Cycling Day 38: To Uenoji
I'd been trying to work out what to do today - another part of the Kumano Kodo, cycle over to the highest Japanese waterfall (in the wrong direction), go to the Pacific Coastal Route on the east of the peninsula (the long way to Kyoto, but there might be warm days and beaches...), or ride north-ish through the mountains to get to the Kyoto area more quickly.
I have picked the mountainous route...
Bekijk het op de interactieve kaart
Not seen this bridge sculpture before!
10 May 2026 - 10:16
By Wataraze Onsen
Several big onsen/hot spring destinations here... probably a bit more swish than my campsite one of the last two evenings!
10 May 2026 - 10:49
Now that's a big Torii gate!
Kumano Hongu Taisha (grand shrine)
Kumano Hongu Taisha
The main shrine buildings used to be in the river area, but we're deluged in the 1800s and moved to higher ground. The huge torii gate and woodland clearing shrine provide a sacred area close to the original.
Having popped into the world heritage info centre, I did walk some of the less dramatic branch of the Kumano Kodo. The branch to Koya has 1000m high sinus and the branch heading SE takes in the Hachi waterfall (highest single drop waterfall in Japan). Still, it was a nice day of forest walking!
10 May 2026 - 11:24
Hongu Grand Taisha
10 May 2026 - 12:50
Popping in and out of tunnels...
The river water colour looks amazing!
Route168 winding north
10 May 2026 - 13:11
Kumanogawa River
10 May 2026 - 13:44
10 May 2026 - 15:17
10 May 2026 - 15:56
Campsite
Tanise Suspension Bridge
Uenoji has a suspension footbridge with a span of 297m, 54m above the river! It sways a bit when you walk on it, but feels much safer than the vine bridges on Shikoku - the woodwork is in much better condition and it has high netting!
There's another campsite underneath, but it cost more than double the one I've pitched up at and doesn't have grass either.
10 May 2026 - 18:17
Imperial palace ruins
Actually it's just a memorial to them - they were washed away by the river long ago!
Evening meal
Unfortunately there were no supermarkets discounting their bento boxes near here, but I picked this up at a petrol station shop