Kumano Part 3

Yunomine Onsen to Koguchi - 15.2km (9.5 miles)

Woke up in Yunomine Onsen at Ryokan Adumaya (oldschool traditional Japanese inn). Had a last early morning soak in Japan’s oldest hot springs where pilgrims have been practicing purification rites tucked into this small valley in the heart of the Kumano Kodo. We said farewell to sweet Eikichi as he served us our last breakfast in or room before getting back on the trail.

It had rained overnight and the air was fresh and the forest was glistening as the sun came up. The trail was steep and we quickly climbed up and out of town cresting our first peak where we encountered some ancient cypress trees surrounding a shrine. We were both so incredibly awe struck. Without words, we dropped our packs and leaned into a truly massive elder cypress from opposite sides, silently pausing, becoming part of this ancestral healing tree as an elder woman ambled by, bowed to us and then bowed deeply and clapped at the ancient shrine next to the tree.

Again, without words, we slowly got up and continued down the trail descending into the small sleepy town of Hongu Taisha, home of Japan’s largest torii gate. From there we hopped a a bus up to Ukegawa trailhead to avoid a 3km narrow asphalt road walk in the blaring sun. Like every bus between towns and trailheads, we see familiar faces and make new small connections, bonding over the trail with other pilgrims.

We were the only ones to get off the bus at Ukegawa and we were alone climbing back up into the mountains, admiring the sakuras whose small pink translucent pedals began to sprinkle the trail. Even in the thick cypress and cedar forests, where there were no sakuras in sight, these precious little delicate pedals wee like mystical blessings, welcoming us along the Kumano Kodo.

We stopped often to read the signs and bow to the shrines. We walked in silence and we shared stories. Manuela asked about my intentions for this pilgrimage, how they were manifesting and what was being revealed and we shared deeply about our lives, where we’ve been these last few years and where we were now, our great loves and great losses and all the things

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I was reflecting on how I hadn’t cried since arriving in Japan over a week ago. I’ve had a lot of big feelings on this journey so far, but most of my releasing has been in the form of deep guttural laughter. Manuela and I have laughed hard and often. We’ve had moments when we are just so tired and delirious and blissed out that all it takes is a funny unexpected look or word and we are rolling on the ground in pain laughing so hard. This has been a truly welcome joy as I feel I could have created a small ocean with the amount of crying I’ve done over the past couple years. Looking out at the layers of mountains, spotted with blooming sakuras, I realized how happy I have been on this trip in Japan and I almost started crying.

We noticed less shrines and a lot more jizo statues as we made our way southeast. Jizo Bosatsu is the guardian deity of children and travellers. They are stone statues that predate Buddhism in this region.

We came upon some big flat rocks that begged us to lay on them. We sat on the side of the trail eating peanuts and crackers and roasted seaweed snacks and laughed so hard we almost could not continue hiking. We still don’t exactly understand the actual triggers of our hysterical fits of laughter, but I just know it feels really refreshing.

We eventually descended into the little mountain town of Koguchi, where our resting spot was a half hour drive away. There was a pay phone we needed to find to call for a shuttle but as we crossed a final bridge towards the road, a small bus was there and the driver smiled at us saying “Manuela-San”? We nodded in disbelief and boarded the bus which took off as soon as we sat down. We have no idea how they knew we were coming at that very moment and we’ll likely never know, but were we so relieved that we not did not have to wait for over an hour for the next shuttle. We saw some of our favorite pilgrims on the bus, a father and son from Australia taking a first big trip together celebrating the young man finishing school. We’d run into them numerous times along the Kumano Kodo. Apparently they had gotten lost looking for the alleged pay phone but did manage to call for this shuttle that we were all now riding after they waited for an hour. We’ve had a lot of serendipity on this pilgrimage. So many details falling into place unbelievably smoothly. It seems the moment we walk towards a bus stop, the bus we need is about to arrive when the next one isn’t for over an hour. The amount of ease and flow and glorious weather has been almost uncanny.

Takada Green Land at the Kumotori Onsen, our accommodations for the night, felt a bit institutional compared to our previous lodgings. It almost felt like a boarding school or summer camp. We ate in a cafeteria at long tables under fluorescent lights with Japanese teenagers in school uniforms and in sporty clothes. The food was okay. We’ve eaten ridiculously well for a vegan and vegetarian traveling in remote parts of Japan

Thanks for reading! I love you.