The Kumano Kodo

At the beginning of 2020 I solo hiked the Kumano Kodo in Japan.

It was a pilgrimage that changed my life…

Little did I know that the lives of everybody in the world would also be changed… as I arrived back in Sydney at the same time the world learned of Covid.

The Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) refers to a network of pilgrimage trails through the southern Kansai region in Japan. The Kodo ("old ways") are the pilgrimage routes developed as a way for people to move between the sacred areas on the Kii Peninsula. At the center of this religious area are the three Kumano shrines: Hongu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha and Nachi Taisha, collectively known as Kumano Sanzan.

The Nakahechi Route is the main route that links the three Grand Shrines of Kumano. The pilgrimage trails were designed to be a religious experience in themselves and pass through difficult, mountain terrain.

I documented this journey on my wordpress site - Collaborate365. You can read about my pilgrimage here:

Part 1 Kumano Kodo - A Future Blessing

Part 2 Kumano Kodo - A Personal Pilgrimage

Part 3 Kumano Kodo - Help from a Japanese Policeman

Part 4 Kumano Kodo - All Roads Lead to Hongu

Part 5 Kumano Kodo - Po and the Walking Stick

Part 6 Kumano Kodo - A Compassionate Life