day 344 - Kumano Kodo (2)

A few more shots of random stuff we passed on our walk from Yunomine to Hongu:

The Water-wavers. These figures scare the hell out of unsuspecting Walkers by randomly waving. They're connected by ropes to a device operated by flowing water.

A donation left in the crack of this jizo is supposed to relieve ailments. I left this for my dad's back!

Deserted hot water pot, Tea-house ruins.

Kakihari-jaya.

Shitake mushrooms growing on  logs.

A tea plantation.

Most visitors approach Hongu Taisha via the 158 stone steps, although we came in the back way over the mountains. The original shrine stood further down the valley on a sandbank of the Kumano-gawa, but was washed away by a massive flood in 1889.

The main Hongu Taisha, the holiest shrine of the Kumano faith, which is said to enshrine Izanagi-Okami, the Sea God who gave birth to Japan itself.

day 342 - Yunomine

We travel by bus up steep mountain roads following the Kumanogawa River from Shingu to Yunomine.

It's hard to believe that this is the roof of a building registered by UNESCO as a World Heritage site!

Yunomine's Tsuboyu is the only World Heritage hotspring in the world that you can bathe in.  It's one of the oldest recorded onsens in Japan.

The village grew from the onsen founded 1800 years ago.  There are numerous legends about pilgrims who recovered from 'incurable' ailments while stopping here on their Kumano Kodo trek.

Onsen Man.

We soaked in the private spring just feet from the public onsen. (I wasn't allowed to post Lyn's photo.) Of all the times we've enjoyed onsen here, there are few photos. (Taking a camera in is pretty much frowned on. This one was for private use and had a lock on the door.)

The people beyond the prayer-notes are down at river-level waiting for their eggs and vegetables to cook in the hot-water spring. The slightly sulphurous water imparts a 'very desirable taste.'

Sulphur crystals form in an 'exhaust pipe' on the river.