• Nakahechi route

• Day 3 – Hongu Taisha to Hayatama Taisha by traditional boat, then onto Kii Katsuura, 18km

• Accommodation: Minshuku Kosakoya in Kii Katsuura, ¥7500 including breakfast

I woke up to rain and after the included breakfast at 7am, I had some spare time before taking a bus to Hitari (25 mins ride) for the starting point of the traditional boat tour down the Kumano Gawa river to Hayatama Shrine in Shingu. The boat runs twice a day at 10am and 2.30pm and costs ¥3,900. The rain stopped me from taking more photos but it was still an enjoyable boat ride and we passed many interesting rock formations and waterfalls. Our guide entertained us with his flute and stories of the past. (I was on the boat with three Japanese men who had just walked from Koyasan to Hongu along the Kohechi trail which I’ll be starting in 3 days time.)

Traditional boat tour down the Kumano gawa river

Traditional boat tour down the Kumano gawa river

Our guide playing us a tune on his bamboo flute

Our boat driver

When we arrived in Shingu, we boarded a small van and were driven the few minutes to Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, one of the three Kumano Sanzan shrines. I bought a ‘Nagi-mamori’ good luck charm made from nuts of the sacred 1,000 year old nagi tree in the shrine grounds and hope that along with the written oracle and my Kobo Daishi bracelet from temple 1 of the Shikoku pilgrimage that I’ll be protected from any bad luck! (This makes me sound quite superstitious, but the truth is, my knees are killing me and I’ve barely even started!) 😉

Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine

Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, Shingu

After visiting Hayatama Taisha, I went to the tourist office at Shingu station and picked up a map of the area; the staff recommended to visit two more shrines, Asuka and Kamikura. I went to Kamikura Shrine first and climbed the steep and uneven stone staircase up the hill to the rock shrine with a terrific view overlooking Shingu and the Pacific Ocean. There’s a famous fire festival held in February every year at this shrine when participants carry fire torches while running down these steps – I could barely walk down it was so steep, I can’t imagine how anyone could run down!

Kamikura Shrine

Kamikura Shrine

Kamikura Shrine

When I was at the tourist office, I asked about walking from here to Kii Katsuura where I’m staying tonight, 18km away. I was given a Japanese map (no English maps available) and the staff told me that not many people walk this route and although the first 6.5km to Miwasaki station via the picturesque Koyazaka slope is fine to walk, after this they warned me there were dangerous road sections with no footpath and it would be safer to take the train from Miwasaki onto Kii Katsuura. This route starts from Hayatama Taisha and there are waymarks along the road to leave Shingu, but after this the waymarks become very few and far between and you definitely need the map and really need to be able to read the Japanese on the map too.

Kumano Hayatama Taisha to Nachi waymarks

Asuka Shrine, Shingu

Kumano Hayatama Taisha to Nachi

The entrance to Koyazaka slope

Seaviews from Koyazaka slope

Koyazaka slope

Between Miwasaki and Nachi there are no English signs and very limited Japanese signs and there are two small mountain passes (over the top of road tunnels) and dangerous road-sections with no footpath on a busy bendy coastal highway. I agree with the staff at the tourist office that it’s better to just walk between Miwasaki and Shingu then take a train onto Nachi or Kii Katsuura.

Minshuku Kosakoya, Kii Katsuura

Dinner set at Meharizushi Nidaime in Kii Katsuura

A ramen shack by the port in Kii Katsuura