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Asia, Hiking, Slow travel, Travel Diary, Walking Holidays

Tomogashima Island: the Day Trip You Haven’t Heard of Yet

April 13, 2024 No Comments

man hiking through abandoned bunkers on Tomogashima Island

Throughout our journey in Kyoto and on the Kumano Kodo, people were always surprised when we told them we were ending our trip in Wakayama City. As soon as we told them it was so we could hike on Tomogashima Island, their eyes lit up! The locals would say “I’ve always wanted to go there.” Which begs the question — why haven’t they visited yet?

Getting to Tomogashima Island

Getting there might be one of the reasons few tourists journey here. From Wakayama City, it takes 45min and 2 trains to reach the beach town of Kada, where you then walk .7mi (1.2km) to catch the Tomogashima Kisen ferry. You have to get to the ferry early to buy tickets, as you can’t purchase them in advance. We arrived at the ferry 45min early and there were already people waiting in line.

Trains: JR Kisei Line and Nankai-Kada Line (about $8 roundtrip per person)
Ferry: 1hr roundtrip ($15 per person)

We loved the train ride to Kada, it offered glimpses of the sea and we passed through several interesting coastal towns that I would have liked to explore. The bigger challenge with visiting Tomogashima is weather. It’s quite common for the ferry to not run, due to high winds. This presents a problem for tourists with limited travel days. I had been watching the ferry schedule 5 days leading up to our visit and they cancelled all flights the 4 days before. We were LUCKY the boats ran on our last day in Japan!

Tomogashima for Anime Fans

We were on the ferry with quite a few anime fans, specifically fans of the series Summer Time Rendering which features Tomogashima in its story line. I didn’t know this until someone from Oku Japan told me about it. Anime enthusiasts also believe that Studio Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky was inspired by the island.

I was here for the coastal hiking trails and abandoned military bunkers.

Military Ruins on Tomogashima

Tomogashima is actually a set of 4 islands within the Seto Inland Sea but everyone just calls the main island Tomogashima. The military ruins are from Japan’s Meiji era (1860s-1912) and it was used as a secret military base during WWII.

The abandoned buildings and creepy tunnels are truly what steal the show here.

Besides the military bunkers, there were bizarre sculptures, such as this mushroom-shaped bench which was near a campground covered in signs saying “beware venomous snakes!”

Fun Fact: There are peacocks on Tomogashima, imported to help control the venomous snake population. We never saw them, but we also never saw any snakes.

Just before arriving back at the ferry dock, this fish sculpture by artist Yuriko Okazaki caught our eye.

With all these fascinating things to see, I can’t forget the beautiful coastal views surrounding us throughout most of the hiking. Not to mention a lighthouse.

Tomogashima Island was the first place in Japan that we saw significant trash on the ground, most of which looked like it was storm debris from a previous tsunami. This added to the appeal, leaving a true sense of abandonment. It’s a magical place.

Making Friends in Kada

Once back on the mainland, we stopped for lunch at Ojiba in Kada. This tucked away store is a gem, I would travel to Kada just to visit it! The front is an antiques/gift shop, with a cafe in the back.

We were greeted by two women, and using Google Translate we were able to communicate that we wanted lunch. Eric ordered white bait and I ordered some kind of rice with colorful seeds and spices. Listening to Ella Fitzgerald, we dined in a home that felt like it was straight out of the 1940s. Eric and I agree, that was our favorite lunch of the entire trip. Every single dish on our tray was delicious and I kept saying “oh this is really good. Oh, this is even better. Oh, this is my favorite!”

I would love to know the story of Ojiba’s owner. We met her daughter, who had the most bubbly personality and gave us hugs and candy. With that kind of warm hospitality and the fascinating collection of American music albums, I’m quite certain I would equally love the mother.

The following morning, as I was taking notes at the airport and reflecting on our trip, I told Eric this was the first time I didn’t dread the travel day back home. I usually hate travel days as they are exhausting and physically uncomfortable for me. But transportation was part of the highlight of Japan, even the return journey seemed fun and exciting. Traveling to Japan rewired my brain in a way that other places seldom do. Or maybe it just added another layer to what I’ve already learned by visiting other countries. Either way, I returned home feeling refreshed and emboldened. That’s the power of transformational travel!

Asia, Hiking, Slow travel, Travel Diary, Walking Holidays

Kumano Kodo, Yunomine Onsen to Kii-Katsuura

April 10, 2024 No Comments

Although I would have preferred to walk from Yunomine Onsen to Shingu, there’s only so much you can fit into 5 days on the Kumano Kodo. So on our 5th day, we used several buses to visit the remaining Grand Shrines and to reach our final destination in the port town of Kii-Katsuura.

If you are just joining us on our Kumano Kodo journey, please begin with Post 1. Otherwise, keep reading…

Yunomineso (our inn) provided a free shuttle to the bus stop at Yunomine Onsen, where we hopped on the bus to Shingu. I didn’t mind the 1-hr ride because our views were gorgeous, following the turquoise Kumano River and mountains.

Arriving in Shingu, we quickly walked to the Kumano Hayatama Taisha, the primary reason for this stop as it’s the 2nd of the three Grand Shrines on the Kumano Kodo.

Shingu was a nice short stop, we enjoyed walking the narrow lanes through residential neighborhoods and along canals. From Hayatama, we walked towards Kamikura Shrine on Mount Gongen, passing a Buddhist temple along the way (from which we could hear ceremonial music).

Passing a schoolyard, where children were enjoying a beautiful sunny day outdoors, we arrived at the steep stone path leading up to Kamikura Shrine. We watched an elderly gentleman slowly make his way up the stairs to see the rock which is worshipped as a deity. Alas, we didn’t have time to walk all the way, nearly sprinting to catch our train.

Two more buses took us to Nachi-san, home of the 3rd Grand Shrine and famous Nachi Waterfall. This part of our journey was the only time we struggled with Oku Japan’s itinerary. The directions were clear but they offered several options, which each entailed various bus departures. Once we decided on an option, it was easy.

As suggested in our itinerary, we began our exploration from the last bus stop at Nachi-san, heading first to the grand shrine, which always means climbing stairs. In this case, a LOT of stairs!

More than any other place, the shrines in Nachi felt the most jarringly commercial to my Western sensibilities. Everywhere people were purchasing emas (wishes) to burn or my favorite, to carry as you passed through an 850-yr old sacred camphor tree.

There were many shrines here worth visiting, but our favorite was Nachisan Seiganto-ji. Built in 1590, it is the oldest registered building in the Kumano region. It is also the first stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage (which consists of 33 Buddhist temples).

Old wooden temples interspersed with vivid orange and gold, surrounded by gardens, ancient trees and mountains — there was so much to love about Nachi! We were entranced even before we spotted the waterfall of in the distance.

Tucked under one of the shrines, we spotted waraji, the traditional rope sandals worn in feudal Japan. These would have been worn by samurai and commoners during a pilgrimage.

The pop of orange we had been glimpsing finally appeared before us, the iconic 3-storied pagoda which is every photographer’s dream.

Followed by a good luck belly rub.

And a beautiful walk through quiet gardens, cobblestone paths and forest.

To reach the Nachi Waterfall.

Nachi sight-seeing complete, we could have taken the bus from the waterfall back to Kii-Katsuura (which most people seemed to be doing). Instead, we chose Oku Japan’s suggestion and retraced our steps back up towards our starting point.

On our way, we passed abandoned buildings with the most elaborate animal carvings on the roof. It was unlike any other architecture we’d seen in Nachi or Kansai.

Finding the box of bamboo hiking sticks, we began our walk along the Daimonzaka.

Daimonzaka is the historical approach to Nachisan and many people still choose to approach from this path. I much preferred walking down it, especially with our handy hiking sticks. The walk is approximately 600m with 267 stairs and it was one of my favorite sections of the Kumano Kodo!

Exiting the forest, we continued on the path, passing through town before reaching the bus stop, where there was a box to return our hiking sticks.

One last bus to arrive at our final destination on the Kumano Kodo, the fishing town of Kii-Katsurra. Our inn for the night was Katsuura Manseiro Onsen, a few blocks from the bus station and directly on the water.

The inn was old but classic and well-maintained. Staff were attentive, the elevators were ancient and the onsen was wonderful. It had an outdoor and indoor onsen (gender-separate) and the water temperature was perfect! Though they offer western-style beds, we had a tatami room, so one last night of traditional bedding.

Once again, dinner was elaborately presented and full of wonderful new dishes to excite our ever-expanding palates. Our waitress was incredibly kind, patiently explaining the dishes and laughing with us when we made faces at some of the stranger items. Such as the abalone, served while still alive and moving. Until we boiled him, at which point he became food instead of entertainment.

And this wraps up our portion of Kumano Kodo. It was a lot to cover, so thank you for sticking around and reading our stories. We have ONE MORE story for Japan, where we explore the Wakayama Coast. I’ll also share a link to our Kumano Kodo Guide once we post that on Trips to Walkabout.

Asia, Hiking, Slow travel, Travel Diary, Walking Holidays

Walking Kumano Kodo, Chikatsuyu to Hongu

April 7, 2024 1 Comment

people hiking Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu

I love walking holidays that offer flexible options and our 4th day on the Kumano Kodo with Oku Japan did just that. We could walk the entire route from Chikatsuyu to Hongu (9hr walk), a modified version from Doyugawabashi (7hr walk), or the shortest option from Hosshinmon-oji (2hr walk). Which one do you think we chose?

If you missed the posts prior to this, please read Beyond the Trail: Food and Friendship on the Kumano Kodo first.

To our credit, we planned to walk the 7hr option but slept too late and missed the bus for that. I’m glad we did, because it gave us more time to enjoy our first grand shrine along the Kumano Kodo. But it also meant we took a lot of buses that day, so I would definitely recommend walking as much as you can.

It took 2 buses to arrive at Hosshinmon-oji, where our walk began with a lovely ramble in the forest to visit the shrine. Though small, it’s important because it serves as the entrance to Nachi Hongu Taisha.

Leaving Hosshinmon-oji, our walk on the Kumano Kodo consisted of paved pathways through thickly wooded forest.

Interspersed with small villages.

And boggy fields.

Past wood carvings for sale.

And a glimpse of rural Japan in the mountains along Kumano Kodo.

Once again entering forest, full of cedar trees and mystery.

Passing an old school and then monument.

Where I happily frolicked over ancient stones and listened to the trees whispering to me.

Arriving at another village, we saw more wood carvings for sale, mikan orange trees and rows and rows of tea bushes.

Finding a good resting place, we stopped for lunch to enjoy our fried cutlet and egg sandwiches. This is a common packed lunch along the Kumano Kodo.

Needing something sweet, we stopped at a roadside produce stand to buy mikan oranges. No one told us early season mikans are super tart, a lesson we learned the hard way. Should have bought the candy they were selling!

After more walking along forest and cobblestone paths, we crossed a bridge. There was a sign nearby depicting the story of poet Izumi Shikibu, who penned a poem about her experience while walking the Kumano Kodo. It is said that here is where she began her menstrual cycle and despairing that she would not be able to visit the temple, a deity appeared to her saying “How could the god who mingles with the dust suffer because of your monthly obstruction?” This story is told so that pilgrims understand that the Kumano Kodo has historically been open to all genders, class and sect. This has not always been the case at sacred sites elsewhere in Japan.

Our walk along this section of Kumano Kodo may have been shorter than planned, but it was stunning the entire way to Hongu.

Just before we reached the entrance to the grand shrine, I spotted something that made me fall in love with this route even more. A used book store, with some English titles, a cafe and pottery shop.

Now we had arrived to one of the three grand shrines which all Kumano Kodo pilgrims seek — the Kumano Hongu Taisha.

Before entering the shrines, we purified our hands. I loved these dragon water spouts, which you see throughout Japan.

The shrine itself was nice, as were the smaller shrines in the area, but what Eric and I loved most was the grand entrance into the shrine. Walking 158 steps, surrounded by blazing banners and trees, made quite the impression. And since we entered through the back, we walked DOWN these steps instead of up. Much easier!

Having taken the short walk, we had plenty of time to wander around Hongu. The visitor center had excellent exhibits, which is where we learned about the Kumano Nuns and the extraordinary efforts it takes by volunteers to maintain the Kumano Kodo. My favorite exhibit was this display showing the many monsters and folklore characters that are found in the Kumano Kodo region. Now I have a whole new arsenal of fascinating and frightening tales to share before bedtime!

We stopped at the memorial commemorating Spain’s agreement in 1998 to formalize a “sister road” to the Camino de Santiago, creating the Dual Pilgrim option.

Near the visitor center and shrine there were plenty of options for food. We started with pastries from a local confectionary, followed by pizza and cappuccinos at B&B Cafe Hongu. After that, one more bus to reach our inn for the night.

The bus dropped us off at Yunomineso, a large ryokan situated at the top of a hill overlooking Yunomine Onsen (a hot springs village).

Our room at Yunominesu was large, with a private shower/toilet room, mini fridge and a relaxing verandah. The futons and pillows were a little too flat for our comfort, but the amenities more than made up for that.

Amenities included ping-pong tables, massage chairs and 2 private onsens which didn’t require reservations. Turns out, Eric DOES enjoy an onsen when he only has to share it with me. 🙂

Besides the luxury of a private onsen, Yunominesu also offered a fun dining experience. Served to us in our room and with cards showing everything we were eating, this was one of our favorite dinners on the Kumano Kodo. Although I do have to say, Yoshinori’s dinner and breakfast in Yuasa was far superior!