What is Kumano Kodo?

July 2022

The Kumano Kodo is a network of ancient pilgrimage routes, including the famed Kumanokodo Iseji Route, that have been used for more than a thousand years. There are many routes across the Kii Peninsula, connecting Osaka, Kyoto and major spiritual centres such as Ise Shrine, Yoshino and Koyasan in the north with the three sacred shrines of Kumano in the south. Stretching across Nara, Mie and Wakayama prefectures, the region has long been one of Japan’s great centres of spirituality. It is surprising to realise that the total length of the Kumano Kodo routes adds up to more than 1,000 kilometres, and that people travelled such vast distances on foot in earlier times.

What makes the Kumano Kodo particularly fascinating to me is the way spirituality, history and nature are woven together. The pilgrimage routes pass through an extraordinary variety of landscapes, from ancient stone paths softened by green moss and dense forests to mountain ridges and views stretching towards the blue ocean. At the heart of Kumano is a remarkable coexistence of Shinto and Shugendo, local traditions rooted in the worship of nature, with Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan in the sixth century. Rather than existing separately, these traditions have intertwined over centuries, creating a distinctive spiritual landscape that is still alive today.

Ise Shrine — The Heart of the Kumanokodo Iseji Route

We began our journey at Ise Shrine, in the northeast of the Kii Peninsula. Considered the most sacred Shinto shrine in Japan, Ise is dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the Sun Goddess and ancestral deity of the imperial family, as well as Toyouke Omikami, the goddess of food and agriculture. According to Japanese tradition, the emperor is a direct descendant of Amaterasu, making Ise deeply connected with the imperial family. More than 1,500 rituals are performed at the shrine each year, praying for the prosperity of the imperial family and the peace and wellbeing of the nation.

The Ise Shrine is surrounded by some 5,500 hectares of thick, ancient forest, creating a vast green sanctuary around the sacred precincts. The air felt remarkably cool and fresh, and we found ourselves lingering among the trees, forest bathing and simply absorbing the serene atmosphere. There was something deeply calming about walking beneath the canopy, where the sounds of the outside world seemed to fade away.

Japan’s most sacred Shinto sanctuary, Ise Shrine is not one shrine but two — the Outer Shrine (Geku) and the Inner Shrine (Naiku) — surrounded by ancient cedar forests that have stood for millennia. It is the spiritual heart of Japan, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Tucked among the trees, we came across a Noh theatre on the edge of a pond. Looking at the stage reflected in the still water, we imagined how profound it must be to watch a Noh performance here, surrounded by the forest and its quiet presence. The setting itself seemed almost like part of the performance.

We also heard that, from late November through January, people gather near the Ujibashi Torii gate before sunrise to watch the sun emerge directly through the centre of the sacred gateway. We could only imagine the scene: the first light of the day appearing between the pillars, with the forest and shrine slowly awakening around it. Some places seem to ask you to do nothing more than stand still and watch.

The approach to the shrine, known as Okage Yokocho, was lively with shops and restaurants, crowded with pilgrims and tourists eager to experience this sacred place. Amid the bustle, we stopped to watch a traditional drum performance in the street. The rhythmic sound of the drums added a lively contrast to the solemnity of the shrine, reminding us that pilgrimage is not only about quiet contemplation, but also about sharing in the life and traditions of the community.

Along the way, we stopped at several places of spiritual significance, each with its own atmosphere and stories. Given the proximity to Ise Jingu, perhaps it is not surprising that Shinto beliefs, legends, and sacred sites seem to permeate the surrounding landscape. Here, you can easily find yourself stumbling upon what the Japanese call power spots, places believed to possess a particular spiritual energy.

Futami Okitama Shrine: the Wedded Rocks

Our first stop was Futami Okitama Shrine, on the northern shore of Ise-Shima National Park. It was raining heavily that day, but the weather seemed almost to heighten the sense of mystery. Built beside the sea, the shrine felt deeply connected to the elements, with waves breaking against the rocks and mist hanging over the water.

The most striking feature is a pair of sacred rocks known as the Meoto Iwa, or “Wedded Rocks,” rising from the sea. A shimenawa, a sacred rope, stretches between them, marking the boundary between the human and divine realms.

According to Shinto tradition, these rocks are associated with Tokoyo, a sacred realm believed to lie beyond the sea. In ancient Japanese thought, Tokoyo was imagined as a distant, eternal land from which the gods and other blessings could come into the human world. These rocks were thought to be their first steppingstone to enter into the human world. Standing before the rocks, with the vast sea stretching beyond them, it was easy to imagine why such a belief took root here. The boundary between the visible and invisible worlds seemed remarkably thin.

Amano Iwato: Amaterasu’s retreat into the cave

Less than an hour’s drive south brought us to another place associated with one of Japan’s oldest Shinto myths: Amano Iwato, a cave in Isobe. According to the ancient chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, Amaterasu Omikami, the Sun Goddess, withdrew into a cave after becoming angered by the violent behaviour of her younger brother, Susanoo-no-Mikoto. She closed the entrance with a great rock, plunging the world into darkness. Crops failed, disorder spread, and the other gods eventually gathered outside the cave to devise a way to bring her back.

Their efforts were both ingenious and, in the telling of the story, rather theatrical. Through laughter, music, and dancing, they managed to awaken Amaterasu’s curiosity. When she opened the cave slightly to see what was happening, the powerful deity Ameno-Tajikarao-no-Kami seized the opportunity and pulled the great rock away, allowing the sunlight to return to the world.

There are several places across Japan known as Amano Iwato, and this is one of them. Yet its location, so close to the forests surrounding Ise Jingu, makes the association feel quite natural. The setting itself seemed to invite the legend. The cool forest air, the cave filled with water, and a small waterfall still used for purification created an atmosphere that felt almost otherworldly. We filled a big water bottle with the sacred spring water and carried it with us for the rest of our journey. We were not the only ones doing so.

The spring was selected in 1985 as one of Japan’s “100 Remarkable Waters” by the Ministry of the Environment. That recognition, however, is now more than forty years old, so we decided that reverence for sacred water should be accompanied by a little common sense. We boiled it before drinking. Perhaps that is one of the interesting things about visiting places like these. Ancient beliefs and modern life do not necessarily exist separately. They continue to meet each other in small, ordinary acts: offering a prayer, collecting spring water, or simply standing quietly before the sea.

लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु