• Iseji

• Day 6 – Kata to Odomari, 21km

• Accommodation: Hotel Nami, ¥7000 including breakfast, 0597-88-1800

After a delicious breakfast and a sad goodbye to the owner of Ryokan Daishoukan, I set out for today’s walk to Odomari. After 2km I was at the entrance to Sone-jirozaka-tarozaka pass (but confusingly the mountain is called Hobo toge pass). I first heard, then saw a suzumebachi vesper wasp which are quite dangerous but it seemed happy with the log it was sitting on so I was able to get a photo. It might be hard to see from the photo but I’d say it was a bit longer than a AA battery. The ascent was along a picturesque flagstone path with more ancient pilgrim stone graves. There was a nice sea view from the top then the descent was mostly along tree roots and stones but I also passed old ‘Shishigaki’ stone walls that were built by farmers to protect their fields from wild boars.

Breakfast at Ryokan Daishoukan in Kata on the Iseji route

Leaving Kata and on my way to those two mountain passes

A suzumebachi vesper wasp (on top of the log)

Sone-jirozaka-tarozaka wooden marker on Hobo toge pass

Hobo toge pass

Stone steps up Hobo toge pass

The view from the top of Hobo toge pass

Descending Hobo toge pass

After descending Hobo-toge I entered the small village of Nigishima which had a rest shelter next to a toilet. It was still early but I had a short break in the shelter and bought a cold coffee from a vending machine that was outside the factory across the road. A few elderly women walked past and were interested in what I was doing, surprised that I was by myself and wished me well. The next mountain pass was Nigishima and Okamizaka-toge, scenic with flagstone paths, stone ‘shishigaki’ walls and a view of Atashika white sand beach.

Straight across the road and back onto a forest path, Iseji route

Rest hut and toilet in Nigishima, Iseji route

Leaving Nigishima and uphill to start Nigishima-toge pass, Iseji route

Nigishima and Okamizaka toge pass trailhead and stone marker

The top of Nigishima toge pass, Iseji route

Coming down a stone staircase on Nigishima toge pass, Iseji route

In Atashika I passed a small shop with a selection of lunch meals and bought chirashizushi. I sat on a bench in the shade in front of the shop and after I’d finished I went back into the shop to buy an ice cream to eat while walking. The kind owner gave me a freezer bag full of biscuits for the journey 🙂 It was difficult to find the way to the next mountain pass, Hadasu no michi, but the locals were helpful each time I asked where the trail was! This pass has a flagstone path that was laid in the Kamakura period (1185-1333).

Atashika beach, Iseji route

Kumano Kodo sign, Iseji route

Hadasu no michi pass, Iseji route

Kamakura era stone path, Hadasu no michi toge, Iseji route

Rice terraces in Hadasu along the Iseji route

The last mountain pass of the day was Obuki-toge and at the top of the pass I heard a loud tree branch break and froze expecting to see a bear, but instead I saw a group of macaque monkeys. I kept my eyes down not wanting to get eye-contact with them and started to descend. The business hotel I’m staying at overlooks the sea but it’s just past Odomari and actually a few hundred metres past Matsumoto-toge trailhead which I’ll be climbing tomorrow morning. I could’ve walked over the pass to Kumanoshi city but it’s also nice to arrive somewhat early and have time to relax (for the first time!). There’s a nice bath in the hotel, a restaurant and a wonderful sea view from my bedroom window. Tomorrow I plan to arrive in Shingu, the end of the Iseji trail!

Wooden jizo statue along the Obuki toge pass, Iseji route

Obuki toge pass wooden marker

Hotel Nami, Odomari, Iseji route

My room at Hotel Nami, Odomari, Iseji route