#Eda85DaysInJapan | Chapter 2 (Part 1): Kumano Kodo
ποΈ Dates: 26β27 April 2026
π Route: Shin-Osaka β Shingu β Koguchi β Ogumotori-goe β Nachisan β Hiro Shrine & Nachi-no-Otaki
The Spark & Joining the Group
Doing the Kumano Kodo was really one of the main reasons I set off on this 85-day trip.
Iβve wanted to hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain for a long time, but couldn't make the timing work. Once I found out about the official Dual Pilgrim status between the Camino and Kumano Kodo, I figured this was the perfect place to start.
Since the Kumano Kodo is deep in the mountains, sorting out the logistics on my own was tricky. I couldn't find a hiking tour running out of Hong Kong, so I ended up joining a Taiwanese group instead. They were pretty hardcoreβthe guideβs pace, the groupβs fitness level, everythingβhaha! But we pushed through and made it.
A Sanctuary for Rebirth (Yomi-gaeri)
Going into this, I thought Kumano was just a historic, scenic trail. But between what our guide shared and what I read afterward, I realized there's so much more to it.
Historically, Kumano was revered as a "Pure Land" on Earthβa sacred place where people went to connect with family and friends who had passed away, process grief, and experience a symbolic "rebirth" (Yomi-gaeri) to start fresh.
Walking these paths while holding the memory of Mama Bear gave the whole hike a much deeper meaning. It turned a tough climb into something really grounding and peaceful.
Day 1 & 2: Heading into Ogumotori-goe
Our journey started on April 26:
Shin-Osaka β Shingu: A 4-hour JR train ride heading deep into Wakayama.
When we arrived, we picked up our pilgrim stamp books from the local tourism association, checked into the hotel, and prepped our gear.
On April 27, we headed to Koguchi to start the Ogumotori-goe (倧ι²εθΆ) trailβknown as one of the tougher sections of the Nakahechi route.
It was raining pretty heavily when we arrived, and our guide actually considered calling it off for safety. Iβm so glad we went ahead, though! The rain turned the cedar forest into this misty, surreal landscape.
The air smelled incredibleβa mix of damp earth (geosmin) and the fresh, crisp scent of cedar trees (terpenes like Ξ±-pinene). Taking deep breaths while walking felt like a total reset.
The main downside? Walking on centuries-old stone paths (ishitami) meant watching every single footstep because the wet stones were super slick. Climbing the notorious Dog-iri-zaka ("Body-breaking Slope") in the rain definitely lived up to its name! But reaching Kumano Nachi Taisha (ηιι£ζΊε€§η€Ύ), walking down to Hiro Shrine, and seeing Nachi-no-Otaki (ι£ζΊηεΈ) wrapped in mountain mist made all the effort worth it.
My legs were completely shot by the end of the day.
π Day 2 Stats: ~15 km | ~1,260m Elevation Gain | ~930m Elevation Loss
