The Kumano is a sacred mountainous region located on the Kii Peninsula of Japan, stretching south of Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto, and home to the ancient spiritual Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage. There are several routes however, the most popular one is the Nakahechi Imperial Route that traverses the rugged mountainous trail winding through deep forests of cypress, pine, and camphor trees starting in Takahara and ending in Nachi at the Nachi Tasha Grand Shrine.
The pilgrimage began 1,000 years ago, taking the Imperial family and fellow pilgrims an average of 30-40 days from Kyoto. Several Oji shrines and teahouses were established along the way for pilgrims to rest, relax, and pray during this arduous trek. Today, the Nakahechi route can be completed in 5 days and covers over 46 miles (70 km) of mountainous terrain.
This past May, our family of four visited Japan for two weeks and the highlight of our trip was our time spent together doing the Kumado Kodo hike. Although the hike can be navigated and booked on your own, we opted to hire Oku Japan. Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided, and custom tours around Japan. Their trips combine the simple pleasures of enjoying the hospitality of close-knit communities deep in the countryside that preserve the traditions of a not-too-distant past. We picked them for their excellent reputation, their commitment to helping local rural communities, and their incredible attention to detail to every aspect of our trip, from start to finish. We were not disappointed.
