $800/pp.

With a few days in Tokyo and Kyoto beforehand, I'm really looking forward to this one.

 

[gordon1]

Yes Osaka. Then a train to Tanabe.

Thank you very much.

 

[dfox]

... There are also spots along the way to get stamps for your credential which is proof that you have walked all the way. Many of these are at the top of a difficult section!

Do lots of hill training. The trails are very steep and uneven. You are walking up and down what I call root steps. I hour straight up followed 1 hour straight down, walk a few meters and repeat!

Hi Chizuru,
I plan to walk KK next October and am training for it.

Could you please describe the conditions / situations of "the difficult section to get the stamps" and "the trails are very steep".

Are their "difficulty", "very steep" conditions similar to e.g., CF's 1) Napoleon route from SJPdP to Roncesvalles, 2) Roncesvalles to Zubiri and 3) Zubiri to Pamplona or something else.

Thanks,

 

[sunflowers]

Hello, Can someone please provide a link with a break down in cost for KK? I manage, on the Camino, 30 euro per day (40 euro when walking in France cooking my own meals if possible). I stay in a shared dorm (gite/albergue). I am wondering if one can get by on a budget walking KK and what the average day is staying at a henrohouse (if a bed is available). I Know there are many variables and so an estimate would be great. Thank you.

 

[Kevin Considine]

Hello, Can someone please provide a link with a break down in cost for KK? I manage, on the Camino, 30 euro per day (40 euro when walking in France cooking my own meals if possible). I stay in a shared dorm (gite/albergue). I am wondering if one can get by on a budget walking KK and what the average day is staying at a henrohouse (if a bed is available). I Know there are many variables and so an estimate would be great. Thank you.

Henro houses are on the 88 Temple route not the Kumano Kodo. You will need to stay at Ryokans or minshukus. There are 5 different Kumano’s. I assume you are doing Nakahechi which will only be 3-5 days. Nakahechi is by far the most walked and hence somewhat more expensive for accommodations. Here is a spreadsheet. The first 5 accommodations are on Nakahechi between Tanabe and Nachi. We stayed at the only one actually in Nachi so relatively expensive. Rates included breakfast and dinner.

 

[sunflowers]

Thank you so much. Sorry, I am confused...I did think KK was the 88 Temple pilgrimage. I clearly need to do more research!

 

[Bradypus]

Thank you so much. Sorry, I am confused...I did think KK was the 88 Temple pilgrimage. I clearly need to do more research!

The complete Shikoku circuit is about 1200km. The Nakahechi Kumano Kodo (the most walked Kumano route) is about 40km. That is just the most obvious difference between the routes. There are many others.