On the Camino Santiago there’s always 7 pilgrims in front of you. Pass those 7 and you have 7 pilgrims behind you and a new 7 pilgrims in front of you. We may see 3 dozen people a day walking the Kumano Kodo. They are never in our eye sight for more than 5 minutes until one of us is gone.
OVERVIEW
I quickly remember why I enjoyed walking the Camino with Namiyo and Saburo. They walk in silence. For me, conversation disturbs nature’s beauty.
It is hard to photograph the beauty of walking Kumano Kudo. The immensely straight and immensely tall cypress and cedar forest seem always at hands reach. The mountain slopes range 45-80°. Slip off the trail and you may easily roll out of sight and simply be gone.
There are hundreds of minor temples supporting Kumano Sanzan, the three major temples. At each temple is a passport stamp station to document your visit. This entitles you for a Kumano Kodo certificate. It’s similarly to the Santiago de Compostelle Camino passport and certificate system.
OVERVIEW
The conditions of the Kumano Kudo trails are outstanding. Pristine clear trails never blocked by downed trees or branches. Every water crossing had a bridge. Well signed including sequential numbering posted every 3/10th of a mile. Plentiful clean flush toilets completely with toilet paper. All this care yet I never saw any trail maintenance.
The walk started with a two hour brutal 1,000’ ascent in less than a mile. I am reminded of a quote by George Ticknor, “The ascent of this steep, savage, hill was as pensive and slow as Satin’s ascent to paradise.”
Kumano Kodo is a network of pilgrim trails to the three grand temples of Kumano Sanzan. Over a thousand years ago the Nakahechi Route became popular by the imperial family. Retired emperors walked the month long pilgrimage with the belief it acquired merit for their afterlife. In time Nakahechi Route was also called the Imperial Route. Today we begin our walk on Imperial Route to our first grand temple of Kumano Sanzan.
OVERVIEW
Kumano Kodo started about 660BC with legendary Emperor Jimmu who was the descendant of a sun goddess. While on his way to Yamato (present day Nara and first capital of Japan), he was guided over mountains by a mythical three-legged crow sent from heaven to discover Nachi Falls. Nachi Falls became the home for one of the three grand shrines collectively known as Kumano Sanzan.
A short drive from Namiyo’s home is an exceptioned field of wildflowers in bloom. The cooler weather persists. No surprise there’s a frost advisory forecast.
Today we go our separate ways. Hinako to kindergarten. Rintaro and parents to his school graduation. How rich to have stayed in their home…real Japan and not the guide book version.
