Kumano Kodo is a road that connects the past and the present. I walked through world heritage sites full of history and nature and experienced a lot of power! : Ai Yamamoto’s view! Kumano edition

[See Ai Yamamoto! ] What is it?
Actress Ai Yamamoto from Mie Prefecture travels around Mie Prefecture! This is a travel report article that introduces in his own writing what he ``saw, heard, and felt'' by visiting tourist spots in Mie Prefecture himself.
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Kumano KumanoCity Prefecture.
Located in the southern tip of Mie Prefecture, surrounded by mountains and the sea, this area is rich in nature and is home to the Kumano Kodo, a world heritage site, which is loved as a power spot.

This time, I would like to visit Kumano Kodo's Matsumoto Pass and various other popular spots, and fully enjoy Kumano, a charming town full of history and nature.

Our starting point this time is the Onigajo Center in KumanoCity, near the world heritage site Onigajo.
It is about 600m from Onigajo Center to the entrance of Matsumoto Pass, where we will be climbing this time, via the park road and National Route 42.
Walk to the entrance while overlooking the beautiful deep blue sea!

This time I will be walking Matsumoto Pass on the Kumano Kodo.
Kumano Kodo Iseji has many courses, from easy for beginners to mountain passes for advanced climbers, allowing you to enjoy a variety of scenery as you walk.
Matsumoto Pass is a safe hiking course even for beginner mountain climbers, and is one of the most popular courses with many things to see.
I was filled with excitement at the thought of being able to walk the Kumano Kodo for the first time, which I had seen many times in photos and on TV! I'll go right away♪

As soon as you start climbing, a moss-covered cobblestone road begins and you can enjoy the atmosphere typical of Kumano Kodo.
The stepped stone pavement was created in the Edo period, and it still remains intact today, with the sides covered with beautiful stone walls.
The atmosphere in the mountains is very magical. The path is wide and easy to walk.
In HigashiKishu where there is a lot of rain, dirt roads would be washed away, so many cobblestone roads were built to prevent the mud from washing away.
It's strange and moving to think that thanks to the wisdom of our ancestors, we too are able to walk this beautiful Kumano Kodo.

Kumano Kodo is a general term for the old roads that connect the Kumano Sanzan (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha) in the southern part of the Kii Peninsula with Ise, Osaka, Wakayama, Koya, and Yoshino.
The Kumano Kodo is wide-ranging and includes five other routes, including Iseji, Kiiji, Kohechi, Nakahechi, and Ohechi.
In 2004, it was registered as a World Heritage Site as a ``Sacred Site and Pilgrimage Route in the Kii Mountain Range,'' and has attracted attention as a healing spot, attracting tourists not only from Japan but from all over the world.

After walking for about 20 minutes, you will see a 1.8m tall Jizo statue standing at an altitude of 147m.
Matsumoto Pass, where the teahouse ruins and Jizo statues are located, is covered in a bamboo forest, creating a completely different world.
There is also a bench at the pass, so you can replenish your hydration here. It's a perfect place for a break♪

Now then, this Jizo statue. If you look closely, there is a small gun scratch on the foot.
It is said that this scratch was caused when Shinzaemon Oma, who was passing through this path on the day the Jizo statue was placed, mistook it for a monster and fired a gun at it in surprise.
Please try to find it when you go ♪

After walking for about 5 minutes from Matsumoto Pass, you will arrive at Azumaya.
This is a spectacular view that can be said to be one of the highlights of Kumano Kodo Iseji! !
Have the majestic Shichirimihama all to yourself! You can see Shichirimihama Beach, which stretches for about 25km to Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, and the mountain range. Get excited to the max with the luxurious scenery♪
You can also take beautiful photos!

After enjoying the scenery, get off the cobblestone road and head into the town of Kimoto KumanoCity! Oh, it was fun!
In just over an hour, we were able to enjoy a variety of scenery including the ocean, mountains, cobblestones, and bamboo forests!
The air was delicious and clear, and I felt very refreshed.

On the way back, I heard that there was another Jizo statue, so I got off looking for it, but this time I couldn't find it. I'll definitely find it next time! ! !

After getting down to the city, the next place we came to was Shichirimihama.
The coast that I saw from the gazebo earlier was right in front of me...I was very moved by the wonderful view of the long ocean! ! !
Shichirimihama is the longest gravel beach in Japan, stretching approximately 22km from KumanoCity to KihoTown, and is a very beautiful beach that has been selected as one of the 100 best natural beaches to preserve in the 21st century and one of Japan's 100 best beaches. is.
It seems that it was once used as the Hamakaido road of Kumano Kodo.

While walking on the beach, I found a cute heart-shaped stone♪
The beach was covered with round, colorful "Mihama pebbles" that washed up from the upper reaches of the Kumano River, and it was fun just walking around.
The color of the sea is a beautiful clear blue, and it is so beautiful and comfortable that you can forget the time and just stare at it for a long time.

The famous Kumano Fireworks Festival is held on August 17th every year, and many visitors from all over the country visit this beach.
I want to go too! ! !

The sound of the waves hitting the pebbles is indescribably soothing and soothing.
It felt so good that I wanted to take a nap while listening to the sound of the waves ♪

On this coast, you can also see Shishiiwa, which is designated as a national scenic beauty and natural monument and is also registered as a World Heritage Site.
It is made up of a large rock with a circumference of approximately 210m, and its imposing appearance at approximately 25m in height is a sight to behold!
As the name suggests, it looks like a lion roaring towards the sea! It's so powerful that it looks like it's about to start barking!
Beautiful forms created by nature. It's Appare! ! !

After walking a lot, we will have lunch at "Ristorante Marina" on the 2nd floor of Onigajo Center, the starting place♪
This Onigajo Center has a corner with plenty of souvenirs from around Kumano, as well as a cafe and restaurant.
The first thing I tried was the shop's recommended ``Kumanonada red sea bream and tuna red and white bowl''.
Kumano sea bream and tuna with plenty of green onions are fresh, sweet, and just delicious! It's marinated in a special sauce and goes so well with rice that you won't be able to stop eating it with chopsticks!
This is an exquisite rice bowl that you can eat with ease♪
This restaurant also has terrace seating, so it's great to have lunch while looking out at the beautiful ocean! That's one word♪

I also got a set of Onigajo ramen and Mehari-sushi ♪

The elegant taste of light soy sauce ramen contains KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) ♪
KumanoJidori(TheLocalBrandChicken) has just the right texture and is full of flavor!
The soup and noodles were both really delicious and full-bodied ramen.

Also included in the set is Mehari-sushi, a local dish from the Kumano region.
Mehari-sushi is a rice ball wrapped in lightly pickled mustard leaves, and is a popular dish among locals and tourists alike.
The name comes from the fact that it is ``delicious to the point of eye-opening''.
In the past, it was used as a substitute for farmers' lunch boxes!
Indeed, its deliciousness is astounding. The gentle taste of salted pickled mustard greens and rice balls will warm your heart.
This is a dish that you will definitely want to eat every time you come to Kumano♪

After eating all the delicious food, it's time for dessert!
This time we will have “Nihime soft serve ice cream”♪
Niihime is a small and cute citrus fruit with a diameter of about 3 cm that was discovered in KumanoCity. It is characterized by its strong acidity and refreshing aroma, similar to sudachi.
The soft serve ice cream mixed with Niihime has a refreshing flavor that spreads in your mouth with just one bite. The gentle sweetness of cheesecake fills your mouth and is truly delicious! ! ! I ate it in one go ♪
This soft serve ice cream was very popular and it was very impressive to see so many people eating it.
It's a must-see when you stop by Onigajo Center♪

The last place we came to was Onigajo, which is just a short walk from Onigajo Center.
As we walked along the promenade, we saw a small island across the sea. According to the information board, it appears to be an island called Mamirugashima.
``It's an island with an unusual name,'' I thought, so I read the information board.
There is a legend about this island, which the locals call ``Mabrika.''
During the Heian period, when Sakanoue Tamuramaro was on his way to kill the demons Onigajo on the orders of Emperor Kakitake, a kappa appeared, and the demon, distracted by it, let his guard down and opened the rock door. At that moment, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was attacked by a divine arrow. It is said that he killed the demon by releasing it.
If you come into contact with the legend of Onigajo, you will become more involved in exploring Onigajo.
Let's walk further♪

After walking along the promenade for about 5 minutes, you will arrive at Onigajo 's Senjojiki.
A huge rock canopy 15m high on a wide rocky plain.
It was so impressive that the moment I saw it, I exclaimed in surprise and excitement, "Wow...!"
The astonishing scenery created by years of erosion by waves and changes caused by large earthquakes is truly a sight to behold! It was beautiful...

The promenade continues further, but the handrails on the promenade were damaged due to the typhoon, so a portion of it is currently closed to traffic. I will definitely come again!

After playing and having fun, head to the nearby Onigajo East Exit bus stop.
This time I used Mie Kotsu Bus's Kumano Kodo Line Free Ticket to go and return.

This ticket was created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Kumano Kodo's registration as a World Heritage Site, and is a great value ticket that allows you to freely ride buses on designated routes in the Nanki area for 2 days, starting from Matsusaka Station.

With this ticket, you are sure to be able to fully enjoy the Kumano and Nanki areas, which are home to various sightseeing spots!

This concludes this trip.
This trip was a very happy trip as I saw many beautiful scenery and ate delicious food♪ Various unexplored areas and scenic spots created by nature, which has been watching over people since ancient times.

Why not come visit Kumano, experience its power, and be fully healed?

<Ai Yamamoto Profile>
Born in 1995, from Mie Prefecture. She made her debut as an actress in the 2016 drama ``Tokyo Joshi Zukan''. After that, he appeared in TV dramas such as ``Detective Story'' (18), and made his first regular appearance in a drama series in ``Todome no Kiss'' (18). She made her screen debut in the movie ``Your Bird Sings'' (2018), and has many other works waiting for release, including the movie ``Donten Town'' (19). In addition to acting, she is also active in a wide range of activities, including appearances as a reporter on Mie Television and TV Aichi programs.