Takasu Shrine
13/07/2021 / Last updated : 28/10/2021 d.d Kyushu 2020-21

Takasu Shrine and Koshin-zuka　　高須神社、庚申塚

As travel in a time of pandemic is anti-social, it has been a time of exploring or revisiting little local gems. Takasu Shrine　高祖神社 One of these is Takasu shrine located in Takasu, Itoshima Kyushu. This place is not particularly famous or spectacular, but it is worth a visit. I say it is not famous, but it has an historical record dating back to 1197. Its origins are, as they say, lost in the mists of time, The shrine is related to Takasu Castle the remains of which we did not explore as they appeared to be lost in the tangles of undergrowth. It also has a special stage for shrine […]
Takisaka no michi
16/09/2020 / Last updated : 30/10/2021 d.d Shikoku - Nara Road Trip '19

Yagyu Kaido Takisaka-no-michi　柳生街道　滝坂の道

November 2nd. Bus to Enjoji-temple We leave Resti Karako Kagi early. We have to catch a bus to Ishiuchi from in front of Nara Kintetsu station at 9.15. This bus will take us to Ninnikusan bus stop. A fare of 660 yen. This stop is next to Enjoji Temple which has a splendid garden, a pond and a very famous statue by Unkei. On this occasion, we do not visit the temple but cross the road in front of it and take the Yagyu Kaido Takisaka no Michi back to Nara where we have parked the car. This is a walk of about 12 kilometres. At this point the path […]
Tsumago-juku
11/05/2020 / Last updated : 11/10/2021 d.d Early Summer Flowers Road Trip '19

Nakasendo from Magome to Tsumago 馬籠から妻籠

June 10th. Kisomura michi no eki is fine for shachuhaku. The traffic did not prove to be a problem. The toilet is modern but does smell a bit. It has no natural ventilation and the automatic fan is not effective enough. That’s my diagnosis – for what it’s worth. Nakasendo from Magome 馬籠 to Tsumago 妻籠   From the michi no eki we drive Route 19 towards Nagoya but branch off and travel through Tsumago and on up to Magome to walk the famous section of the Nakasendo. This is the old Edo era road from Kyoto to Edo, today’s Tokyo. Along this route were numerous – 69 in fact […]
Lake Kizaki
10/05/2020 / Last updated : 11/10/2021 d.d Early Summer Flowers Road Trip '19

Togakushi Kodo and Okusha, Lake Kizaki　戸隠古道、木崎湖

July 8th. Otari michi no eki Otari michi no eki is a noisy place, even on a Sunday night. It is on a straight stretch of road at the bottom of a long hill so the trucks, of which there are many, really get up speed, sweeping down or taking a run up for the climb.  They roar past very close to the parking. The morning is bright, hot and sunny so we think we will grab the chance to walk  Happo-One and see the view. It is only a 10 or 15-minute drive but during that short period the cloud has rolled in and the nearby hilltops are lost […]
persimmon
19/10/2019 / Last updated : 23/10/2021 d.d Shikoku and Kii peninsula 2018

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

November 18th. 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. […]
Hatenashi Settlement
05/10/2019 / Last updated : 23/10/2021 d.d Shikoku and Kii peninsula 2018

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

November 16th. 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 : 23/10/2021 d.d Shikoku and Kii peninsula 2018

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

November 15th. 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 : 23/10/2021 d.d Shikoku and Kii peninsula 2018

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

November 14th. 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 […]