Attempting To Run 100kms Of The Kumano Kodo - Japan's Ancient Pilgrimage Trail
The Kumano Kodo is made up of multiple different routes, covering hundreds of kilometers across Wakayama, Nara, and Mie prefecture, with the most popular being the Nakahechi route. I decided to go with the Kohechi route, mainly because I like to be different, but it's almost exactly 100 km to Nachi Falls, which is a pretty amazing place to finish. Normally, you'd have to book accommodation along the trail months in advance, especially in the busy season of April. But because Chris is the best, he's agreed to meet me where I finish each day, and we'll spend the night camping in the Jeep's rooftop tent. So, in total, I'll be running over 3,000 m
in elevation gain and 100 km in distance. That's the plan, at least. Honestly, not much about this trip went to plan, but kind of in the best way possible. Let's get started. So, we have arrived at the starting point, or where I've decided to start from. Most people, like the popular route, start from Koyasan or like around this area. Yeah, Koyasan is actually a really beautiful, spiritually significant place for a number of reasons. It's in my travel guide. It's a really lovely place to visit. I'm nervous just because of like,
what if I get really tired on the first day, and then I'm like, "Oh, got like three more days of this." But yeah, we'll just be stopping here so I can get out and start running. Oh, that rice. The rice is like bouncing around in a container. Anyway, what am I doing? Wow, pretty good start to the run. I think this is the way, but who knows. That's the one. This is officially the trail we're on. My heart rate is up already. Nice.
This is what I imagined the Kumano Kodo to look like. Wow, that's so pretty. Been wanting to do this trail run for the longest time. I finally get to do it. Oh, it's so pretty. Damn. Yeah, coming up to the first little town stop of the day. I stopped just before to check my shoes because I felt like there was something in my shoe that was bothering me, and then I looked. Yes, it's a blister. O. I already have a blister. I've only been running for like an hour. I've got like
sports socks on, but what does that mean? Nothing. Oh well, it hurts so much though. It's so pretty. Oh my gosh, I might cry. It's so beautiful. Love cherry blossom season. Ooh, it's such a bonus that there's still a few out. So nice. Oh boy, very steep, all this. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, that is so steep. I was like, "This isn't too hard, running down the mountain, having a great time."
Okay, where are we going? Skyline? No. Kumano Sankei Michi. This way. I love these flowers. Oh, these are my favorites. Okay, so I think I'm at like the first village. It's crazy, this. Like, imagine living out here. There's like nothing. Wow, it's really charming though. It's really, really beautiful. Any hot food on a mountain tastes so good. I'll do a quick rundown of all of the gear that I'm bringing. So, I've got two water bottles—one of them will go in the front pocket,
one in my bag—and that's a total of 1 liter. There's heaps of places I can fill up along the way, so that should be enough for now. Two gels—the only good-tasting gel I've ever tried, ever. I got my GoPro, a portable battery that’s got 10,000 milliamps, which should last me
forever. Some electrolyte tablets, some sunscreen to reapply. I've got some spray, only for wild animals, for no other reason. Then, I've got some snacks from Family Mart—but it's great. A rain/windbreaker jacket—it’s only for light rain, and like this, it's like the most blue-sky day imaginable. Uh, some more snacks. I've got a compass. You know how to use a compass? I think... no, I think. I got my inhaler just in case. I also got these. These are my foods for the day. This is like dehydrated rice, so you just add hot water and wait 15 minutes, or add cold water and wait an hour, and then the rice just soaks it all up, and you've got a meal, which is great. And then this is an onigiri,
and it's like in the shape of a triangle, so you just add the water in the top, seal it back up, put it in your bag, and then an hour later, you've got an onigiri. A lot of this stuff is from Amazon, but yeah, these two are from Amazon. My spork, I've got gas—a little tiny gas canister. There's not a lot left, but enough. A little tiny pot and the burner. That's pretty much it. I'm only doing like a shorter distance today because we're starting later than expected and then hopefully catching up later on down the track. But we'll see. It's time to go. I guess this is the part that they said to take caution with. Crazy.
Another steep uphill, yet again. I had no idea that there were huge sections of the Kumano Kodo that are just on a road. Looking on the map, it looks like there's a lot of this part that's just on a road with a lot of cars and motorbikes. Crazy. Feeling good. I feel all right—it's just a blister. I've now got two blisters. I've got one on my other foot as well, which could be a good thing because it means I don't just favor one foot over the other. They both hurt now, so... so we're good.
And I cannot get through. Damn it. I don't want to have to be on the road for any longer than I have to. Back to it, I guess. Oh my gosh, it's a freaking miracle! Oh, I'm so happy to be on a trail again. Wow. Oh sh**, it's okay. I just rolled
my ankle. Ah, [__]. It seems okay. Oh jeez. Oh my God. That is bound to happen with me—the weakest ankles in the world. I've rolled them so many times, but that one hurt. But I think it's just faking it. It's fine. I think I'm okay. Freaks me out though, man. Freaks me out because—oh my God, you've got to be kidding me. Okay, it's all good. Same ankle. Okay, it's all good. It's still good. Holy [__]. I need to be careful. Awesome! This is it. This is round about the spot that I told Chris to meet me. Oh my
gosh, that water looks so good. I want to go for a swim so bad. Thank you. The Jeep fits in very well because all of those are Jeeps. There are Jeeps along here. Okay, so this must have been the place that I saw from up there somewhere. There are like 30 Jeeps, but they're like the old-school Jeeps—the Mitsubishi Jeeps. We saw a sign over here that says "Jeep Tour."
What is this? What is this place? I thought it was a camping spot. So strange. So weird. Okay, so it is a campsite, but it's also like a Jeep adventure park or something. Chris and I just went for a little drive to go to an onsen to wash off and everything, and we came back in. And then—we think that's the owner—but he just came up to us, and he
just handed us two handfuls full of mushrooms. So now we've got these big giant mushrooms. I know how we can fix it. We use a nabe pot. Yeah, that'll be delicious. Now we wait. Okay, dinner is ready. My legs are very tired. It's like 9:00. I am so ready for bed. Goodnight. They're calling us. Oh, this is so random. I love it. Oh my gosh! Ahhhhh! Yeah where did he get the the logs from? Oh my God, oh my God. This is the way to see the Kumano Kodo.
It's actually just like the most beautiful valley—even just to walk through—but to, like, drive through? 4WD is so fun. It's just crazy. Who would have thought that one of the only decent off-roading places I've ever seen in Japan is actually right in the middle of the Kumano Kodo Trail? Yes, my knee is hurting a little bit still, so I'm trying to... I don't know. We'll see how we go today. Hopefully, it'll be okay, and it'll be fine. I don't know if it will, but let's just pretend that it will. Mind over matter, right? Right. Strange start to the day, but it's time! I still had a full day of running ahead of me, starting from Adventure Land and this time making my way over two peaks—30 km and 1,555 m elevation gain. "You are here." Now we go straight up. Let's do it.
Okay. Oh, so pretty. This is cute: "This is personal land and an old building. I'll leave it open so you can use it freely, but be careful not to take any house equipment with you when you leave." Oh, that's so nice. They've got a little fire pit that you can cook things on and wood that you can borrow—well, you're not really going to return it, are you? How good. Damn, this brand never misses. The only good-tasting gel in the world, I'm convinced.
So, uh, this is like cold stuff in here. There's water. Beer is 300 yen; juice is 200 yen. Oh yeah, baby. Jackpot. Don't mind if I do. How good. And then it said to put money in the donation box: "Hello, please take a break." That's so nice. Love stuff like this.
All right, and now I've got a drink. Oh yeah. Yeah, that's the stuff, for sure. What a freaking joy. Woo, this is what I'm talking about! So, knee update: It's not feeling good. I mean, it actually helps a lot when I stretch it, so it just makes me feel like it's just tight muscles somewhere. I just keep stopping to stretch. I'm in no... I'm in no, like, real hurry. Kind of in a hurry, but not really. So I can just stop every now and then and stretch it out.
I would never expect to see bears out here, but apparently, there are. You never know, so just keep making noise. Keep clapping every now and then. It should be good—just in case, just in case there are bears, you know. What was that? Do you need a ring? A ring? Oh,
like the bell? Yeah, a bell. No, no, it's okay. I'll just... I'll just clap. I already have one. You don't need it? I don't like it. Oh, really? Somebody gave it to me. Well, actually, I kind of don't like it either. It's like really loud, right? Especially if I'm running. Yeah. Okay, so you don't need it? No. I'm all good. Thank you so much. Just come out there. Good luck! Thank you. Bye.
So nice. I just, like, asked the lady who lives around here if she's got water that I can use to fill up my water bottles, and she was like, "Oh, you can drink that water, but the water around here is better," and, like, showed me. That was so nice of her. Oh hell yeah, I needed that so bad. Okay, so I'm going to try and do it. I'm going to push for the last 5–6 km because that's where I told Chris that I was going to meet him. Even though I haven't got any reception right now,
it is like 3:20 p.m. I've still got, like, a good 2 hours of daylight. I think it's definitely possible, but I think it just made me nervous because I was speaking to a Japanese guy before who was also hiking, and he was like, "Oh, it's cutting it close." So, it sewed doubt into my mind. I think I would be fine, but either way, I just submitted the mountain registration, like my itinerary or whatever. Because, little-known fact: If you get mountain climbing insurance—which I do have, you know, in case there's a search and rescue or something—you don't get to claim the cost of that unless you submitted the form. So, you have to do the form. It is mandatory.
Okay, let's do it, let's do it, let's do it. Wow, it's massive. Look at this. That's so cool in there too. Holy [__]. That's a good view. So, I haven't been filming much because I'm just focusing on getting up as fast as I can. Still got, I think, about an hour or so before the sun goes behind the mountains, which is good because by that point, I'll be on the other side on my way down. Hopefully, a lot of elevation again. Oh my God. Oh, I totally miscalculated! 7.4 km! I did not
know that. Damn it. Even if I run the whole thing, it's still going to take me like an hour. 4:30 already to Nishinaka bus stop. All right, I better get hustling. Okay, I was really trying not to have to take painkillers, but I brought it for moments like this when I really just need to, like, push through, you know.
Okay, come on, I got this, I got this, I got this. Oh boy. Oh my God, civilization! I've never been so happy to see a road. And there's still a tiny bit of sunlight left. Excellent. It's the Jeep! Onsen time. Onsen time! Since my knee was really
starting to bother me, the blisters were getting worse, and morale was running low, I decided to take a rest day and just explore the surrounding area of Totsukawa Village. I actually visited this exact location for a video a few months ago, so I knew of a spot that I was absolutely dying to revisit: Kuuchuu no Mura, or the village in the sky. Woah, this is so cool! It's easier to walk on than I thought it would be. You have got to be kidding me. No way. They just put out cookies, and they've got drinks as well! Aw, chocolate chip. Heck yeah. Ah, it's so beautiful. I'm so glad that we came back, especially in spring, because, like, all of the flowers are blooming, and it's so pretty.
Oh no. Oh my gosh. Coffee or koucha. "One person, one drink for free." No way. Yeah, what? Wow, how nice. Oh my God, I had no idea that any of this was going to be here. When we came in winter, none of it was open—like, we just got to walk on a little bit of it, just to test it out. I had no idea they had books for you to use, blankets for when it's cold, pillows to lie on, and free coffee. It’s also, like, a huge place! It's not just this area;
there's a beautiful garden we walked through before, a campsite, and those plastic dome things you can sleep in. They've even got tents that are kind of elevated—crazy! The owner of the place, the founder, his name is Jolan. He's from France originally, but he moved to Japan a while ago. He was working in forestry, and they’ve created this method to ensure the tree itself doesn’t deteriorate over time because of all the stuff built on it. Eventually, they’ll take everything down and move it to a different tree. You can tell the guy who founded this place is really passionate about nature. He gets it, you know?
Anyway, if you want to know more about it, go check out my other video where I interview him and everything. So cool. I’m so glad we got to come back when it’s open! I am obsessed. They just gave us the key for our accommodation tonight! This is so unexpected. I promise I was not expecting to stay in the treehouse tonight, but here we are,
casually walking through the sakura trees to our accommodation for the evening. Oh my gosh, how cozy does it look? It’s such a beautifully moody, gloomy, cloudy day—perfect for being in the mountains. Not perfect for running, though, but that’s okay. I’ve got some running rainwear, so I should be fine. Today’s my last day, so I’m just going to enjoy it, even if I get a bit wet. Slept so well last night. I also discovered that I can use my water bottle as a kind of foam roller—a really hard foam roller. But my blister hurts suspiciously a lot more than it did yesterday. It might be infected,
but that’s okay. It’s all good. Like I said, today’s the last day. It doesn’t matter. I’m just going to have a fun day. God damn, this place is so pretty. Wow. At this point, since my knee didn’t magically heal overnight like I hoped it would, I pretty much knew my hopes of completing 100 km just weren’t going to happen. All that was left for
me to do was to make a triumphant finish after running an additional 20 km and 930 m elevation gain to the iconic Kumano Hongu Taisha—the largest torii in the world. Let’s do this! No, it’s okay. Oh no, the rain is actually much stronger now than it was before. So good. There’s no bad weather—there’s just weather. Although, if I had to choose the weather, I wouldn’t choose this weather. Anyway, see you at the end. See you, bye! This is just so unbelievably beautiful. Oh my gosh. I’m really glad it’s not a sunny day
today. Is that weird to say? It’s stunning—it’s like movie set vibes, you know? It’s so cool. So, made it to the village. The frogs are going wild. So loud! Wow, look how big they are. Okay, the rain just started, but as you can see, I’m at the top of the mountain. That was the final climb before I head down. The rest is all pretty much downhill or flat. It’s been so beautiful, but yeah, this rain is undesirable. Can’t it just be misty and foggy without the rain? Oh my gosh, okay.
I’m on the home stretch. I think I’ve only got, like, 3 km left or something. There’s only 100 m elevation gain, and then it’s downhill and flat. My knee hurts, but it doesn’t matter, because it hurts less when I run somehow. Nearly there, nearly there. I’m hobbling, but I will get there. Come on. Here we go. Nearly there, nearly there, nearly there.
This is honestly one of the more beautiful sections of the Kumano Kodo, and it’s right next to the Hongu Taisha? It’s fine. It’s fine. I can just run that whole way. For the most beautiful part to be right at the end—oh, it’s so pretty. Hey, welcome to Kumano Hongu Taisha. “You must be tired.” Yes. Yes, I am. “Pets are a part of a family, so please feel free to worship together. Please put dogs on a leash.”
Wow, that’s really cute. And also, it’s wheelchair accessible. Very nice. Oh, what? That’s so cool. 17.8? That means I have to do, like, a 2 km run around the block? That’s so annoying. No. Okay, I’ve seen the finish line—the giant torii gate. It’s right there. But I’ve got 68 km, and I want it to be 70. It needs to be 70. 68 doesn’t sound as cool as 70. A quick 1 km jogging
back. There it is. Yeah! Oh my God, 70 km. Not actually that crazy of an achievement—like, once you get into the trail running world, you realize how minuscule your longest distance is. Definitely nothing as impressive as some of the people I know, but fun for me. A good distance for me. Oh boy. Ah, I am le tired. I need... I need an onsen. So soon. So bad. Yay, wow, she did it—70 km! Not the 100 I originally set out to finish, but still, I’m happy with 70. Even though I realized that what I did is not really all that crazy, considering a lot of people would walk the same distance in three days. So, maybe I just made
it harder for myself, but anyway, I had fun. I really just set out to have a good time. I’m still kind of new to trail running and still getting used to it, but I’m getting into it, having a good time, and that’s all that matters. I’m going to talk about my recommendations for hiking or walking the Kumano Kodo, but I do have to say first—if you liked some of the locations I went to in this video, there are so many more. I actually feel like this area of Japan is one of the most underrated in the whole country. I’ve been here so many times—more than I can
count—and every single time, I discover something new. It’s absolutely unreal. If any of this is exciting or interesting to you, you’re going to love my travel guide! I’m sorry to throw an ad in here, but hey, I can sponsor myself now—how good is that? There are so many places in the same area as the Kumano Kodo, so if you’re planning to go there and want to know what else there is to see, check it out. It’s especially good for people who love the outdoors. It’s got all the information you need—public transport, maps,
translations of bus schedules, and things you honestly can’t find anywhere else. I’ve put so much effort and love into this travel guide, and I think you’re really, really going to enjoy it—especially if you love this video and the kinds of things I do on this channel. It’s called “Beyond the Tourist Trail,” and it’s fully comprehensive. I’ve worked super hard on it, so I hope you check it out! Anyway, on to some recommendations. So, the first day of the Kohechi—I don’t know if I’d recommend it. There’s a lot of paved
roads and concrete. If I were you, and I could only pick one section to do, it would be the last section I did—the final day with the beautiful trees. That one had the most sacred, ancient pilgrimage trail vibes. It starts at Hatenashi Mura, which is also a beautiful place in itself. I’ve got a whole video on it—actually, I have a lot of videos from this area if you couldn’t tell! That section, especially the part leading towards the biggest torii gate in the world at the end, was absolutely stunning. I highly recommend it. It wasn’t too challenging, and the views were breathtaking. If you’re planning a
multiple-day hike of the Kumano Kodo, here are a few tips: Book your accommodation early in advance. Maybe avoid summer—it gets super hot. Bring lots of water. Seriously, bring more water than you think you’ll need. There weren’t as many places to fill up my water bottle as I expected, but you’ll be fine if you plan ahead. There’s heaps of information
on the Kumano Kodo website, and they’ve done a great job of mapping it all out, including where to find food, water, and other resources. It’s all beautiful, it’s all nature, and it’s all very historically significant. I really think you’ll love it. Anyway, I hope you liked this video. Thank you so much for watching! If you want to see more
stuff like this, go check out my Instagram—I’m always posting updates there. I also have a Patreon if you want to support me further. And please—like and subscribe! I see you guys—I can see the list. It tells me how many people watching my videos aren’t subscribed. What are you doing? Just hit the button! Anyway, thank you so much for watching, and I’ll see you guys next time. Bye!
2024-12-22 22:19
