Kumano River World Heritage River Pilgrimage Route

The morning bus picked us up from Yunomine Onsen at 8:40 AM and took us along a winding road to our destination, the Kumano River.

Like most of the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage itinerary, I knew little about the Kumano River. Or, as I told Fafa, I only knew we would be taking a boat crossing the Kumano River.

Michi-no Eki Kumano River

The view from the bus was rather spectacular — winding roads, hilly forests, occasional clusters of homes forming beautiful little villages, and the bluest water flowing through the river were all so vivid. I tried to memorize it because the iPhone couldn’t capture it.

Halfway through our bus journey, I noticed a family of foreigners boarding the bus—a father, mother, two sons, and possibly their grandmother. They spoke what seemed to be Schweizerdeutsch; were they Swiss, or were they Dutch? I wondered for a while before realizing I wouldn’t know the difference.

Eventually, the bus dropped us off on the roadside at the Michi-no Eki Kumano River bus stop, where two sheds stood opposite.

The first one was a small Japanese restaurant, Kachan No Mise. We went inside, got drinks, and a postcard. Then we went to the second shed.

A young Japanese guide enthusiastically greeted us in front of it, “Welcome to the Kumano River Boat Tour!” She then instructed us to leave our bags in the white van outside.

I, for one, was glad and didn’t need to be told twice. I immediately unloaded my heavy bag and sighed with relief. Fafa, on the other hand, was worried about his wallet. “Bring your wallet with you“, I suggested. Then he fretted about his passport, wondering if it might get wet if he took it on the boat. He asked if I was taking mine. “No,” I replied. “If I lose my passport, there are worse things than staying in Japan for an additional period while waiting for a new one to be issued.“. He agreed and kept his back in the bag.

After sorting out all the personal admin, we went inside for the official admin. We were asked to read the instructions, acknowledge that we had read them, wear our safety vests, and—if we wanted to—wear the cute pilgrimage hat.

I also got a Kumano River Boat stamp (blue color) and a Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage stamp (red color) here. Heads up, these two are different stamps. Don’t stamp the Kumano River Boat stamp into your official Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage stamp booklet.

Then, off we went to the riverfront, greeted by the rower and guide. We also shared the boat with the German family I saw on the bus and an Asian guy doing the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage solo. Right on the dot at 10 AM, off we went.

Kumano River World Heritage River Pilgrimage Route

Kumano River was a section of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route between Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine and Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine. It’s the only world heritage river pilgrimage route. For centuries, pilgrims have made the journey to Kumano through this route, boarding traditional wooden flat-bottom boats—as we did that day.

The guide shared many exciting and important tidbits throughout our boat ride about the Kumano River and the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage. The river is historically and culturally well-preserved.

Then, more than halfway through, the guide whipped out a flute and started playing, and she played beautifully. The scenic view of the winding blue river and the music—it was such a serene moment.

We also passed a miniature island called Mifune Island. It’s believed the local deities first appeared here. Every year, during the autumn festival at Hayatama Shrine, boats racing from different neighbourhoods of Shingu City row upstream to this island and circle it three times as a reenactment of the deities’ appearance.

Before we knew it, the wooden boat stopped on the other side of the Kumano River, where the same white van with our bags was waiting. It picked us up and dropped us off outside Kumano Hongu Taisha, where we continued our Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route for the day.

Reflecting back, this was a part of the pilgrimage over which we had the least control. I didn’t know how deep the river was, what kind of river fish it had, or whether we would end up on the other side. But it was also a part where I could completely zone out without worrying about uphill climbing while carrying my bag or encountering snakes.

It was lovely and provided a break that added nuance to our Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage – definitely worth adding to your Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage itinerary.

Kumanogawa River Boat Tour Center operates every day at 10 AM and 2:30 PM (90-minute boat ride).

Address: Tanago 54-8, Kumanogawa-town, Shingu-city, 647-1212, Wakayama, Japan.

You can make the reservation through Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau - www.kumano-travel.com

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