Hongchu to Nachisan

 A beautiful blue sky day after yesterdays damp affair. We got the bus back from our overnight accommodation to continue the Kumano Kodo track. There was about a dozen others on the bus. This is the toughest leg according to the write up with words like "brutal ascent" " up straight for 4.7km".  Jeff and I were soon well ahead of most other than a 15yr old Icelandic lad who was grateful for someone to keep up with. His parents set a must more pedestrian pace and he would stop occasionally for them to catch-up. "Hours he reckoned"..

So up we went and yes excellent aerobic fitness ensured we zipped up to the Echizen-toge Pass at 870m from 65m....in no time.

Sandra and her Icelandic new friend hare up the hill

Many prayer posts on the way. If you read the words below from the famous poet Fujiwara Teika (1162-1241) ....found the route difficult.....hence many prayers.

 

Very proud of Jeff, who is not a great fan of endless up hill, 4.7km, but he put everyone else to shame, who were half his age. Not seeing any other Kiwis, generally young French, Australians and many Japanese of course. A few use guides and the  middle aged academic fraternity tend to bus the hard bits and do other sections.

Final pray post before we hit the lookout over Katsura port town. Bag I am carrying is the map as although reasonable signage at times a bit opaque especially the sometimes mangled English.

Katsura port known for landing the biggest tuna catches in Japan

Finished the Kumano Kodo track at Nachisan after 70km. Well pleased with ourselves and no mishaps with all those moss covered stone steps, literally thousands of them.!

Nachisan is famous for the Segiantoji Temple, Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine and the Nachi Falls. The temple is centuries old, there is an 850 year old Camphor tree in the grounds.

The waterfall is the largest in Japan at 133m fall. Noise is impressive.

Taken by a young french lass for us on the final steps of Kumano Kodo.

Three tiered temple with waterfall in thebackground.

Many japanese visit this site as seen as a diety and say prayers

Wandered about the area a bit more....some interesting roof lines.

We found our accommodation which was basic japanese roons with shared bathroons and toilets. Impeccably clean and run like a " hi de hi camping ground"...over the loudspeakers advised dinner time "please come to 6 o'clock". Tables numbered and a beer from the vending machine. So funny like being in a time warp.   Dinner was delicious.

 Futon beds not withstanding we slept like bricks ( just like the futon). Hi de hi had us up again for 7am breakfast. Now travelling by train, 4.5hrs, to Nara.