Kumano Kodo Day 4: Koguchi to Nachisan

We met our Kodo 'family' hiking group at the trailhead at 0715 as this is the hardest day of the trek.

The first part up to Waroda-ishi rock was not too difficult,

but after that it's just uneven rocks and stairs for several kilometers going up to Echizen-toge pass.

The weather was cold and we even got a bit of snow.

And there were icicles on some trees.

After another smaller pass we reached the Jizo-jaya Teahouse.

The trail then was up and down until Funami-jaya Teahouse

where we had a great view Kii-Katsura where we are staying tonight.

Last bit was down to the Kumano Nachi Taisa Shrine and Nachisan Seiganto- ji temple complex.

The shrine had a hollowed out 850 year old holy camphor tree that granted wishes. You write the wish on a piece of wood and the go into the roots of the tree and out the top for it to be granted.

We celebrated the end end of the trek with a special fish set meal, plum wine and 4 different kinds of saki.