Overview
This section is an excellent half-day walk on the Kumano Kodo. There are many forest trails and isolated mountaintop villages.
Panoramic viewpoints can be found along the way. Hosshinmon-oji is known as the “gate of awakening of the aspiration to enlightenment” and marks the outermost entrance to Kumano Hongu Taisha’s sacred precincts.
The route follows a road through Hosshinmon Village from here to Mizunomi-oji. Keep a lookout for the folk-art word carvings along the way.
The trail enters the forest at Mizunomi-oji, the site of an old schoolhouse, and exits at the west end of the Fushiogami settlement, with its numerous tea plantations and terraced fields.
Fushiogami-oji is where pilgrims fell to their knees and prayed after catching their first glimpse of the grand shrine in the distant valley below. There is a covered rest area here where locals serve handmade snacks and coffee made with hot spring water (days in operation may change).
From here the trail descends through the forest, past Sangen-jaya to the austere Kumano Hongu Taisha. Halfway between Sangen-jaya and Kumano Hongu Taisha is a short side trail to a lookout point that is not to be missed!
Hosshinmon-oji 
View from Fushiogami-oji 
Dokyu Zenmon statue 
Woodcraft carvings 
Local at Sangen-jaya 
Kumano Hongu Taisha
Course Data
| Distance | ~7.5 km (~5 mi) |
| Time | 2~3 hrs ※Walking times vary. Please plan accordingly. |
| Difficulty rating | 2 What is difficulty rating? |
| Total Elevation Gain | ~190 m (~600 ft) |
| Total Elevation Loss | ~460 m (~1500 ft) |
| Access | Bus Timetable There are buses to Hosshinmon-oji from Kii-Tanabe which also run through Nakahechi, Yunomine Onsen, Kawayu Onsen, and Hongu. Bus Timetable #6. See also Bus Timetable #1. Bus Timetable #11 shows all the buses that run from Hongu to Yunomine Onsen, Wataze Onsen and Kawayu Onsen. |
| Nearest bus stop | Hosshinmon-oji (Start), Hongu Taisha-mae (Finish) |
Accommodations
Note regarding Accommodation at Hosshinmon-oji
There are no accommodations at Hosshinmon-oji. It is important to plan carefully to be able to catch the bus at Hosshinmon-oji rest area if necessary to the Hongu (Kawayu / Wataze / Yunomine) area or Tanabe.
