Higashi Kishu: Hiking the Deep-end of the Kumano Kodo
- Christian
- Apr 3
- 6 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
Formerly walked by Japan’s emperors themselves, the ancient pilgrimage routes of the Kumano Kodo have long been on the list of those adventurous travellers brave enough to travel the extra mile. A side of Japan most standard routes completely miss, the area is steeped in history and offers a unique look into the country’s history and religion.
While most visitors of the Kumano Kodo will spend several days hiking along the well-trodden route known as Nakahechi and competing for few spots in even fewer guesthouses, we at Untold Japan chose to go deeper and explore the peaceful roads of the Iseji—a network of trails linking Japan’s most important shrine of Ise-Jingu to the three sacred shrines of the Kumano-Sanzan. Almost exclusively explored by some domestic travelers, this was as Untold of a destination as they come.
Higashi Kishu Owase: A Place Where People Still Stick Together
Our journey starts - as it almost always does - with a bullet train departing Tokyo Station in the early hours of the morning. The dense city gives way to the countryside; tunnel follows tunnel until Mt. Fuji eventually makes its far-from-guaranteed appearance in our train windows. Nagoya - a little further down the line - is where we trade Japan’s fastest train for a charming little diesel engine bound for the coastal prefecture of Mie. There are almost three more hours to go to our destination: The small, coastal city of Owase.
A quaint town mostly sustained by fishing and forestry, Owase is quiet upon our arrival. Like in most of Japan’s countryside, the population here has decreased steadily with the country’s demographic shift. In some areas, this has had devastating effects on small communities, but everyone we meet on our first day here is energetic and excited to show us around their tight-knit community.
We start with a visit to the Kumano Kodo Center, where a local guide introduces us not only to the fascinating history of the World Heritage-listed network of trails of the Kumano Kodo, but also to the local ecology that sustains them. Despite having walked the main trails of the Nakahechi before, there was a lot more to learn about the Iseji for us here.
Next up is a visit to Nushikuma, where local artisan Koshi Seko is creating lacquered food containers called Owase Wappa. A fourth-generation craftsman, Seko-san patiently guides us through his workflow as we attempt to make our own Wappa. Using only local wood and cherry bark, we do our best to practically ‘sew’ our own container together while Seko patiently answers all our questions. His passion for his craft is evident, and his order books are testimony to it - if you’re looking to have a custom wappa made, you might have to wait a whole year.
We finish our first day with a feast at a local izakaya. Almost every business here is family-run, and tonight’s restaurant is no exception. A warm, friendly atmosphere, tasty fresh sashimi, and local sake prepare us for bed and tomorrow’s hike to come.
Journey to the Land of the Gods: Walking the Ancient Trails of Higashi Kishu’s Kii Mountains
After a good rest, it’s time to put on our hiking boots and follow the footsteps of pilgrims past as we tackle the centuries-old road of Magose Pass. We meet our local guide, Koji Yamawaki, who will take us across, and waste no time in starting our walk.
Pilgrims have traversed this road for well over 1000 years, and it doesn’t take long for us to feel transported back in time at the sight of thousands of neatly arranged rocks that form the road ahead of us.
Just a little while into our walk, our guide takes out a homemade bamboo flute and presents us with the first of many tunes of the day: A song from the famous Ghibli Animation Princess Mononoke. The morning sun makes it across the mountains that surround us precisely in this moment, and we felt as if we were walking the trail during the Edo period. Much the same as yesterday, the passion the locals have for the Higashi-Kishu area is everywhere, and Yamawaki-san continued to surprise us with a wealth of knowledge delivered exactly at those spots of the hike where we needed a breather the most.
Our lunch consisted of a bento box filled with local specialties, and we were able to enjoy it on top of a giant rock with a bird's-eye view over Owase city and the sea. Another performance by our guide and flutist made the moment perfect.
We continued our pilgrimage past several more sacred sites: We paid our respects to the bodhisattva Kannon sheltered by yet another giant boulder under candlelight and said a parting prayer at Owase Shrine before starting our journey further south. The entire region is rife with folklore deeply connected to Japan’s origins and the resulting religion, making it a paradise for any history buff.
Keeping the Spirit Alive in Kumano City
Plenty more of said folklore was on display at our next destination: Kumano City, just a stone’s throw from the three sacred shrines at the heart of the network of trails known as Kumano Kodo.
Here we continue to hike along the Kumano Kodo Iseji, crossing yet another ancient pass known as the Matsumoto Toge. Huge rock formations mark both the start and end point of the hike; from the ‘demon-caves’ at the beginning, known as Onigajo, to the lion-like Shishiiwa on the other side. The latter serves as a guardian for Hananoiwaya Shrine, Japan’s oldest shrine dedicated to one of the deities that created Japan itself - Izanami.
After a lot of interaction with the spiritual world, we return to humanity with another visit to an artisan: Hirotaka Mukai. We visit him in his shop, where he handmakes futons and pillows. He is clearly busy and a pillar of this small community, as during our entire time at the store, there is a constant stream of customers.
But Mukai is also involved in preserving another craft that the region would have otherwise completely lost—the production of fabric known as Ichigi Momen. Once a major industry in the area, the rise of mass-produced textiles nearly led to the extinction of the craft. Mukai-san is now the last person keeping the tradition alive. Using weaving looms well over 100 years old, he still creates beautiful new patterns incorporating local colours and uses the fabric to create a number of products from business card holders to full-size blankets. We once again leave impressed with the energy and motivation of the Higashi-Kishu locals.
From the Mountains to the Sea
It’s almost time for us to leave, but not before another jam-packed day around the area.
We start with a visit to Maruyama Senmaida. One of the very few places in Japan that boasts a panoramic view of terraced rice fields. The planting season has not yet begun, and the view is not quite as spectacular as it could be, but it is spectacular nonetheless. We are once again greeted by a group of friendly locals who take care of the fields all by hand.
The thinning of Japan’s rural population has had an impact here too, with most of the original creators of the terraces long moved away. A small group of locals had to step up and restore the paddies to their former glory. Through a special initiative, rice fields can be ‘adopted’ by people from all over the country, with the work carried out by proxy through the locals. This also gives opportunities to come in and help out for the planting and harvest season, making sure of mutual benefit.
We could have stayed here for much longer, but the next artisan is already waiting. It’s time for us to once again enter pilgrim mode and make our journey to Hayatama Taisha, one of the three main shrines of the Kumano Kodo. For this leg of the trip, however, we will hop on a riverboat built by one man all by himself. Individuals keeping traditions alive seem to be a common thread around here, and once again, we are impressed by the dedication to the craft.
Once aboard, we start making our way downriver, using only the sails wherever we can. People have made this journey in the same type of boat for centuries, and landing at the shrine for our final stop of the trip feels very special indeed. We pay our respects, as have most of Japan’s emperors, and get ready to bid Higashi-Kishu farewell this time. We had always expected to encounter plenty of peaceful nature and history, but were genuinely surprised by a local enthusiasm not commonly found elsewhere
Why You Should Visit Higashi Kishu
Higashi-Kishu is a destination best suited for those truly looking to travel the remote deep-end of Japan and take their time. Nature enthusiasts can easily spend several days walking the many ancient trails and perhaps even get involved in some farming. Those interested in witnessing artisans at work are offered some very unique opportunities here too, and anyone keen to learn more about Japan’s folklore will have a field day.
Access is fairly easy from Nagoya or even Kyoto, but you can leave that to us when you inquire for a tour around Higashi-Kishu with Untold Japan.
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