From Kumano City to the Kumano Kodo: An Abundance of Natural Wonders
The area around Kumano City is packed with incredible things to see and do, from the ancient cobblestone hiking trails of Kumano Kodo to the unusual Onigajo rock formations, to Japan’s oldest shrine, Hana no Iwaya Shrine, and the must-see Maruyama Senmaida Terraced Rice Paddies. It makes a satisfying one-day tour.
Written by Adam Douglas
Table of contents
・Kumano Kodo: Matsumoto-toge Pass
・Onigajo and Lunch
・Hana no Iwaya Shrine
・Shishi-iwa
・Maruyama Senmaida Terraced Rice Paddies
・Mehari-Zushi (Sushi)
・Wrap-up
Kumano Kodo: Matsumoto-toge Pass
I had always wanted to hike the network of pilgrimage trails of the Kumano Kodo, Kumano City. My route was a loop, starting at the Onigajo Center, heading up to Matsumoto-toge Pass, enjoying the view of Shichiri Mihama Beach from the pavilion, and then returning to Onigajo.
The trailhead for Matsumoto-toge-pass
I’m not an experienced hiker but the route, at only 4.1km and with a top elevation of 135m, was fun for even a beginner like me.
The hike was not difficult at all
Kumano Kodo is famous for its forested cobblestone trails so I could soak up the gorgeous atmosphere. A fan of Japanese history, I could imagine myself as a religious pilgrim of the samurai era.
Reaching the peak of the mountain, I came across a statue of Jizo. I was happy to see this guardian deity of travelers and surprised to learn that a hunter once mistook the statue for a ghost and shot it!
The Jizo statue at the top of the trail
Continuing, I marveled at the cobblestones underneath my feet. Each stone was a unique shape, unlike the precut and patterned cobblestones we frequently see today, and I could really feel how they were made in a different era.
Such unique, old cobblestones
I next came across a pavilion, from which I could get a breath-taking and unobstructed view of Shichiri Mihama Beach below.
The view of Shichiri Mihama Beach from the pavilion
From the pavilion, I took the hiking course back down to Onigajo.
Onigajo and Lunch
I love castles and I love Japan’s folklore monsters, especially oni. Something like ogres, they’re fearsome creatures with red or blue skin and horns. So, I was definitely excited to see Onigajo, the Castle of the Oni! A massive rock formation shaped by the erosion of waves and weather over time, it certainly looked like the kind of place that ogres would live.
Onigajo is a truly remarkable rock formation
You can get a sense of the scale of Onigajo from the people at the bottom
After all the hiking, I was feeling hungry, so I stopped in at the Onigajo Center for lunch. The restaurant has a view of the sea and there’s even a gift shop to buy souvenirs, like Niihime (a sour citrus fruit) foods, and a delicious orange juice–Mihama Mikan Juice.
Two oni welcoming you to Onigajo Center
Hana no Iwaya Shrine
The only thing I like more than Japanese castles and monsters is shrines, so my next destination was Hana no Iwaya Shrine. Japan’s oldest shrine, it actually doesn’t have a shrine building! Instead, you pray to a 45m-tall boulder, which acts as the repository for the god. Fascinating!
The entrance to Hana no Iwaya Shrine
Unlike most shrines, Hana no Iwaya doesn’t have a building, this large boulder is the shrine
Shishi-iwa
My next stop was another unique rock, this one called Shishi-iwa. Meaning Lion Rock, this famous boulder is said to look like a lion roaring at the sea. Seeing it there at the top of the cliff, I thought that it did look like the King of the Jungle, his mouth open in mid-roar. Talk about an impactful site. There’s a rumor that the rock was placed here to guard the nearby Omajinja Shrine.
Shishi-iwa, roaring towards the sea
They hold a big fireworks festival in this area every summer. It must be incredible to watch fireworks exploding over the beach with that rock lion roaring.
Maruyama Senmaida Terraced Rice Paddies
Among Japan's renowned landscapes, terraced rice fields stand out as a captivating sight. So, excited to learn that one of the country’s best-terraced rice fields, Maruyama Senmaida, was just 30 minutes away by car from the Onigajo area.
Maruyama Senmaida is simply stunning
It was absolutely worth the drive. 1340 rice paddies dot the hillside of Maruyama Senmaida, with a height difference of 160 meters from bottom to top. They don’t have anything like this where I’m from.
Mehari-Zushi (Sushi)
I had some extra time, so I decided to try making a local sushi specialty of Kumano, called Mehari-zushi. When you think of sushi, you probably imagine raw fish on rice. Mehari-zushi is different. It’s more like onigiri, the famous Japanese rice ball, but instead of nori seaweed, I learned to wrap it in pickled mustard leaf. It had a uniquely refreshing flavor, one that I was glad to try.
Mehari-zushi is wrapped in a pickled mustard leaf
If you have the time, I recommend that you try making Mehari-zushi for yourself. There are different ingredients to put in it and it’s often served with udon noodles.