Visit Wakayama

After relaxing in the hot springs and welcoming a new morning, your journey enters a new stage. Today, you will make your way to Kumano Hayatama Taisha along the Kumano River, the “pilgrimage route by water.” In the past, retired emperors and aristocrats traveled by boat to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and this magnificent river was actually the traditional main route for the Kumano pilgrimage. Looking up from the water at the towering mountains rising around you and listening to nothing but the sound of the river, you will experience a profound sense of tranquility. As you drift along with the timeless flow of the river, gently rocked by the boat, your preconception that the Kumano Kodo is all about walking may well be overturned—in the best possible way.

Getting to the Kawa-fune Center, where the river boats depart, involves walking just under 20 km on roads from the various hot spring areas. However, buses are also available, so taking the bus is another option. From the Kawa-fune Center, board the boat for a 90-minute journey down the river. At the end of the journey, disembark at Gongen Kawara, the riverbank behind Kumano Hayatama Taisha, just as pilgrims did in the past. From the riverbank, it is about a five-minute walk to Kumano Hayatama Taisha. With its striking vermilion shrine buildings, Kumano Hayatama Taisha is a sacred site associated with the past. It is believed that worshipping here purifies the sins and impurities of the past.

To conclude the day, head to Kamikura-jinja Shrine, whose sacred object is Gotobiki-iwa, the giant rock where the gods of Kumano are said to have first descended. After climbing the 538 stone steps, you will be rewarded with the breathtaking sight of the enormous rock and panoramic views of Shingu City spread out before you. Spend the night in Shingu City and enjoy a meal there.

※Click here for the top page of the Nakahechi Long Trail.