April - June, 2024
Reading time: 8 minutes
Every day we embrace this trust in Life,
As a response to this surrender
Some of Japan’s most mysterious lands have revealed themselves to us,
We follow the Doshi Valley, which takes us high into the myriad of vibrant greens that make up the lush mountains. Suddenly, Mount Fuji appears. A white cone piercing the royal-blue sky. An elegant first impression. Mount Fuji is impressive. It rises to an altitude of 3,700 m. The recent rains have delayed the blossoming, so we’ve come at the perfect time. The Sakura flowers are in full bloom. A fleeting beauty that the Japanese celebrate. The symbols of Japan align simultaneously for us. We choose to embrace the moment. Fibie gets dressed in her kimono to ride through the park. In the evening, we camp by the deep Lake Motosuko, a perfect mirror. Nayla plays her ukulele in the moonlight, with the sacred mountain reflected in the background.
There, the sacred springs of Oshino and their pure water revealed a passageway to the underground world of their abyss. The Shiraito waterfalls exude a mysterious energy. The water is exceptionally clear and blue.
Bringing spirituality alive
In Mie, the small villages are made up of traditional houses with black tiled roofs. They add a touch of culture to the natural surroundings. They were built in the heart of the mountains, illuminated by the spring’s tender leaves. Here, we can only be in Japan. Suddenly, a scent envelops us. The tea bushes release their sweet scent. Every time a tea plantation appears, we close our eyes to inhale the delicious fragrance. We pitch our tents under a forest of hundred-year-old cedars with massive trunks. An invigorating, fragrant scent emanates from these essences. We are in a mysterious valley.
From Ise, our first sanctuary is surrounded by the fabulous Sugi trees of Japan. They are the giants that surround this sacred place where the kamis, the deities, live. The Takiharanomiya shrine dates back over 2,000 years and, like the shrine at Ise, has been rebuilt every 20 years for over 1,300 years. In harmony with Shinto beliefs in rebirth and renewal, and the impermanence of all things, this process enables building techniques and knowledge to be passed on to the next generation, bringing spirituality to life. After the first pass, a fantastic descent takes us down to the idyllic ocean, where unusual black stone rock formations emerge. Then it’s on to the Owase sanctuary with its thousand-year-old camphor tree.
Kii Peninsula
We continue into the heart of the Kii mountains, in a rugged region. Our bodies experience the winding roads that follow the hilly terrain. This region is considered a sacred gateway to the secret, hidden and invisible universe of the kami, the Shinto deities. In search of water, we discover a river. Its clear turquoise water will be our source for the evening. We also take the opportunity to swim in it. Occasionally, we are lucky enough to discover waterfalls under which we cool off. The night sky is splendid. It is illuminated by thousands of stars. We connect with this endless forest, this sacred world from which some of the Japanese legends originate.
The Sacred Nachi Waterfall
At Kumano Nachi Taicha, we leave our bikes and all our panniers in the car park for a few hours in absolute trust and climb the stone steps one by one through the heart of a forest of gigantic Japanese cedars. Suddenly, we are faced with one of the most famous images of traditional and spiritual Japan, a vermilion pagoda in front of the sacred Nachi Waterfall. The combination of traditional architecture and the beauty of this natural world is spectacular. The waterfall is 133 metres high. It is considered a divine entity in its own, connecting the world of humans with that of the spirits and the cosmos.
The Kumano River meanders through the valley it has carved out. Its turquoise-blue meets the immensity of the Pacific Ocean. It is here at its mouth that the Kumano Hayatama Taisha sanctuary was built as a celebration of the power of nature. It is dedicated to the divinity of water, but above all it is the place where the mythical couple who created Japan arrived on Earth from the world of the kami. Past the Torii, the entrance to this Grand Sanctuary, one of the three main sanctuaries of Kumano Sanzan, is sanctified by a large Shimenawa, a braided rope. The largest we saw. The serenity of the place is enchanting and offers a space of inner peace. It is here in Shingu that we enjoy incredible sushi with its cheerful chef, as well as the traditional dishes of frogs, grilled quail, chicken ovaries and liver in the local Izakaya with members of this dynamic and enthusiastic community. Masachi San, who has become our friend, welcomed us to his traditional house in the heart of the rice fields.
