Takijiri-oji to Takahara
Entry
- Distance
- 4 km
- Climb
- 430 m up, 200 m down
- Ground
- 100 to 450 m
- Time
- 2 to 3 hours
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Underfoot
- forest, mountain, dirt
Where this day sits on the Kumano Kodo
Above, the highest and lowest ground of each of its 4 stages. Below, the word each day is given.
From open-pilgrimages: each stage's highest and lowest ground and its interior theme.
The day
Takijiri-oji stands at the confluence of two rivers, where pilgrims traditionally waded into the water to purify themselves before entering the divine realm. The climb from the river to Takahara is immediate and steep — the mountain makes no concessions to your arrival. By the time you reach the ridge, you understand: you have left the ordinary world behind.
What pilgrims often meet here
- The sudden transition from road to ancient forest
- The quality of silence in the cedar groves
- Arriving at Takahara in the mist and feeling the isolation
What did you leave behind at the gate?
The ground
Short but steep. The initial climb from Takijiri-oji announces the character of the route — ancient cedar forests, moss-covered stone, and relentless ascent. Takahara is a mountain settlement known as 'the village in the mist'.
The light
Sunrise and sunset in Takijiri-oji depend on the day you walk.
Walk it with Pilgrim
In Pilgrim's Honor mode you can walk this stage as it is drawn here, and save its maps for days with no signal. The morning opens with this day's word, Entry, and its story. When you arrive, it asks the question above, and you can answer out loud. Your walk stays on your phone.
With Pilgrim on your phone, this opens the stage, ready to begin. Without it, you'll see the stage and where to get the app.