Travel with Amateur Traveler Podcast AT#672 - Kumano Kodo Trail in Japan
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Sep 7, 2019 Sherry Ott, a travel writer and photographer known for her immersive adventures, shares her insights on the Kumano Kodo Trail in Japan. She describes the trail's historical significance and sacred status. Sherry discusses practical tips like itineraries, packing essentials, and Japan's unique luggage transfer services. Her experience hiking with a Yamabushi monk provides a glimpse into cultural rituals, while her tales of ryokan stays and breathtaking cedar forests highlight the trek's serene and immersive nature. Discover more at Otsworld.com!
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Travel Light Or Use Luggage Transfer
- Pack light and consider a daypack since lodging provides robes, slippers, and toiletries.
- Use Japan's luggage-transfer services to send bigger bags ahead and avoid carrying them between inns.
Ancient Pilgrimage With Three Shrines
- The Kumano Kodo routes date to the Heian period when emperors made long purification pilgrimages from Kyoto.
- Visiting the three major shrines defines the pilgrimage even though modern hikers start locally rather than from Kyoto.
Shinto And Buddhism Intertwined On The Trail
- Shinto and Buddhism merged historically in Japan and both shape Kumano Kodo's rituals and sacred sites.
- The trail emphasizes nature worship and purification rituals at small shrines as much as temple visits.