✨Kumano Kodo Nakabe Road Hiking Tour

We said goodbye to Kii-Tanabe today~👋
We caught the 6:16 AM 🚌 Ryujin bus early this morning, hoping to be lazy and leave later, but the next bus didn't leave until 11:35, so we decided to give up!😂

Thankfully, today's distance was "only" 13 kilometers, and the hike took 6-8 hours, making it a relatively leisurely day on the Kumano Kodo. We transformed into "Prince Komoto" and "Princess Kojing," taking beautiful photos as we walked 📸 and savoring the sacred atmosphere along the trail. Our guesthouse 🏡 "Kumano Kodo-juku G Kinro" for tonight's stay didn't have a check-in deadline of 4 PM, which was just right!

🚶♂️ Today's Route:
Kii-Tanabe - Ninjiri (Bus)
08:30 ⛩️ Visit Kumano Kodokan
09:00 Depart → Collect Prince Shrine Stamps Along the Way

●Ninjiri Prince - The first stop on the ancient trail, a ceremonial start to the day's journey✨
●Fushin Prince - A unique name, legendary because pilgrims once stayed overnight here.
●Kogen Kumano Shrine - A tranquil shrine, protecting the ancient trail and its travelers🙏
●Daimon Prince - A symbolic "gate," this is like entering the sacred realm of Kumano.
●Jujo Prince - A small shrine steeped in history, quietly serving as a companion for those on the journey. ●Osaka Hon-Oji—One of the famous rest stops along the ancient trail, perfect for stopping and taking a deep breath. 🍃
Michi-no-Eki (Lunch): I had planned to order a bowl of udon, but unfortunately, it was past mealtime when we arrived, leaving me with a bit of regret.
●Gyu-ma-douji—A popular photo-op on the ancient trail! The stone statues of children leading oxen and horses symbolize that travelers of all ranks can reach Kumano. This is definitely not referring to the hardworking employees of today!
●Chikuro-oji—Today's final stop, and historically, an important lodging place for nobles and travelers. (Today I walked 13 kilometers and collected 8 stamps~📖)

📖 A Little Story About Kumano Kodo

The Kumano Kodo is one of Japan's only "World Heritage Pilgrimage Routes." 🌏 Since the Heian Period, emperors and nobles have hiked to the Kumano Three Mountains (Kumano Hongu, Kumano Hayatama, and Kumano Nachi) in search of the power of rebirth and spiritual purification.✨
It's like Japan's version of the "Camino de Santiago," on par with Spain's Camino de Santiago, known as the "Twin Sacred Paths of East and West." Walking this route, you can truly feel the solemn atmosphere left behind by the footsteps of the ancients.

🏡 Staying Tonight

"Kumano Kodo Inn G Kinro" is a cozy guesthouse. They say the breakfast is super generous. I'm so looking forward to setting off again tomorrow with plenty of energy! 💪

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