Kumano Kodo - Day 1

Just came back from Osaka last week. It was my personal and solo trip of the year. There were only two main focuses of the trip — the Kumano Kodo and the Expo 2025 Osaka. Let me share my experience from the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage. Well, it felt more like a hike in my local hills. I chose a 4-day, 3-night walk with a boat trip included. This route was the simplest, covering only about 7 km of walking (though I added some extra distance for personal exploration). It was Route 3 of the Nakahechi route. By collecting 10 stamps along this route (at designated stamping points), I should be eligible for the Dual Pilgrim certificate if I complete the last 100 km on foot of the Camino de Santiago in Portugal. All my accommodations and packed lunches were arranged through the official Kumano Travel website. Although the booking response was a bit slow, I managed to receive confirmation about 2 or 3 weeks before my flight.

To get to the Kumano area, I took a train (Kuroshio limited express) from Osaka to Kii-Tanabe. Although the 7 a.m.-ish train was preferred, it was sold out on the day of my trip, so I had to settle for the 8:45 a.m. ride. After arriving in Kii-Tanabe — a journey of a little over two hours — one can board a bus to the Hongu Taisha area. Since I wanted to have lunch in town, I bought a ticket for the 1 p.m.-ish bus. To my surprise, the town was very quiet — kind of like a sleepy village. With the help of Google Maps, I found a nearby restaurant for lunch. The price was reasonable. After lunch, I took the bus and got off at Kawayu Onsen. I stayed overnight at Kawayu Midoriya, the most expensive lodging of my 3-night trip — but it was worth the value. I like its indoor and outdoor onsen (no photography was allowed, so not able to show the onsen area). Well, there wasn’t much to shout about in the Kawayu Onsen area. The place is known for its cool river and a few onsen lodgings. That was the end of Day 1.