The next day sees us taking a bus from Yunomine Onsen to the start of our trail at Ukegawa.
It’s easy, just pull a ticket stub when you enter through the back door.
When you leave, just pay the amount shown matching your ticket stub number.
Start of trail
There are some old teahouse remains… since teahouses were constructed using wood, there aren’t any traces left except for flat clearings on the side of the hill.
This part of Kumano Kodo, called the Kogumotori-goe and the Ogumotori-goe aren’t as well travelled as the route to Hongu.
Hence route is less well maintained, but still serviceable.
There are some nice views of the surrounding mountains.
There are some “poem monuments” about but, we can’t read japanese.
There were some strange (to us) looking trees/plants too.
The hike from Ukegawa to Koguchi is relatively short, so we reached our accommodation early in the afternoon. A note of warning though, there aren’t any restaurants here and we had to get some bread and pears for lunch at a shop.
Koguchi Shizen-no-Le is an accommodation converted from a school house and is charming in its own right.
The long corridor really invokes the classroom feel.
Still, food’s good. Dinner’s charming as well as we got to eat in a school canteen. The novelty of it!
The next day saw us walking from Koguchi to Nachi and the first bad omen was this sign informing us of a landslide and a detour to the first landmark, Waroda Rock.
It rained on and off that day and we were constantly in our raincoats. This route had more moss covering than previous trails and the going is slippery on the rocky stairs.
There’s a part of the trail that’s quite tough as it ascends continuously for 2 hours. However it should be no problem to hikers who’d done mountains.
This part of the trail is dark and misty, not sure it’s a characteristic of being nearer to the ocean or that typhoon Talas was approaching. Yes, we did hike 2 days before typhoon Talas was projected to hit our area! Talk about timing.
Lots of slippery moss covered rocks. The mist makes everything looks so eerie and mystical… We faced strong winds and light rain for the rest of the day.
At last we reach Kumano Nachi Taisha. Of the 3 Kumano Sanzan (3 shrines), we just missed out on the Kumano Hatayama Taisha due to tight schedule.
We also visited Nachi-no-Otaki falls, highest waterfall in Japan. Just amazing.
To ease our travel aches, we stayed at the Hotel Nakanoshima. Nope, not a Ryokan, but a full blown hotel, which in our opinion was the best accommodation ever! It’s located at an island in the bay of Kii-Katsuura, ocean facing views, open air onsen, and finally, our very own private bathrooms. A real luxury in Japan where public baths are common.
Food is delicious.
And Kumano Beef… which we thinks is the local “Kobe beef”. Melts like butter in our mouths.
The hotel is super new, which apparently is different from the one written in the Lonely Planet Guide. Thank goodness because the review for that hotel wasn’t good. So anyone interested should look up the name of this hotel instead.
Hey, an Haagen-Daaz ice-cream vending machine in the hotel, which gives some idea as to the Hotel’s classiness.
There’s an outdoor onsen footbath as well, will the wonders never cease?
Great views of rock formations off the island of Hotel Nakanoshima.
The breakfast dining area. Classy.
Kii-Katsuura harbour. Idyllic. The next day we had to leave for Kyoto but it was lucky that we did cause the next day saw high waves battering the Wakayama prefecture, disrupting train services. We could have been trapped by Typhoon Talas if we stayed longer!
And for those who’d watched the cove, we passed the town!
We had a bit of a delay when touching down at the Floating Kansai International Airport, which meant the well laid plan done by our agent (http://www.insidejapantours.com/) suffered a hiccup. The Japanese and their buses and trains really are punctual to the dot but unfortunately China Eastern Airlines did not cooperate. My guess is that it will be the last time wifey book them for flights.
LUCKILY, the tourist counter at Kansai Airport helped us to call the owner of our first Ryokan (guest house) that we were staying at to arrange to pick us up from another bus stop or else we would have been really stranded. It was also the last time that we have a good English conversation with a Japanese as most of them aren’t any good at it.
However, what they lack in English, they made up for it in hospitality.
The owner of Ryokan Tsukinoya at Chikatsuyu were our saviour as he graciously pick us up from a bus stop 10 minutes away late at night, from the LAST bus. Charming little place.
day time view of Chikatsuyu, the quiet little place we were staying at.
the corridors of Ryokan Tsukinoya
The owners fed us like kings and queens, although I was told that it was a typical Japanese full course meal. I told my wife I was 120% full and felt bad about not finishing the gohan (rice).
The owner flitted in and out of the dining room, enquiring about our plans and gave some advice on the hiking ahead. We were talking like Chicken to Duck but thankfully the Japanese Phrasebook (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japan-Original-Point-Speak-Book/dp/4795818436) we borrowed helped us some in the communication. The owner’s wife also came in at one point and gave us some paper to write our prayers and wishes for her to hang on a tree on the next festival. Really warm and caring couple, until one point me and my wife felt like we were their adopted children.
Room’s typical Japanese and there’s aircond for the warm season.
The next day saw the owner taking us on a car trip to the beginning of the hiking trail which was totally generous and sporting of him! It wasn’t in his need to do so but he did it anyway, making sure we visit the Gyuba-doji statue.
Nonaka-no-Shimizu spring. I think it was a traditional holy water ablution place but we didn’t quite understood what the Ryokan owner wanted us to do from his frantic gestures and pointing. 
Tsugizakura-oji. With it’s impressive Torii gate and hige trees, truly a magical place.
And apparently a tree grafted onto another tree here. Glad the owner took us to see these places before he drop us off at Kobiro-Oji to start walking.
Right the trail proper, there are markers every 500m to show our progress, and also to convince us we are still on the trail. We did not start from the actual start which apparently goes all the way back to Takijiri-Oji.
Proper direction and signage means zero chance of getting lost. Furthermore, we came prepared with printed out route maps, full colour (get it here: http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/nakahechi.html)
All interesting stops came with information signs with English translations.
For those hardcore hikers, there are various “stamps” located along the route which you can mark on your paper to show that you have passed the spot!
The connifer forest of Japan differs from our Malaysian tropical rainforest, trees are tall and straight. And the branches some how point in a single direction.
There are small shrines along the route, which really reminds us that this IS a pilgrimmage route!
Some statues are just on the ground.
Others are wrapped carefully because apparently, Kamis need warmth too!
A fellow lizard traveller…
Our traditional Bento lunch, it really is just rice balls, but flavoured.
Finally we reached… Kumano Hongu Taisha, the focus of the pilgrimmage trail we were on. Apparently Kumano Kodo was named a World Heritage Area partly because the Kumano Gods were historically tolerant of all genders and faiths!
Our present to ourselves for completing day 1 hike: Macha Ice-Cream! Tasty.
Our lodging for the night: Ryokan Azumaya, which according to our Ryokan Tsukinoya owner is:”number one!”
Number one in Yunomine Onsen area, that is. One of the older hot spring places.
Room’s good
Food’s good. And there’s all sort of Onsen specials: Onsen egg, Onsen tea, Onsen rice, etc.
And no kidding, eggs being boiled in public.
There’s a World Heritage wooden bathhouse here but… we’ll just bath in the Ryokan’s open air hot spring pool, thank you. We aren’t Hot Spring enthusiast.
We spend the next day exploring Hongu and an interesting tidbit: Kumano Kodo is like the Rising sun Pilgrimmage trail and there is a “Setting sun” Pilgrimmage trail in Spain called: The St. James Way.
I think it’s about 800 kilometres long so don’t think we’ll be attempting it…
end of Part one.
When Lonely Planet and Inside Japan Tour Agency both recommended Yoshikawa Tempura, you know you have to just try it.
And it indeed is something special!
The entrees/starters are really works of art (more so than other japanese food we have tasted)
And their specialty: having an over the counter chef cook your tempura right before your eyes!
The ingredients are fresh,
and the batter light and crispy.
When me and wife first went in, there were only two of us and the chef really took care to start on our next tempura only when we start eating the ones in front of us.
prawn
lotus root
sweet potato
asparagus
cuttlefish
eggplant + long bean
mushroom + corn
There were delicious salads and kakiage too!
The decor was cool too!
After dinner, we were in for a treat! Usually the inner tatami rooms need reservations and somehow they liked us and upgraded us to a room for our desert!
And the view of the inner garden from the tatami room… oh. my. god.
Them japanese are just full of surprises! You would never guess such a beautiful garden from such an understated shop front… somemore it is in an out of the way backlane-ish area.
Oh, and for reference, here’s the bill.
And still, highly recommended. Drop in while you’re in Kyoto!
Hi this is Bubbles, full time toy pet of Li Li and Aik Yong, also occasional blogger, snort snort.
Where am I? Why it’s in the Villa Samadhi, a relaxing retreat in the heart of KL. It’s off Jalan Ampang. Don’t believe? It’s shocking but true!
Feast your eyes on this!
And this!
A thai styled resort located in a huge bungalow spot with limited and exclusive rooms…
It’s got that tropical vibe going
Nice place for a pig to lounge…
Fishys too! Koi of course… so how’s the room?
Ta da! Really high bed, not sure why
Here’s how it looks at night
Comes with lazy chair… snort snort and complimentary fresh local fruits
Here’s the TV and oh, complimentary cookies, complimentary dried fruits, complimentary after dinner chocolate mint… is there anything they don’t compliment?
Here’s the night view, sorry lightings’ not good for my camera
There’s complimentary TWG tea and Cadbury hot chocolate
Nice smell!
Wardrobe area, sorry night view only
And here’s the wwwhhhhaaa???
Sorry, false alarm, it’s just the tap. Bathroom’s cool, complimentary toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, so on and so on
Shower area…
Night view… they light up the candles! They’ve got a fire theme going on here
Wwwhhhaaa??? Don’t take photo while i’m doing business!
Night photo, that’s better
What do you know? Personal jacuzzi! Worth price of entry
More rrrrooomantic at nite.
That’s all from me. Now go have your breakfast while I chillaks
Restaurant decor
White and black bread?
Poached eggs with salted cod, fine dining style
Omelette and bacon
Flavoured tea
Front porch
Front porch night view
decor
Entrance to room
Goodbye!
Errr… guys? Hey! Don’t leave without mmmeeeee…..
After spending 2 days visting monasteries and palaces in Lhasa, we finally got out. First picture we took? why of an open sky toilet of course…
some scenery along the way to Shigatse, 2nd largest town in Tibet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigatse
we stop and took some pictures at the Lhasa river and Brahmaputra river confluence
some pictures at a high mountain pass with Yamdrok Lake as the backdrop http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamdrok_lake
riding yak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yak
photo with the tibetan mastiff http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_mastiff
Yamdrok Lake
Kharola Glacier http://www.sinowaytravel.com/Gyantse-Attractions/Karola-Glacier.904.aspx
Tiger Balm for the high altitude sickness girl… also for entering tibetan toilets, uueekkk!
tonight’s dinner: Yak pizza (you knew it was coming)
yet another Monastery, this one’s Tashihunpo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tashilhunpo_Monastery
ringing the bell is a custom for going into this monastery
A picture which i’m just calling the “4 harmonies” apparently the bird is the eldest, so it is on top. Tthe big elephant is the youngest so it must carry the rest. The bird found the seed, the rabbit sow it and the monkey took care of it. the elephant enjoys the shade and the fruits of the labour, and so it must respect its elders the bird, rabbit and monkey. With respect then there will be harmony.
Monks selling old clothes of the poor.
Laborer carrying wheat
Shigatse market
Tsampa
Yak Cheese
Potato
Whole dried goat
We took the road less travelled from Shigatse back to Lhasa and it was a bumpy one without proper paved road, the car’s talisman was swinging violently back and forth
photos of the villages passed by in the road less travelled
a village famous for making incense, see my videos of the incense making device http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150200755141984
there are various checkpoints on Tibetan “highways” to ensure vehicles do not speed. Thank God because there are suicidal chinese drivers here as well.
A scenic trip to lake Namtso http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namtso
There we experienced a sudden snow storm, burr, cold cold cold!
Our last itinery was to see the Monks debating at Sera Monastery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sera_Monastery
There are various gestures for the debate, check out my video of the proceedings. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150200746371984
Good bye!
bonus picture: travellers engrossed in a game of Carcassonne even as the plane boarding call came in!
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