Uchihara Oji to Shishigasa Pass Kumano Kodo Kiiji Route

Saturday, March 26th, 2016, and I continue north on day 7 of my walk along the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage which at this point still follows the Kumano Kodo, the World Heritage registered pilgrimage routes.

I am following the Kiiji Route of the Kumano Kodo which ran from the imperial capital in Kyoto down to the Kumano Shrines. For the previous two days since I left Tanabe where the Nakahechi Route heads into the mountains The Kiiji route has followed the coast.

Now it heads inland and over the mountains on what was historically considered a difficult part of the route.

Heading north the narrow road passes several monuments to sites of former Oji, the 99 shrines that lay upon the route.

Some are still existant as shrines, and of course there are numerous roadside statues.

The route is pretty well marked and I believe the signage has gotten even more prolific since I walked it 8 years ago.

There are numerous artworks along the way depicting pilgrims, usual high-class, on the route in historical times.

The site of Kutsukake Oji, the 50th Oji, marks a kind of halfway point on the pilgrimage route.

As the road steepens the trail heads off along a section of cobblestone road. Apparently this is the longest section of the old paved route still in existence.

Eventually the trail levels out at Shishigasstoge, the pass at about 350 meters above sea level.

During the Edo Period there was a teahouse for travellers at the pass, and also other teahouses along the way. All have disappeared, mostly the the Meiji Period when trains and modern  roads led to the old paths becoming hardly used.

The plum blossoms were particularly appealing as they were in full bloom at this altitude.

Downhill from here is quite steep but mostly on a narrow asphalt or concrete road.

While not as dramatic as the far more popular Kumano Kodo routes to the south, this section is easily accessible for a shorter walk along the Kumano Kodo without necessitating much planning and expense.

The previous post was on Uchihara Oji Shrine at the start of the climb out of Gobo.

Uchihara Oji Shrine

 

Located in Hidaka, a little north of Gobo, for 800 years this was known as Takaie Oji, but was renamed in early Meiji.

It was one of the 100 Oji, shrines along the main pilgrimage route from Kyoto down the coast of Wakayama and then into the Kumano Sanzan shrines.

Shrine records say there was a shrine here in the mid 5th century. I'm not exactly sure when the system of Oji were established, but I am guessing in the Heian Period when the most imperial pilgrimages along this route took place. The primary kami is listed as Amaterasu, with secondary kami listed as Homuda Wake (Ojin), Ichikishimahime, Kagutsuchi, Sugawara Michizane (Tenjin), Kanayamahiko, and  Nintoku.

During the so-called shrine mergers of early 20th century, 30 local shrines were moved here including multiple Benzaiten, Konpira, Tenjin, and Inari shrines as well as many unamed "satogami".

I visited at the start of day 7 of my walk along the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, which in this section follows the old Kumano Kodo Kiiji Route. The previous post was on the nearby Dojoji Temple, a famous and picturesque spot.

Hosshinmon Oji

 

Day three of my walk along the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage and I leave Hongu and start to head west towards the coast. It was very misty. The first week or so of the Saigoku pilgrimage follows the same route as the Kumano Kodo, though in the opposite direction.

The next section of the route is by far the most popular of the various Kumano Kodo routes, and I expect to pass lots more people heading in the opposite direction to me.

A few kilometers outside of Hongu and I arrive at Hosshinmon Oji. The 99  shrines along the route are called oji, and on the first few days I passed very few, but the next few days there should be dozens.

Hosshinmon Oji is considered to be one of the gates into the sacred area of Hongu, though for me it signifies i am leaving Hongu. It was known as "the gate of  awakening of the aspiration to enlightenment" and formerly pilgrims would change their staffs at this point. All very Buddhist on what is nowadays touted as a shinto pilgrimage.