Yesterday was the last day of a series of Ohechi onsite training session started from Mirodu station to Wabuka station in May 2019. We were guided by a representative of a local guide association called “Ohechi Karihiraki-tai”, which is the group of finding and preserving abandoned Ohechi Route of Kumano Kodo.
Although there are 4 passes in the course but we were comfortable to walk the well preserved ancient trail enjoying nature.
Kiln of charcoal 
Uragami-toge pass 
Stone wall 
Daitaiji Temple 
Ichiya toge pass 
Niko toge pass 
Yukashigata blackish-water lake 
Suruda toge pass 
Vinegar Factory
The same goes for Kiiji route and Ohechi route, the appeal of walking the two routes will fall to one-half if you walk without the guide.
It is worth asking for the guide to take you, it is not only listening to the stories but also knowing the right way to take.
There are lots of going in and out the national route in the two routes, you will get lost or take the wrong way or miss the signs even though you carefully look for and see the signs at the junctions.
You don’t have to worry that if you are taking the wrong way or not if you hire the guide.
We were also taught from him many times that “That is the original ancient route”.
We must have overlooked them unless he told us.
Moreover, we heard the stories of them about how hard to find the abandoned trail and preserve them.
In this series of the training session, recognition of this route of us, this route was walked by only writers and artists, has totally changed.
Lots of clues that this route was walked by many pilgrims were found recently.
As one of them, there used be many inns to accommodate the pilgrims called “Zenkon-yado” and some stone monuments to celebrate of staying 1000 pilgrims were found.
It was the training session to think about telling attractions of Ohechi route to many people and to be walked by more people.
