“You will just have to get naked in front of strangers. We can’t go to Japan and not walk Kumano Kodo, which requires us staying in traditional lodging with shared baths. Suck it up, Buttercup.”
Yes, that is a real conversation between Eric and I as we planned our trip to Japan. At this point I had already mistakenly booked a hotel in Osaka that was a love hotel before realizing what I had done (thank you Booking.com for easy cancellations)! Memories of some of the hikes we did in Albania and Montenegro, of which Eric had zero details beforehand, were also still fresh in his mind. Which might explain Eric’s trust issues.
But really, who doesn’t want to experience the joys of a public bathhouse? (please don’t answer that, I don’t need comments that will get me banned online. In fact, I should probably delete this entirely because I’ll most likely get the wrong kind of SEO and visitors. Naked in Birmingham remains one of my most visited blog posts, I am ashamed to admit.)
But back to Kumano Kodo. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s a quick summary. We’ll have a comprehensive guide on Trips to Walkabout soon.
What is the Kumano Kodo?
The Kumano Kodo is a network of ancient pilgrimage trails in Japan that wind through the mountainous Kii Peninsula, south of Osaka and Kyoto. These routes connect sacred Buddhist and Shinto sites which have beckoned pilgrims since the 9th century, but the belief in this region’s sacredness predates these religions. Here, the mountains are sacred, protected by deities and offering shelter to ancestors.
Why walk the Kumano Kodo?
People have various reasons for walking Kumano Kodo. Some seek the spiritual aspect. Camino de Santiago pilgrims are enticed by the opportunity to earn a dual pilgrimage certificate. For me, it was more curiosity and a chance to experience rural Japan on foot. I was also drawn to the “nature as deity” concept. Which was perfect, because our 6-day Kumano Kodo with Oku Japan was less “religious boot camp” and more “scenic culinary escape with friendly innkeepers.”
Kumano Kodo Day 1: Shimizu-Ura to Kainan
Following a week on our own, exploring Kyoto and neighboring towns, it was nice to begin our itinerary with Oku Japan in which I didn’t have to plan anything. Our first day on Kumano Kodo began with 2 trains to get from Kyoto to Shimizu-Ura, where we began our first walk along the Kiiji route.
I was thankful for good route notes, as finding the beginning of the trail would have been difficult in town. The walk didn’t start pretty and it was a straight climb up, but soon we found ourselves in a quiet forest.
With views overlooking the industrial port town of Kainan.
Eric was fascinated by rusty steel tracks used by local farmers to bring mikan oranges down from the mountain. This region of Wakayama prefecture is well known for their mikans, which are sweet with a slightly tart grapefruit-like flavor. Most delicious orange juice I’ve ever tasted!
We stopped for lunch at Goshono-shiba Hill, where we watched a fellow pilgrim heat his miso soup on a tiny propane burner. Our picnic of onigiri, jerky and cheese sticks (purchased at Kyoto Station that morning) felt like a feast compared to his humble lunch.
After visiting Jizobu-ji Temple, dedicated to Jizo-Bosatsu (protector of children and travelers), we passed several small statues representing the Buddhist deity. Near every statue we would see some sign of care and devotion. It might be flowers, a can of soda, fruit, cookies, coins – anything that was a heartfelt offering. Along this particular route we observed tiny bamboo rakes, used to keep the area clean around each statue.
We soon entered a towering forest of bamboo, whispering and knocking in the wind. This forest is the reason we didn’t visit Arashiyama while we were in Kyoto, because I knew we’d be walking through an equally beautiful forest without the crowds.
Exiting the forest, we passed terraced fields of mikans and other produce as we walked down from the mountain into town.
Oku Japan surprised us from day one, when we turned a corner and saw a sign with my name on it welcoming us to the Fujishiro Shrine in Kainan.
We were greeted by a man, a woman and a young priest. The older man was wearing a Coleman camping hat, which he and Eric found quite funny. They gave us a tour and explained the significance of this particular shrine. The Fujishiro gate is considered to be the official entry to Kumano Kodo.
It was an odd experience, sitting in an old temple besides ancient statues and an LCD monitor showing a PowerPoint presentation. Actually, it seemed quintessentially Japanese, the old and the modern seamlessly co-existing.
We were instructed to touch the 1,000 year old camphor tree, to feel it breathing. While I remain relatively ignorant of Shintoism and Buddhism, this aspect of nature as a spiritual focus resonates strongly with me. I’ve always felt closer to the Divine outside in nature, rather than inside a church.
Our tour guides walked us to Suzuki Mansion, where we had our first glimpse of a traditional Japanese home and private garden. Don’t let the word mansion mislead you, this was a small home. It was completed in 2023 and is beautifully crafted with reclaimed wood. The slats you see in photo below are actually shutters which can be opened or closed.
A bit more walking and then we headed to the train station to depart for our first ryokan in Yuasa. This seaside town is famous for its soy sauce, but it will forever remain in my memory for the lovely family that owns Kappo Ryokan Miyoshiso. This young family welcomed us into their home and introduced us to the high art of Japanese cuisine. Using Google Translate to converse, we learned they have taken over his family’s historic inn, which is famous for its warm hospitality and food. Yoshinori is a phenomenal chef and his wife Akiko is a ray of sunshine, exuding happiness and comfort.
For those unfamiliar with Japanese ryokan, these are Japanese inns featuring traditional bedrooms and bathing facilities. In this case, our room consisted of tatami mats with puffy futon mattresses and a small seating area with cookies and tea overlooking a beautiful garden. These were the most comfortable beds we had during our Kumano Kodo travel, most other inns had flatter mattresses.
Ryokan can be large enough to feel more like a hotel or small enough to be confused with a minshuku (guesthouse), but what sets them apart is the elaborate food presentation. A ryokan is more than lodging, it’s an experience! At dinner, we explored this new cuisine with several options of sashimi, grilled fish, hot pot vegetables and fish, stuffed kumquat, octopus, mugwort wheat gluten, and fresh fruit.
At breakfast, we discovered a new love for whitebait. This tiny fish is a popular breakfast item in the Wakayama region and served with soy sauce it’s surprisingly satisfying. You don’t notice the eyeballs at all! I also loved the candied flatfish and miso soup with clams.
We ate everything except for one dish. Not only is konnyaku questionable in terms of appearance, but I can attest that the texture and taste is even worse! It’s popular in Japan for its health benefits, so I really wanted to like it. Made from the root vegetable konjac, this gelatinous blob was the only food I refused to eat throughout the entire trip.
Oku Japan chose the perfect place for our first ryokan experience. We were the only guests (the beauty of visiting off-season), which meant we had the onsen all to ourselves. Exiting our bedroom, I walked just a few steps to a separate building housing the baths.
Upon entering the women’s area, I undressed in a locker room. With only a small towel and bathing cloth in hand, I entered the steamy bathing room. On one wall was a line of shower stations, no walls, just a line of stools in front of mirrors and faucets with hand shower sprays, shampoo and soap. Despite being alone, it felt awkward. Not awkward in a bad way, just different. Vulnerable. All awkwardness was forgotten once my tired muscles sank into the blissful water.
For the record, Eric DID try the onsen but only because he had it all to himself. I have a great photo of him wearing the traditional yakata robe but have been informed that if I ever publish that photo he will never cook for me again.
Stick around for my thoughts about bathing with strange women and more walks along the Kumano Kodo.
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