How long does it take to hike the Kumano Kodo trail?

five days
The full Kumano Kodo hiking experience takes four or five days.

How much does it cost to hike the Kumano Kodo trail?

How much does it cost to hike the Kumano Kodo on a budget? Organised tours (including the “self-guided” ones) will often cost well beyond $2,000. When you organise your trip independently, you need to budget for far less.

How difficult is the Kumano Kodo?

Difficulty level: Difficult. This route is not recommended for novice hikers as parts of the trail run along high mountain ridges with rough and uneven paths underfoot. As you walk the trail, visit the three sacred shrines in Wakayama including the Okunoin Temple, Kumano Nachi Taisha, and the Kongobuji Temple!

Why is the Kumano Kodo important?

For over 1000 years, people from all levels of society, including retired emperors and aristocrats, have made the arduous pilgrimage to Kumano. The walk itself was an integral part of the pilgrimage process as they undertook rigorous religious rites of worship and purification. …

Can you camp on the Kumano Kodo?

The Kumano Kodo is an ancient pilgrimage route with numerous artifacts and sacred sites along the trail. Camping can severely damage these sites, even unintentionally. Much of the mountains is privately owned. Because of these two reasons, camping is frowned on outside of official camping areas.

What is Kumano Kodo pilgrimage?

The Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage tour is a fully-guided walking tour between the vibrant modern city of Osaka, the mountain temple community of Mt. Koyasan and the Japanese Imperial shrine at Ise. UNESCO includes only two pilgrimage routes in its World Heritage list.

How long is the Japanese Camino?

Traditionally, the pilgrimage is completed on foot, but with modern-day transportation, pilgrims (known as “henro”) today also make use of cars, buses, bicycles, and more to complete the course. Approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) long, the standard walking course will take up to 60 days to complete.

Why do people walk the Kumano Kodo?

To walk the Kumano Kodo Trail is to follow in the footsteps of pilgrims going back thousands of years. Pilgrims who have sought out not only the three magnificent Kumano shrines, Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha, but also the spiritual influences of the mountains en route.

What religion is the Kumano Kodo?

The Kumano Kodo is the birthplace of the country’s spirituality. The Kumano faith is rooted in the worship of the natural environment, in Shinto deities like ancient trees, and in waterfalls believed to be manifestations of Buddhist entities, making the Kumano Kodo a place that brings salvation to the pilgrims.

How do I get to Kumano Kodo?

How to get to Kumano. Kumano is easily accessible from many major cities, such as Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and Nagoya, as well as the Kansai International Airport, using the extensive rail and bus systems. When using the Shinkansen trains, the entire trip will be covered by your Japan Rail Pass.

How long is the Nakahechi route?

One of only two UNESCO World Heritage trails, the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage is a beautiful three- to seven- day walk through the rolling highlands of central Japan. As you walk the cobbled paths that have been used by people for over a millennium, you can really feel the history and serenity.

What is Kumano brush?

Kumano cho is the capital of brushes, and produces 80% of the brushes made in Japan for painting, writing and cosmetics. It normally takes 70 steps to create one brush. It is a manual process. It is said to take at least 10 years to be able to handle animal hairs properly and proficiently.