Kumano Kodo

The Kumano Way pilgrimage route is one of the world's major pilgrimage routes, equivalent to the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James). The two routes, twinned since 1998, are the only two pilgrimage routes declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004. It is a network of paths that winds through the mountains of Honshu's Kii Peninsula, connecting the shrines of Kumano Sanzan, an area between the prefectures of Wakayama, Nara, Osaka, and Mie. Pilgrims have been walking it for over a millennium in search of enlightenment. Modern travelers come to experience moments of contemplative silence, communion with nature, and a deeper understanding of Japan's spiritual history. It is well known for its great beauty, the landscapes offered by the routes, with their lush vegetation and mountains, the deep spirituality that comes from completing the path at any of the shrines, and the spectacular stone staircases surrounded by vegetation called Daimonzaka. The route can be started from Kyoto or Osaka, but due to the vast expanse of the Kii Peninsula, where the various shrines are located, it's more common to take the train from Kyoto or Osaka to the Wakayama area to complete the Kumano Kodo. All the Kumano Kodo paths lead to the same destination: the Grand Shrine with a Kumano shrine.