Home of Grandfather –  March 22, 2025 

  • Location:  Totsukawa > Kōyasan > Kasihara City 
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph 

Yoshiko’s husband inherited the 150 years old home of his grandfather with its spectacular woodwork and furnishings.  When the kitchen door suddenly and unexpectedly cracked open, I thought perhaps it was grandfather’s spirit returning. 

150 years old home.
150 years old home.
What a welcomed oxymoron to have the closed off sitting room equipped with microwave and space heater kindly aimed at me.
Saburo, Namiyo, Yoshiko, and Kazuhiro

Goodbye Totsukawa –  March 22, 2025 

  • Location:  Totsukawa > Kōyasan > Kasihara City 
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph 

OVERVIEW 

  1. DRIVE:  1h 15m from Totsukawa to Namiyo’s ceremonial tea friend Yoshiko’s house in Gojo
  2. DRIVE:  20m from Gojo to Kōyasan 
  3. TOUR: Kōyasan
  4. DRIVE: 1h 30m from Kōyasan to Kasihara City 
  5. SLEEP: Namiyo & Saburo’s daughter Noriko’s home in Kasihara City. (granddaughter Akane, and grandson Yuma)

Saying goodbye to Totsukawa home. 

Namiyo and Saburo’s house from garden view.
Plum trees in bloom.
Home shrine.
Namiyo and Saburo’s home from street level.

Japanese Cuisine –  March 22, 2025

  • Location:  Totsukawa
  • Weather:  55-65° / sunny with winds 2-10 mph

Namiyo has infinite patience teaching me Japanese cuisine. We have made sushi, tempura, rice balls, and ceremony matcha tea. I have learned many techniques but can’t imagine duplicating the ingredients.

Sushi
Stew
Tempura
Well stocked refrigerator has a wide range of ingredients.

Tamaki Shine #2 –  March 21, 2025 

  • Kumano Kodo: Day 6 / Tamaki Shrine
  • Elevation:  4,300’. Snow on the ground!
  • Weather: 40-60°  /  sunny & winds 10-15 mph 

Tamaki Shrine.

3,000 year old tree!!! It takes 12 people standing hand-to-hand to encircle the base.
View from Tamaki Shrine.
Namiyo and Namiyo have a smaller version of this shrine at their home.
View from Tamaki Shrine.

Certified –  March 21, 2025 

  • Kumano Kodo: Day 6 / Kumanogawa Town to Hayatama-Taisha Shrine by boat
  • Distance:  9 mi 
  • Total mileage:  65.2 miles
  • Time: 1h 30m
  • Weather: 40-60°  /  sunny & winds 10-15 mph 

We earned a dual certificate for walking the Kumano Kodo and the Santiago de Compostelle Camino. 

Dual certificate!
Buddhist monk allowed us to play the temple drum as part of our recognition for walking both caminos.
Picnic by Japan’s largest temple gate.
Tree flower.

Boat Tour –  March 21, 2025 

  • Kumano Kodo: Day 6 / Kumanogawa Town to Hayatama-Taisha Shrine by boat
  • Distance:  9 mi 
  • Total mileage:  65.2 miles
  • Time: 1h 30m
  • Weather: 40-60°  /  sunny & winds 10-15 mph 

OVERVIEW 

  1. DRIVE:  45m from Totsukawa to Kumanogawa Town
  2. BOAT:  1h 30m Kumano River Boat Tour from Kumanogawa Town to Hayatama-Taisha Shrine
  3. ROUTE: Kumano-gawa River
  4. BUS: 30m from Hayatama-Taisha Shrine to Kumanogawa Town
  5. DRIVE: 45m from Kumanogawa Town to Tamaki Shrine (Saburo’s great grandfather and grandfather’s gift)
  6. TOUR: Tamaki family shrine
  7. DRIVE: 30m from Tamaki Shrine to Totsukawa
  8. TOUR: Walk from Namiyo & Saburo’s home to Totsukawa community shrine 
  9. SLEEP: Namiyo & Saburo’s home 

A thousand years ago only emperors traveled to Hayatama-Taisha Shrine by boat. Now it’s a VISA opportunity for all. 

Like ancient times, wooden boats. I doubt emperors wore fluorescent orange life vests though maybe they wore the conical hats.
I wonder why the rivers are green.
Kumano-gawa River
Our guide sweetly played a wooden flute.

Road Building –  March 20, 2025 

  • REST DAY
  • Location: Totsukawa
  • Weather: 34-50° / blue skies

Totsukawa is having a new road constructed. Road work must include stabilizing the mountain and is typical for Japan. 

Many time I have written how vertical are the Japanese mountains. Banks of concrete are applied to stabilize the mountains.
Concrete road wall.
Concrete road wall.
Concrete road wall.

Equinox –  March 20, 2025 

  • REST DAY
  • Location: Totsukawa 
  • Weather: 34-50° / blue skies 

Vernal equinox is a special day in Japan for visiting family. 

We visit Saburo’s second cousin living a 10 minute walk from his house. Her 100 year old home has amazing wood work. Space heaters warm individual rooms. The gray table skirt is a cozy warm electric blanket.
Totsukawa is on a Kumano Kodo route. Saburo’s second cousin keeps a rest space for pilgrims. It’s most welcoming with day beds and literature.
Namiyo teaches me how to make sushi which we will serve for dinner when Saburo’s brother Morito visits.
Morito gifted me a beautiful Nara piece of pottery.