Day 5: Kumano Kodo- Hardest Day- Koguchi to Grand Shrine Nachi Taisha

This was one of the hardest hikes I have done. I have done higher elevations and longer mileage than this BUT the terrain was never flat on this one. It was all boulders most of the way with very steep inclines and drops in short distances.

After the hike to Hongu Taisha and the Dual pilgrim ceremony the day before, I took the shuttle to my next accommodation and came to a village closer to Hongu village.

I wanted to share something else that refreshed a memory of Camino De Santiago while I was at Hongu Taisha Shrine. I wrote about Cruz de Ferro in one of my Camino De Santiago posts ( https://ritu.life/2022/06/01/day-24-foncabedon-to-ponferrada-25-k/ ) .The tradition of leaving a stone at the foot of the Cruz de Ferro is a way for pilgrims to symbolically leave their burdens behind. I was emotional when I read the stones left behind by many at Cruz see Ferro.

I saw something similar in Kumano at the grand shrine. At Kumano grand shrines, you can purchase a Yatagarasu ema (prayer board), where you can write your wish & prayer on it and leave it there. These Ema boards will be burned together in ritualistic ceremonies or on special days. It’s believed that the prayers and the wishes will reach the Gods through the smoke generated from burning. I did leave an Ema board hanging behind 🙂 with my prayers.

It was heartwarming to see the wishes hanging there of others and as I was reading these boards,felt all of them were breathing in the similar sentimental air. Everyone seeking happiness and a worry-free world.

I slept well that night with gratitude in my heart for all the blessings I gathered from the Hongu Taisha shrine. After a good night’s sleep, I was ready for the hardest day of Kumano this morning.

This was going to be a long day, with steep inclines and drops. Even though I had done more distance on other hikes, based on my research this terrain was not easy. There were also stories of people seeing snakes at this leg so I had quite a few mixed feelings about this one.

Also, the trailhead was about 2 hours away via bus where I was this morning. It was not just a single bus ride of two hours but multiple transfers were involved. I had a bento box packed from my host and was at the bus stop at 6.45 am for a 6.50 am bus.

I was ready with a lot of 'unknowns' today ;-)

I was staying at Kawayu Onsen the night before but did not get a chance to try any of the mineral water onsens yet. Kumano Hongu Onsen Villages are known for their three hot springs: Yunomine Onsen, Kawayu Onsen, and Wataze Onsen. I was at the Kawayu onsen area the night before.

The hot spring water is known to relieve tense muscles and the natural surroundings of most Japanese hot springs can help clear your mind. Beyond the purported health benefits, onsen holds significance in Japanese culture as a form of water purification. Water is a symbol of purification to cleanse one’s body and mind. 

I took the first bus and there were a few others on the bus but not everyone was going to Koguchi. I took the bus from Kawayu Onsen.

After a long bus ride that included a 25-minute wait for the next transfer in the middle of a beautiful mountain setting, I boarded the bus to Koguchi and reached there well before 8.30 am. It is the smallest town with hardly anything there but still, there was one shop open when the bus reached the trailhead. I was ready to hit the trail knowing that it was going to be a long day.

The trail started with a staircase and immediately got into an interesting incline. There were about 8-10 other people that started with me and then they all went ahead and throughout the day I was almost by myself. There was one couple that I kept running into back and forth.

Koguchi to Nachi Taisha shrine or Nachisan is a tough leg. The trail is uneven mostly boulders, very hard on your feet.

The Ogumotori-goe section of the route is a mountain pass between the Kumano Nachi Taisha and the Koguchi settlement. It is one of the toughest sections of the Nakahechi Route of the Kumano Kodo. It is a climb and descent over three passes and is mostly in the forested mountains.

The first section of the trail gains 2700 feet of elevation in about 3.3 miles. From ancient times, it has been called “Dogiri-zaka,” translated as “Body-breaking Slope.” You go through Echizen-toge Pass at the top of Dogiri-zaka, which is another series of climbs and descents that show up very quickly in short spans of distances.

Finally, after a strenuous hike, I reached the midpoint with a rest area, some vending machines, and a restroom for a perfect lunch stop by water. I took a long break and ate my bento box. Felt like a well-deserved break.

I came across this sign, that puts things into perspective about how hard this section was.

I kept on making progress after lunch as I wanted to get to the Nachi Taisha shrine in time because I had to take a bus down the mountain from that shrine. I needed to check in to my accommodation before 6 else finding a vegetarian dinner was going to be a challenge 😉

Finally, it was 5.10 pm when I had my first sight of the three-storied pagodas and Nachi san waterfalls next to the shrine. My day had started well before 6.45 am today.

I was so thrilled to walk the last half km and reach my shrine, Kumano Nachi Taisha. I paid my respects at the shrine. Left a prayer board here too and ran down 70+ steps to find the bus stop that was going to take me down the mountain to the Kii Katsurra town. This is where my accommodation was. The shrine grounds were so beautiful, hard to put into words. There was a very calm energy in the air.

I was lucky to get the bus as I rushed down that long staircase. I knew my accommodation was not too far from the bus station and again google japanese directions were super handy. I barely made it before 6 pm and was so relieved. After a hot shower, I feasted on absolutely amazing vegetarian food, and trust me when I say, I polished it all hahaha.

It was a very challenging day but the day that showed me how strong we are until we explore our abilities. We won’t know what our bodies are capable of doing until we get a chance to try. I am not a solo hiker in general BUT on this trip, I hiked solo in the wilderness which is very different from Camino. I am not ashamed to say, many days and sections were scary but I am so grateful to be over that hump and I am looking fwd to many more adventures like this.

Grateful to be able to do this today!

Arigato💕