persimmon
19/10/2019 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Hiking Yamanobe no michi – an ancient road　山の辺の道

November 2018、 Yamanobe no michi Busy, early on a Sunday morning, Kudoyama michi-no-eki was quiet during the night. An excellent place to stay with good facilities and rubbish bins provided. Our plan today is to walk half of Yamanobe no michi. So, we take the Keinawa Highway, as it is toll free, to Sakurai Station to park our car. From Sakurai we take the JR line three stations to Yanagimoto Station. From this station it is about a 10 min. walk to join the Yamanobe no michi. We plan to walk back along this route to Sakurai. The Yamanobe no michi is an ancient route dating from the 7th. Century. […]
Koyasan
13/10/2019 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Temple / Shrine

Koya Ryujin Skyline; Gomadansan, Koyasan Okuno-in　高野龍神スカイライン

November 2018, Koya Ryujin Skyline Obviously, Ryujin michi no eki is silent as the grave with only a little more light. The 24 hour toilet is terrible. The door to the handicapped facility is broken and does not close. I cannot recommend the place for shachuhaku. Of course, it is possible to stay, just lower your expectations Koyasan is our destination for the day and we drive the Koya Ryujin skyline (R.371). This is a good road, of sweeping views, from Ryujin to Koyasan Okunoin. Gomadansan (Mt.Gomadan)  護摩壇山 Along the skyline, at Gomadansan, the second highest mountain in Wakayama, we stop to take a short walk through the beech woods […]
Hatenashi Settlement
05/10/2019 / Last updated : 01/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Kumano-kodo Kohechi, Hatenashi settlement　熊野古道小辺路　

November 2018, Entrance to Kohechi at Yanagimoto Bridge Today we plan to walk a section of the Kumano Kodo Kohechi, pilgrim trail. Kohechi is the oldest and shortest pilgrim trail from Koyasan to Kumano Hongu Taisha.  A distance of about 70 km., through elevations of over 1000m., in the mountains of the Kii peninsula. So, from Mizunosato Hidaka River michi no eki we make for Yanagimoto Bridge on R.168. If you use the bus, the  nearest bus stop is ‘Warabio’, or you can stay at Totsugawa onsen the previous night and walk to the Kohechi entrance. To reach the entrance to this section of the Kumano Kodo, pilgrim trail, you […]
at Nakahechi
29/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Kumano-kodo Nakahechi to Tsugizakura-oji　熊野古道中辺路

November 2018, Kumano-kodo Nakahechi from Chikatsuyu-oji to Tsugizakura-oji The target for the day is to walk part of the Nakahechi to Tsugizakura-oji. So, leaving Kuchi Kumano michi no eki we drive to Chikatsuyu-oji. Here, we park in a large, free car park and set off to find the entrance to the Nakahechi route. Nakahechi was one of the pilgrimage routes to Kumano Sanzan, the three main temples (Hongu, Shingu and Nachi) from Tanabe city. This was the official route for the nobility in Heian times. (We walked another part of this route, from Gyubadoji ( michinoeki Kumano Kodo Nakahechi) to Chikatsuyu-oji on a previous trip.) It is a wonderful, sunny […]
Karekinada
25/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Kumano-kodo Ohechi ; Nagaizaka　 熊野古道大辺路；長井坂

November 2018、 A fine sunny morning with a strong, chill wind coming off the land not the sea. Susami michi no eki has a good view of the sea though this is not obvious from the car park. You must walk round to the other side of the building. Kumano-kodo Ohechi, Nagaizaka course from Mirozu station There are three sacred places in Kii peninsula, Yoshino, Koyasan and Kumano. These are linked by numerous pilgrimage route mostly for Shugendo, a mountain worshiping sect. The Kumano-kodo, however has been a very popular pilgrimage route for more than 1000 years. People, rich and poor, walked from Kyoto to Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama […]
Tsurugisan
08/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Tsurugisan – Climbing Mount Tsurugi　剣山

November 7th. 2018 Tsurugisan  剣山 A clear, pink dawn as we set off for Tsurugisan (Mt.Tsurugi). We drive about 40 kilometres along R.438. and arrive at the chair lift station, ‘Minokoshi’, before 10 am. under a blue, blue sky in warm sunshine. The chair lift ticket is 1860-yen return, but it whisks you up from 1,420 metres to 1,750 metres in 15 mins. The summit is 1,955 metres. There are 4 courses to the top from the chair lift station ‘Nishijima’. We avoid the Ridge course – it being the shortest and most popular – and take the Yuhodo course. This is longer about 2km and, as we later discover, […]
Mt. Ishizuchi
02/09/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Climbing Mt. Ishizuchi　石鎚山

November 1st. 2018, Tenku no sato San san michi-no-eki. Tenku no sato San san is a good michi-no-eki to spend the night. It is quiet, and the toilet is ok. There is a village loud speaker announcement at 6.30 am but we were up early anyway to set off for Ishizuchisan. We pick up onigiri for lunch at the Lawson across the road and follow Route 12 to the Ishizuchi skyline. Tsuchigoya　土小屋 There are a few climbing routes to Mt.Ishizuchi. One of route (Omotesando) requires a Ropeway and Lift to reach the starting point at 1280m. Tsuchigoya route’s starting point is at 1492m and probably an hour shorter walk than […]
Omogo-kei
31/08/2019 / Last updated : 02/02/2023 d.d Hiking / Walking

Omogo Gorge and Iwaya-ji 面河渓、岩屋寺

October 2018, Imabari Yunoura Onsen michi no eki Imabari Yunoura onsen michi no eki is noisy, being on the main road, but I sleep well regardless. In the morning, I discover it doesn’t have an onsen, but it does have a Fog Machine. This is a dome of large, rough stones that intermittently puffs out steam. To invoke the spirit of an onsen, perhaps? Omogo Gorge   面河渓 Today our plan is to visit Iwaya-ji, a Henro Trail temple (no.45), but first we drive to Omogo-kei or Omogo Gorge. The gorge is very fine and it is an access point for climbing mountains. Consequently, it provides a walk as well as […]