Kumano Kodo – day 1

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I got up at around half past six, packed my stuff and left the hostel in Osaka. I took the train at nine in a busy Osaka train station, going outbound.

The ride on the train was promised to be very special, as it was going along the coast, going from very developed to more and more rural. I arrived in Tanabe at around 11:00. I got a quick meal at a restaurant nearby and got on the bus to the trailhead.

I arrived there at half past twelve and after visiting the shop and getting a stamp book I was on my way at about one o’clock. The guy in the little shop was so kind to give me a little book to collect stamps.

The first Oji at the trail head was already a beautiful introduction to the trail and what was about to come. It was very beautiful (especially with all the colorful leaves) and quite mystical.

After a brief visit to the first Oji, I was on the trail. The trail was only going up and up. It started raining again and again, but it was not too bad, as it was only light rain and always stopped again after a few minutes.

The path was going through a thick forest uphill, as it is quite common in Japan. You could not see much of the surrounding mountains.

There was a small outlook where you could look over the surrounding landscape. I found it great to see that you could see where the trail goes underneath the canopy because of the different color of the trees that surround the trail.

I heard some sounds again and again. I was wondering what it was (screaming and singing sounds). Then I saw a Japanese hiking group (it turned out they were trying to get an echo out of the opposite mountain and singing while hiking). I overtook them. I said „Konnichi wa“ to everyone. they were really nice.

I came by some really nice autumn leaves. And into a nice town. By this time the rain started to pour down consistently and it raining harder. I was wearing my down jacket that I thought was waterproof. I now found out that it isn’t… It was slowly getting soaked with water.

There was a little shop with a shelter on the map. I thought that I may be could stay for the night there. But it wasn’t really suited for this as the rest area was just an extension of the shop.
I asked the girl working there if there is any food. But the shop was only for souvenirs. She asked me where I was staying. I said I stay in a tent.

I asked her if I could buy one of the umbrellas they were standing in a corner. She said they were Wasuremono (忘れ物), things that were forgotten and gave me an umbrella for free.

When I left she gave me a Clementine and a banana. What a kind gesture. 🙂

I went in the direction of a cafe they beside the trail. She said I could get food there. I arrived there and an old lady made me some delicious dinner (rice with curry). We talked a little bit and she asked me where I will stay for the night. I said in the tent outside. She got a bit worried as it was really cold and still raining pretty hard. So she offered me to sleep on the floor in the cafe. I was really happy about this offer.

They had a cute black cat with long black hair that I really liked. There was a frog trapped in a plastic bag of lettuce, moving every ten minutes.

In the evening I started to get really, really thirsty. I had to drink so much tap water. Also I started to get a headache.

I guess it was the fresh mountain air and the good water that had a detoxifying effect on my body.

Oh yes, the path, before I arrived at the cafe, in the evening fog was really amazing.

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