Topics & Themes

A mystical journey to Kumano Kodo: A pilgrimage to “revive” the soul

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A journey to the “realm of the gods” you’ll never forget

In 2020, when the world was shrouded in silence, I (the author) ventured deep into the Kii Mountains.
It was an ancient path where lush trees obscured the sky and the humid air enveloped my skin. With every step, the clamor of the outside world faded away, and I felt an overwhelming presence as if it were telling me, “This is the realm of the gods, do not enter.”
While the atmosphere was solemn and grand, as if to ward off human intrusion, it was also filled with an ineffable, mystical aura.

This path is not just a hiking trail.
It is a “living path” where the spirit of ancient deities still resides and a pilgrimage route to “revive” your life.
In this report, I will unravel the mystery of why that profound sense of wonder was so deeply etched in my mind. We will examine the secrets of why Kumano Kodo has captivated people for centuries from multiple perspectives: its history, its beliefs, and the little-known modern challenges it faces.

Table of Contents

The History of Prayer Told by the Kii Mountains

Kumano Kodo was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2004 as part of the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”
Its uniqueness lies in its recognition not as a single monument but as a “cultural landscape” that integrates the sacred mountains of the Kii region – the three Grand Shrines of Kumano, Mount Koya, and Yoshino and Omine – and the pilgrimage routes leading to them.
This designation is a testament to the deep history of the Kumano faith.

The origins of the Kumano faith lie in nature worship, where nature itself was revered as a deity.
Later, it developed into a unique syncretic belief system that fused Shintoism, Buddhism, and Shugendo (mountain asceticism).
In the late Heian period, the Kumano Sanzan (the three Grand Shrines of Kumano) came to be seen as the “gateway to the Pure Land.”
Many emperors and aristocrats, with a desire to reach this paradise, walked the rugged mountain paths to Kumano.
The act of visiting the Pure Land and returning was seen as symbolizing “death and rebirth,” and Kumano has long been revered as a “sacred place of revival,” attracting devout followers.

The solemn atmosphere that pilgrims feel on the Kumano Kodo is deeply intertwined with this history of faith.
The lush trees and rugged mountain paths are not merely natural scenery; they symbolize “death” and “trials.”
The very act of overcoming these challenges with each step embodies the process of spiritual “rebirth” and “revival.”
The Kumano Kodo, with this profound background, is not just a place to admire beautiful scenery but a living place of faith where centuries of people’s prayers and thoughts have accumulated.
This layered spirituality is what evokes that overwhelming sense of “this is the realm of the gods” in pilgrims.

The path is also home to countless myths and legends.
The three-legged divine bird, the Yatagarasu, a guide for Emperor Jinmu in Japanese mythology, is a common deity in the Kumano Sanzan.
It can also be seen as a metaphor for the Kumano Kodo itself, guiding travelers on the right path.
At Fushiogami-oji, a monument remains with a poem by Izumi Shikibu, a female poet from the Heian period, who lamented her inability to continue the pilgrimage due to her menstrual cycle, conveying the feelings of people from that era to modern travelers.
The legend of “Chi-iwa” (Milk Rock) tells of how Fujiwara no Hidehira’s child was nurtured with the divine protection of the Kumano Gongen after an “unclean” birth, which was a great taboo in that era.
These stories symbolize Kumano’s spirit of tolerance, which has “accepted all people, regardless of purity or impurity, high or low birth, or gender.”
For us today, these stories bring a sense of relief that there is a place where even imperfect people are accepted as they are, shaping the unique charm of Kumano, which is both mystical and familiar and warm.

The Mystery of Walking for the “Revival” of the Soul

Walking the Kumano Kodo is more than just a physical act; it is a spiritual journey of self-reflection.
The path can sometimes impose severe trials on pilgrims.
One traveler recounted being struck by intense foot pain while on the rugged Kohechi route, which traverses passes of 1,000 meters in elevation.
Although he considered giving up, he was determined to “reach the destination with this intense pain” for the sake of his traveling companions.
Mysteriously, the pain in his feet disappeared, and he was able to continue walking.
This experience embodies the process by which confronting and overcoming physical hardship with mental resolve can trigger an inner “revival.”
The difficult path acts as a “device” to train the body and mind of the traveler, giving them new vitality.
The Kumano path is like a mirror that reflects life’s hardships and worries.
By completing the journey, you can experience a mysterious sensation of “recharging your energy” and feeling like “every cell in your body is healed” – a true “revival.”

The sacred atmosphere of Kumano is further enhanced by the dynamic natural beauty of giant rocks and waterfalls.
The Nachi Falls, with a drop of 133 meters and a ton of water thundering down every second, provides a sense of cleansing for the mind and body as you witness the overwhelming power of nature.
Gotobiki-iwa, the sacred rock of Kamikura Shrine, is a massive stone where the gods of Kumano are said to have first descended to earth, and it exudes an overwhelming presence.
These natural formations are not just scenery; they embody the very history of the faith.
Gotobiki-iwa represents the descent of the gods, Nachi Falls symbolizes purification and rebirth, and the legendary “Chi-iwa” and the “Tainai-kuguri” (Womb Passageway) rock, which symbolizes rebirth, allow travelers to physically experience these mystical stories.
The feeling of being in a “realm of the gods” is the result of these physical natural formations being imbued with spiritual meaning through thousands of years of faith.

Why Kumano Attracts the World: Towards a Sustainable “Path of Prayer”

In recent years, the Kumano Kodo has attracted travelers from all over the world.
In 2011, the number of foreign visitors staying in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, was 1,217. In just seven years, this number surged by an astounding 3,500% to 43,824 in 2018.
Furthermore, in fiscal year 2023, the number of foreign tourists reached about 3.5 times that of domestic tourists.
This fact suggests that the author’s experience of a small number of foreign travelers in 2020 was due to the unique circumstances of the pandemic.

This sudden surge in foreign tourists has led to concerns about “overtourism” throughout Japan.
In fact, when Kumano Kodo was first registered as a World Heritage site, it faced problems such as mass tours from major travel agencies, leading to a lot of garbage and a strain on local residents.
However, learning from this experience, Kumano Kodo has built its own sustainable tourism model.
The strategy was to target “Western individual tourists (FITs) who prefer outdoor activities and seek authentic experiences in places other than big cities and famous tourist spots,” rather than group tourists traveling on large buses.

The core of this strategy was to establish a unique brand for the Kumano Kodo as a “journey to experience authentic Japanese rural life and feel the mystical spirit of Japan.”
This brand strategy does not aim for a simple increase in visitor numbers but for an “optimal number” of high-quality tourists.
Western and Australian travelers who visit Kumano tend to respect Japanese history and culture and deeply enjoy warm exchanges with the local people.
Most of the accommodations along the ancient path are small guesthouses with ten rooms or fewer, and this “small-scale nature,” which is not found in large hotels, is a major attraction for these travelers. Furthermore, by independently building the “Kumano Travel” online booking system, which allows for one-stop travel arrangements, they prevent unplanned camping by tourists and alleviate the concerns of local residents.

In this way, Kumano Kodo is not just passively responding to the national issue of overtourism but is actively seeking to improve the quality of tourism and sustainably maintain and develop local resources, serving as an advanced model case.

A Guide for You to Walk the Kumano Kodo

A trip to the Kumano Kodo allows you to choose from various routes, depending on your physical strength, time, and desired experience. Here is a summary of the main routes.

Kumano Kodo Major Route Guide

Nakahechi

This is the main route of the Kumano Kodo, the “Imperial Pilgrimage Route” that emperors and aristocrats walked from the Heian to the Kamakura period.
It offers everything from easy courses for beginners to full-fledged hiking.

Daimon-zaka to Nachi Falls
A 1.3 km stone-paved path that allows you to easily experience the atmosphere of the Kumano Kodo.
You can also witness the magnificent Nachi Falls up close.
Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha
The scenery is varied, and there are many highlights along the way, such as Fushiogami-oji.
It is mostly a gentle downhill path, allowing you to enjoy the climax of the pilgrimage to Kumano Hongu Taisha.

Kohechi

Connecting Mount Koya and Kumano Hongu with the shortest distance (about 70 km), this is considered the “most difficult” route of the Kumano Kodo.
It is a rugged mountain path that crosses three passes of 1,000 meters in elevation, but in return, you can enjoy a quiet and solemn atmosphere.
The Hatenashi village is also known as the “Village in the Sky,” with a spectacular view.

Ohechi

This route runs along the coastline from Tanabe to Nachi and Shingu and takes longer than the Nakahechi route.
It is said that commoners and literary figures with plenty of time walked this path while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Kumano-nada Sea.

Route Name	Section	Distance	Difficulty	Main Highlights
Nakahechi	Kii-Tanabe to Kumano Hongu	approx. 65 km	★★☆	Takijiri-oji, Hosshinmon-oji, Fushiogami-oji, Kumano Hongu Taisha
Kohechi	Mount Koya to Kumano Hongu	approx. 70 km	★★★	Obaiko Pass, Miura Pass, Hatenashi Pass, Village in the Sky
Ohechi	Tanabe to Nachi/Shingu	approx. 120 km	★★☆	Kumano-nada coastline, scenery of Kareki-nada
Iseji	Ise Jingu to Kumano Sanzan	approx. 170 km	★★☆	Shishigami Pass, Magose Pass, Matsumoto Pass

Travel Information: Getting There and Staying

Kumano is sometimes called a “landlocked island,” but flights from Tokyo to Nanki-Shirahama Airport are surprisingly convenient.
There are also limousine buses from Kansai International Airport to Mount Koya.
Bus routes within the region are also well-maintained and serve as an important means of transportation for walking the Kumano Kodo.

Due to its World Heritage status, large-scale development has not occurred for accommodations, and most are small-scale guesthouses and B&Bs.
This creates warm interactions with the local residents and adds depth to the journey.
Along the way, there are places to relieve your travel fatigue, such as “Tsubo-yu” in Yunomine Onsen, known as the “oldest hot spring in Japan” and the only hot spring on a World Heritage site where you can bathe.

Tips for Traveling to Protect the Kumano Kodo

To preserve this beautiful environment and sacred path for future generations, travelers are asked to keep a few things in mind.
Always take your trash with you, and do not collect plants or animals along the ancient path.
When using trekking poles, it is also important to attach rubber caps to the tips to avoid damaging the path.
At Kumano Hongu Taisha, it is customary to bow before passing through the torii gate and to avoid walking in the center of the path (seichu), as it is the path for the gods. The basic manner of worship is “two bows, two claps, one bow.” These considerations are not just rules but acts of respect for the path that embody the spirit of Kumano.

Conclusion: The path of prayer is the journey of life

The “feeling of being warded off by people” that I felt on the Kumano Kodo may have been the confusion and anxiety in my own heart.
And as I walked step by step through the lush path, I was able to quietly confront it and free myself.
The Kumano Kodo is not only a physical path but also a “path of life” for us to deeply confront our inner selves.

This path does not welcome you as a mere tourist but as an ancient pilgrim.
In this modern age, where our minds and bodies are exhausted, I highly recommend embarking on a journey to this path filled with a mystical atmosphere to “revive” your soul. It will surely give you new vitality and become an unforgettable and special experience in your life.