Iseji Route – Matsumoto-toge PassThe Kumano Kodo Iseji — Japan’s World Heritage Pilgrimage Trail
Connecting Ise Jingu and the Kumano Sanzan—two of Japan’s most sacred sites—the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route has guided pilgrims for centuries. My journey took me from the historic Nakasendo Highway back to Nagoya, then onward along this revered trail.
In 2004, the Kumano Kodo was designated a World Heritage Site as part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. It is one of only two pilgrimage routes in the world to receive this designation, the other being Spain’s Camino de Santiago.
Both the Nakasendo and the Kumano Kodo are historic routes, but they were shaped for very different purposes. The Edo shogunate developed the Nakasendo to govern and connect the country, while the Kumano Kodo evolved as a pilgrimage trail—a path of faith winding through mountains and forests. Its mystical atmosphere stems from its geography: this region, one of the rainiest in Japan, lies close to the sea. Tall trees arch over the path, their canopy filtering light into a shifting green dusk. Beneath them, moss blankets old stone paving once laid to hold back rain-soaked earth, marking the patient passage of time. Together, these elements weave an air of timeless reverence, far removed from the practical feel of the Nakasendo.
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The Matsumoto-toge Pass is one of the most inviting highlights of the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route. Here, travelers can wander along short forest paths of an hour or two or take unhurried half-day hikes, each step leading deeper into a landscape of moss-draped stones and age-old trees. With its easy access and flexible paths, it’s the perfect place for first-time visitors to step into the quiet world of the Kumano Kodo.
Long isolated by rugged mountains, the area became much more accessible with the opening of the Kumano–Owase Road in 2021. Today, the Onigajo Center welcomes travelers with a spacious free parking lot, restrooms, and a tourist information desk. To reach the trailhead for the Matsumoto-toge Pass, simply walk back to Route 42 from the parking area and follow it for a few minutes toward Owase.
At the trailhead, wooden walking sticks—carefully prepared by local volunteers—stand neatly in a row, ready to guide travelers up the mossy path. Picking one up lets you share in the spirit of the pilgrims who once walked these same stones. An English audio guide is also available through their app, with details posted at the entrance.
Just past the entrance, the trail greets you with the iconic stone steps that give the Kumano Kodo its timeless character. This steep slope is lined with stones laid during the Edo period (1603–1868) using techniques that have kept them firm through centuries of rain. Following the numbered signs from 01 to 07, you’ll come to a point where the centuries-old paving gives way to newer stones—a sudden shift that changes the trail’s mood in an instant.
The climb from the trailhead to the summit takes about 30 minutes. There, a lone Jizo statue stands watch, placed to protect travelers making their way over the pass. Local legend says it was once mistaken for a monster in the mist and shot at. If you look closely at its side, you can still find a small hole—evidence, perhaps, of that moment long ago.
Beside the Jizo statue, benches invite you to pause and enjoy a snack in the quiet shade. From the summit, the trail divides: one path returns to the Kinomoto trailhead along the original Kumano Kodo, while the other leads toward the Onigajo. I followed the path to the site of the Onigajo.
About ten minutes down the forest path, you’ll come to a small gazebo, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the coastline known as Shichiri Mihama Beach. The weather wasn’t great that day. Just a few days earlier, I had been walking deep in the mountains along the Nakasendo, far from the sea, so seeing the vast ocean spread out from the mountaintop lookout filled me with a strange sense of awe. I looked down over the peaceful fishing village below and descended the steep stairs, eventually returning to the parking lot at the Onigajo Center.
Onigajo unveils a breathtaking landscape where mysterious rock formations, carved by wind and waves over thousands of years, rise like ancient sentinels. This dramatic scenery is steeped in folklore: the tale goes that a brave general defeated a fearsome pirate, said to be a demon (oni), right here. Here, history and folklore entwine seamlessly, revealing the deep significance this rugged coast has held in Japan’s past.
Walking along the steep cliffs felt like stepping into a thrilling adventure, where every meter reveals nature’s fierce beauty. The trail stretches ahead, offering breathtaking views that stir the soul—but on days when the waves roar too high, it closes, reminding you of the sea’s untamed power. The endless sweep of ocean, sky, and jagged rocks ignites a sense of wonder and a humbling sense of nature’s might. In this wild, windswept place, it’s easy to see why the people of ancient Japan revered this landscape with such deep respect and wonder. Beyond the restless sea lay my next destination: the sacred Kumano Sanzan, waiting to be discovered.
Leaving the Onigajo Center, a short walk west led me to Shishi Iwa— (Lion Rock), a colossal formation that seems to roar fiercely out to the sea, its jagged edges carved by time into the shape of a guardian beast. For centuries, locals have revered it as the powerful protector of Ooma Shrine, standing watch over the sacred land from just a few kilometers away in Kumano City. Its presence commands respect and reverence, as if it holds back dark forces, silently defending the region from unseen evils.
Continuing a few hundred meters west of the Lion Rock, I arrived at Hananoiwaya Shrine, dedicated to the goddess Izanami no Mikoto from Japanese mythology. Among Japan’s countless shrines, Hananoiwaya is revered as the oldest.
Unlike most shrines, there is no main hall here—only a towering 45-meter-high rock, standing silent and immovable, revered as a vessel of the divine. It’s a symbolic place representing Japan’s animistic faith in natural objects. Across the grounds, smooth, waist-high stones stand like quiet watchers, inviting all who pass to join an age-old rite. According to local lore, placing your hand on one of these stones, then touching what ails you and pouring water over the sacred rock, will bring healing.
Each February and October, the Otsunakake Shinji festival transforms the shrine grounds, as a huge sacred rope is drawn 170 meters from the towering rock down to the sea.
Facing Hananoiwaya Shrine lies the endless sweep of the Shichiri Mihama coastline. Instead of sand, the shore is carpeted with smooth, rounded stones shaped by centuries of waves. With every step, the stones shifted, and I could feel them crunch softly beneath my feet—a satisfying, rhythmic sound that connected me to the timeless pulse of the sea. Beyond this stony stretch rises Shingu City in Wakayama Prefecture, home to Kumano Hayatama Taisha—one of the three grand Kumano shrines that have drawn pilgrims for generations.
Pilgrims of old, having braved the rugged mountain passes, would pause here—drawn by the steady whisper of the waves—to gather their thoughts and steel their spirits for the sacred journey ahead to Kumano Sanzan.
Walking the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route, I felt a deep connection to the centuries of pilgrims who journeyed before me—each step along the moss-covered paths, past ancient shrines and rugged coastlines, stirred a quiet reverence within me. The rhythm of my footsteps mingled with the whisper of the trees and the distant roar of the sea, stirring a connection to something timeless. As I moved from the Nakasendo Highway to the Kumano Kodo, I found myself reflecting on faith, nature, and history woven so seamlessly together, and felt my journey transform into a pilgrimage of the heart—one that bridges the past and present in this sacred, living landscape.
It takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to drive from Nagoya IC to Kumano-Odomari IC via the Higashi-Meihan Expressway, Ise Expressway, and Kisei Expressway. After exiting at Kumano-Odomari IC, take Route 42 toward Shingu to reach Onigajo Center, which takes approximately 2 minutes.
By public transportation, take the JR Limited Express Nanki from Nagoya Station to Kumano-shi Station (about 3 hours 10 minutes). From Kumano-shi Station, take the Mie Kotsu bus to Onigajo Higashiguchi bus stop and walk about 10 minutes to reach Onigajo Center. The total journey time is approximately 3 hours 30 minutes.
