Day 2 on the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Trail takes you from the mountain village of Takahara to Chikatsuyu, covering about 10.1 km (6.5 miles). The route winds through dense forests along an undulating path, with climbs and descents that lead past several Oji shrines. The walk takes an estimated 4 hours and is roughly 6.5 miles (10.1 kilometers).

After a delightful breakfast at our accommodations, a local family-owned inn, called Hatago Masara, owned by a Japanese-French couple, Masa and Sara, we set off for our second day of hiking the Kumano Kodo. The morning was lovely with perfect temperatures and slight cloud cover keeping us relatively cool for this time of year (while the humidity was still at bay).

From Takahara, we passed through the outskirts of the village and continued on an undulating trail past several oji shrines along the way.  Once again, we hardly saw anyone, and the trail was relatively quiet save for a few hikers. We had timed our trip right.

One cool thing we passed was the Uwadawa-jawa Teahouse remains, dating back hundreds of years. Teahouses were dotted along the pilgrimage route and used as an important resting place for the pilgrims.  We passed lots of shrines as well with offerings left even today for those pilgrims wishing for a safe journey.

We arrived in Chikatsuyu (a quaint village of roughly 450 people) around mid afternoon, and were surprised to see no one there. We stopped at the OKU Japan (the operators of our tour) local office and learned about the community service work they are doing to help the local people. There has been massive depopulation from rural areas of Japan to its cities, which has negatively impacted the communities along the Kumano Kodo trail. One thing the office helps with is maintaining the farmlands that surround the trail. The staff collaborates with local farmers to help them plant, maintain and cultivate rice fields in the village of Chikatsuyu which not only provides food but beauty to the region.

The office also helps with another community project near the village where they maintain a thatched roof teahouse for travelers along the Kumano Kodo trail to stop and relax.

While depopulation of rural villages throughout Japan is a huge problem, we also found hope along the trail. We saw a series of new entrepreneurs such as our inn owners, husband and wife team Naomi and Yasuyuki Amano, who have moved from the city and retired in the countryside to open their inn “Sora Chikaysuyo”. They had worked years behind a computer screen at Canon, where they met, and as avid hikers and travelers, it was a dream to move near the Kumano Kodo and open their inn. Their biggest joy is meeting their guests and inside their kitchen they have postcard from all around the world sent from happy past visitors to their inn.

Us outside Sora Chikaysuyo Inn with our hosts, Naomi and Yasuyuki Amano

We also found a lovely little wine and beer garden in town set up for hikers along the trail. We enjoyed an early evening glass of wine and cheese and crackers while chatting away with the waitress and fellow hikers.

Chikatsuyu flourished as a post town on the Nakahechi Route in ancient times, located roughly halfway between Kii Tanabe and Hongu Grand Shrine. It was believed that the water in Chikatsuyu removed impurities of the early world, so pilgrims purified themselves in the Hiki River that runs through town. Today, the local community hopes it can continue to earn an income and retain its culture, history and charm through its work in sustainable tourism.  Small inns like the one we stayed at are paving the way

That evening, we enjoyed conversation and traditional Japanese food with our hosts, Naomi and Yasuyi at their home.  Staying with the local community was the best part of the hike as we got to exchange ideas and learn a lot about their culture. We slept on futons placed on traditional tatami mats, ate our meals with chopsticks, and wore yukata (cotton gowns that look a cross between a dress and a bathrobe) paired with house slippers. They even had a separate pair of slippers to wear to the bathroom called “toilet slippers,” which cracked me up. The elaborate meals we would receive later on during the trek at the Onsens (Japanese-style baths from hot springs) were a huge highlight we got to experience later on (we counted 14 courses in all at some!).

It was only our second day on the trail and we were having the time of our lives!

See more