Where we are in the world
Similar to my post on the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii, I was scanning through the Wanderlust – Hiking on Legendary Trails book. Japan is on my “bucket list” of countries to visit for many reasons, including the stunning nature and hiking such as the Kumano Kodo!
The Kumano Kodo is an ancient trail that traverses forests and mountains and passes various temples and religious shrines in the southern portion of the Kansai region, which is on Japan’s main island of Honshu. This famous route is close to the Yoshino Kumano National Park and is about 350 miles driving distance away from the bustling Tokyo region. Though there are many routes, the trail noted in the Wanderlust book is ~40 miles in distance.
See the interactive Google Map at the bottom of the post!
Three key facts about this map
Kumano Kodo is part of an ancient system of pilgrimage trails used more than 1,000 years ago
Kumano Kodo is not just a single trail, but rather a network of several trails that lead hikers to shrines of both Shinto and Buddhist religions. The most-popular route that passes the “Three Grand Shrines” is called the Nakehachi, or “Imperial Route” after the ancient royalty and nobles who passed through these trails 1,000 years ago to visit the holy shrines. The “Three Grand Shrines” are:
- Kumano Hayatama Taisha
- Kumano Nachi Taisha
- Kumano Hongu Taisha
Kumano Kodo is one of only two UNESCO World Heritage Trails
UNESCO, the organization responsible for certifying various culturally-significant sites around the world, such as Stonehenge and Machu Picchu. Along with important sites, the organization has designated two pilgrimage trails around the world as culturally-significant – the Kumano Kodo in Japan, and the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The path passes hot springs discovered 1,800 years ago
Pre-dating the trail was the discovery of the Yunomine Onsen hot springs along the current Kumano Kodo trail, thought to be the oldest in Japan. The hot springs were a vital stop along the pilgrimage route, where visitors would perform purification rituals in the water in preparation to worship at the Three Grand Shrines.
Additional links and sources
- Official website & maps of the ancient trail (link, accessed in 2022)
- Detailed booklet of the Kumano Kodo (link, accessed in 2022)
- Details about the two UNESCO pilgrimage routes (link, accessed in 2022)
- Get the Wanderlust book – it makes an amazing gift! (link)
Have you visited or hiked the Kumano Kodo before?
See other places around the world Globe Charting has featured!
