On The (Sacred) Road

-- Susan, every other Sunday

By the time this post goes live, I'll be approximately one day into a 50-mile, week-long trek through the mountains of Wakayama Prefecture, along the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrim trail. These sacred routes have been traveled by pilgrims for over 1,000 years, and in 2004 were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wakayama is known for its ancient forests.

The Kumano Kodo consists of several sacred trails that cross the Kii Peninsula, south-southwest of Kyoto and Osaka. Pilgrims walked the trails seeking enlightenment and to pray at the three Grand Shrines of Kumano: Kumano Hongu, Kumano Hatayama, and Kumano Nachi.

While I've spent a lot of time (alone, and in the company of friends) on Koyasan - a sacred mountain that sits at the end of one of the sacred Kumano routes, I've never visited any of the grand shrines and have never had the opportunity to walk the Kumano Kodo itself (until now).

With the lovely, talented Annamaria Alfieri, on Koyasan last month.

I planned this trip more than a year ago--and made the down payment to the company that arranged my "self-guided tour" (read: solo hike, with someone else doing the heavy lifting as far as accommodations and luggage transport are concerned) before my cancer diagnosis last November.

At the time, I hoped the hike would come at the midpoint of my 100 Summits journey, giving me a chance to reflect on what the first half of my mountain quest had taught me and what I hoped to achieve on the proverbial "downhill side."

Now, with cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and a first "clear check" post-cancer behind me, I find myself looking forward to these silent, reflective miles even more.

Another of Koyasan's forested trails, similar to the ones I'll walk this week.

As it happens, the hike is also coming near the midpoint of the 100 Summits project. I've completed 43 climbs at the time of writing this, and should have finished 44 before I start the Kumano Kodo hike a little less than 48 hours from now.

Autumn is rapidly fading into winter here in Japan, and it's possible that I will see snow in the mountains of Wakayama. At a minimum, the nights will fall below freezing and the daytime temperatures should hover between "chilly" and "what-was-I-thinking." Even so, I'm excited to walk the trail.

Here's hoping it's more foliage than flakes...

For more than 1,000 years, pilgrims from every Japanese social class and every walk of life (and foreign pilgrims, too) have walked these trails in search of enlightenment and peace.

I'm taking my boots, my backpack, and as few expectations as possible. To the extent it lies within me, I'm leaving distractions behind me, too - for the next seven days, I'll have no social media, no computer, and only limited email access (by design). I don't remember the last time I unplugged this completely, and though I don't know exactly what the next eight days will bring, I suspect it will be both highly educational and deeply memorable.

Jizō Bosatsu, Buddhist patron of travelers, children, the unborn, and all souls in need.

As for the rest, I'll let you know when I get back from the road.