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KUMANO KODOKumano River Boat Ride

When most people think of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, they picture stone-paved mountain trails. But the pilgrims traveling from Kumano Hongu Taisha to Kumano Hayatama Taisha did not just walk—they journeyed along the river. The Kumano River itself is a World Heritage–listed pilgrimage route, known as the Kawa no Kodo. Instead of trekking through mountains, travelers let the current carry them downstream. This tradition goes back about a thousand years to the Heian Period (794 AD – 1185), when imperial nobles favored this water route.

Stretching about 40 kilometers, the river winds past misty waterfalls and massive, uniquely shaped rocks. The boats glide swiftly, sometimes sending cool sprays of water flying. For pilgrims arriving from Kyoto over mountain passes, this river journey was both a chance to rest weary feet and a sacred ritual to cleanse impurities through water. Today’s boat tours cover 16 kilometers—about half the original route—but offer a glimpse of the views ancient courtiers once saw. For an hour and a half, you can listen to storytellers in traditional white robes and woven hats, transporting you back to a time long past.

Previous Article: The Kumano Kodo Iseji — Japan’s World Heritage Pilgrimage Trail

The boat ride begins at the Kumano River Boat Center, located at Michi-no-Eki Kumano-gawa in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture—about 20 kilometers from Kumano Hongu Taisha. While the original boarding point was near Oyunohara, the old site of Kumano Hongu, the center now offers a safer, more convenient location for sightseeing boats. From here, the boats drift downstream to Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu, with a return shuttle available for passengers who want it.

You can easily reach the boarding point by bus from JR Shingu Station, which sits close to Kumano Hayatama Taisha and is served by direct limited express trains from Nagoya. Pilgrims visiting Ise Jingu would traditionally travel south along the Ise route and down the Kii Peninsula’s east coast, reaching Kumano Hayatama Taisha first among the three grand shrines. While I had followed that path before, today I was heading upstream in reverse.

The boat tours run from March through November, with two daily departures—morning and afternoon. The trips are very popular with international travelers; when I booked more than a month ahead, only a few seats remained. On the day of the ride, after a safety briefing and donning life jackets at the center, I walked down to the riverside to board the traditional boats. About a dozen or so passengers split into two groups, one receiving the tour in English and the other in Japanese.

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As the boat pulls away from the shore, it shifts to catch the river’s current. Once it is riding the flow, it slices through the wind, gliding smoothly ahead. At the front, a female storyteller sits facing the passengers, her back to the direction of travel. She gently reminds everyone, “The whole point of this ride is to relax and unwind. Imagine yourself as a noble from the Heian Period—stretch your legs and take it easy.”

Before me stretched a landscape unlike any I had seen on foot along the usual pilgrimage routes. “On your left, near the middle of the mountains on the Mie Prefecture side, you’ll soon spot a two-tiered waterfall,” the guide announced vividly. “It is on a bare rocky slope without trees. Can you see it?” Excited by the detailed commentary, I focused intently on the mountainside—and there it was. Named Janowada no Taki waterfall, shaped like a snake slithering downward, it was a striking sight.

Waterfalls kept appearing and fading along the way. Notable among them was Nunobiki no Taki waterfall, which looked like a flowing white cloth, and Hisetsu no Taki waterfall, which looked like a heavy snowfall, dancing in the wind. Many emperors and retired emperors chose this river route. Since Emperor Uji, records show Emperor Go-Shirakawa made 34 pilgrimages and Emperor Go-Toba 28, totaling over 100 visits. Surely, they longed to revisit these stunning views time and again.

Suddenly, the boat started drifting away from the main path and edging closer to the cliff. Was something wrong? “Look over there! It is a Japanese serow!” The storyteller exclaimed, pointing ahead. Peering into the trees, we spotted the rare creature—a Japanese serow—standing perfectly still, watching us intently. This wild animal is protected as a living national treasure of the forest, and is usually very shy, making such sightings a special treat. Thanks to the sharp eye of the boatperson, who quickly adjusted our course, we were able to get this rare glimpse. The boatperson's expert steering was nothing short of masterful.

No sooner had our hearts calmed from the thrilling serow sighting than a striking series of rocks came into view—starting with a giant rock leaning sharply, as if waving in the breeze. This river route has been traveled since the Heian Period, and many legends tied to these landmarks have survived through the ages. As we listened to the storyteller’s tales, it became clear that this path truly is part of a historic highway.

As the boat drifted along, the scenery gradually changed, and a part of the riverbed came into view. Once pure white and shaped like a backbone, it is called Hone Jima or Bone Island. According to legend, it is the bone of a demon defeated by the Kumano Gongen gods. This was the highlight of the first leg of our journey. We stopped the boat and stepped ashore for a short rest. Near the gentle riverbank, the crystal-clear water revealed a mesmerizing clarity.

We climbed back aboard to continue our journey on the river. Visiting all three Kumano shrines—Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha—is said to cleanse the sins and impurities of the past, present, and future. This is why the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage connecting these sacred sites carries such deep meaning.

Our storyteller shared that at Hongu Taisha, pilgrims receive a Yatagarasu amulet, a treasured charm that visitors in the past always took home. The Yatagarasu—a three-legged crow from Japanese mythology—is the emblematic guardian of the Kumano shrines. “A three-legged crow?” I thought, recalling a similar symbol at Kumano Kotai Shrine, located atop Usui-toge Pass, the final stop on the Nakasendo trail. It was, after all, the same Kumano.

Later, I learned that from the Heian to Kamakura Periods (794-1333), the Kumano pilgrimage surged in popularity. Many Kumano Shrine branches were built across the country, including Kumano Kotai Shrine. Of course, it might just be coincidence. But maybe, just maybe, the divine Yatagarasu led me here.

As the journey neared its end, the boat slowed to a gentle drift across the water. Then, the storyteller lifted a shinobue, a traditional bamboo flute. The pure, delicate notes seemed to melt into the mountains and river around us. Wrapped in this sacred soundscape, we found ourselves quietly drifting back through the ages to a distant past.

Our journey ends at Gongen Gawara, historically known as the boarding and landing spot for Kumano pilgrimage boats. In the Edo Period, this area blossomed into Kawaramachi, a lively town filled with inns, blacksmith shops, bathhouses, and restaurants. Thanks to the river’s high-water level that day, we arrived at Kumano Hayatama Taisha ahead of the expected 90 minutes.

The Kumano River is infamous as a wild river, and its powerful floods have repeatedly threatened Kumano Hayatama Taisha, which sits right on its banks. This sacred site has been submerged many times by raging waters. Yet, this untamed force of nature is deeply intertwined with Kumano’s spiritual essence.

Now, the next step: walking the main Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route that connects the three shrines. It is time to explore the heart of the Kumano faith even further.

It takes about 2 hours 45 minutes to drive from Nagoya IC to Kumano-Odomari IC via the Higashi-Meihan Expressway, Ise Expressway, and Kisei Expressway. After taking the Kumano-Odomari IC exit, continue along Route 42 toward Shingu, then follow signs to the Kumano River Boat Center near Michi-no-Eki Kumanogawa, which takes approximately 15 minutes. The route follows the scenic Kumano River valley.

By public transportation, take the JR Limited Express Nanki from Nagoya Station to Shingu Station (about 3 hours 30 minutes). From Shingu Station, take a local bus toward Hongu and get off at Michi-no-Eki Kumanogawa bus stop (about 30 minutes), then walk a few minutes to the Kumano River Boat Center. The total journey time is approximately 4 hours 30 minutes including transfer time.

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