More American Musings - The Good, Bad And Ugly Of All Things Japanese

You Will Love the Japanese People

The Japanese, like every nationality in the world, certainly do not all conform to a unified system of behavior, thought or ideology. Regardless, here are some traits I and others before me have observed when visiting Japan.

If there were Nobel Prizes awarded to citizenry, the Japanese would have the Hospitality, Graciousness and Friendliness awards wrapped up. I encountered unbelievable kindness from the Japanese people in Tokyo and throughout the Kii Mountain Range. I will definitely cover specific personal experiences in future blog posts.

The Japanese are also largely extremely punctual which is in contrast with western standards. If you have a meeting with a Japanese friend or colleague, adjust your travel time to accommodate this. If delays are unavoidable, communicate as best as possible your anticipated arrival time even if you are just going to be 5 minutes late.

You will find a high degree of honor and honesty amongst the Japanese people. One of the things that stood out to me in this matter was the lack of bicycle locks. From Tokyo to small villages, bikes are a common mode of transport. Oddly, you won't see too many of them locked up. If there is a lock, it is a small cable that provides minimal security. This is a stark contrast to Chicago where I typically use 2-3 locks with the primary lock being highest security and the other 2 being medium to high security too.

You will find some, but not much English spoken along the Kii Mountain Range. It is advised that you learn basic Japanese travel and courtesy phrases. I used this free website. You can and should subsidize this with a quality Voice Translation app on your smartphone. The one I really like is Voice Translation by Axismobinc which is available on both Android and iPhone. I found the Japanese people are accustomed to using these to bridge the language gap.

You Will Also Love the Transportation System

The Japanese Rail system is one of the, if not the most advanced rail systems in the world. It is fast, clean and prompt to the minute. In fact, announcements are made to apologize for a delay as little as 30 seconds. The rail authority will even issue tickets of delay explanation to its users to excuse tardiness. 

It's highly recommended that you purchase a Japan Rail Pass. These must be purchased in your home country before you arrive in Japan. A 7 day pass will cost less than a roundtrip ticket from Tokyo to the Kii Mountain Range area. Most tourists purchase the regular pass. I like to spend a little extra for the Green First Class pass. The cost is very small relative to the cost of your trip and the benefits are definitely worth it.

Likewise, Tokyo has arguably the world's best subway and train system. The trains run frequently, are clean and are equally prompt. Note that the trains stop at midnight so you should plan your late night activities accordingly. You should also spring for a Suica or Pasmo card to make using the train / subway that much easier and efficient. These are not required but trust me, there are headaches and inefficiencies associated with not using them most notably that a paper ticket purchased to enter one subway line might not work to use another subway line in Tokyo. I've used the train with and without. I will never use the train without again.

There are Tokyo subway apps but the best method to navigate is Google Maps.

You Will Have to Adjust to a Largely Cash-Based Society

The Japanese banking system simply stated is not integrated with the international banking system. The Japanese people do not like using their banks either. These banks charge exhorbitantly high customer fees for almost every transaction possible. The end result is that the Japanese operate in a largely cash-based society. They can even opt to receive their company pay in cash.

This has ramifications for the westerner. Namely, ATM's are scarce. You will almost certainly have to use the ATM found in every Post Office while in the Kii Mountain Range. You can find an ATM in the Post Office, some 7-11's and some train / subway stations in Tokyo or larger cities.

You should also expect to pay cash for all your Kii Mountain Range accommodations, transportation, food and other purchases regardless of cost or quality.

Credit / Debit cards are more readily accepted in Tokyo and larger cities but you still should be prepared to pay cash for most things outside of your hotel accommodations.

It is also highly recommended to notify your banking and credit card institutions that you will be in Japan before you leave to prevent your cards from being frozen for suspicion of fraudulent activity.

You Will Be Appalled at the Public Smoking

Japan's tobacco industry is largely government owned and their smoking laws and attitudes are easily 30+ years behind the rest of the modern world. I don't think the "Smoking causes cancer" concept has caught on over there. Smoking is pervasive and you will have to actively seek out non-smoking options for dining, drinking and entertainment.

Fortunately, I did not experience troublesome smoking in the Kii Mountain Range area on my Kumano Kodo. 

You won't be so lucky in Tokyo or other larger cities. Fortunately there are options and there are smoke-free Tokyo website resources that can direct you to better bars and restaurants.

There may be hope for a smoke-free Japan. There is a strong push to host a smoke-free Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

An American's Musings on The Kumano Kodo and Japan

The Big Question First - What Is The Kumano Kodo?

The Kumano Kodo is a 1000 year Shinto Buddhist Pilgrimage trek through the Kii Mountain Range in southern Japan. It is one of only two UNESCO World Heritage treks on this planet. The other is the Camino de Santiago in Spain. While largely unknown to the western world, it is said to be one of the most naturally beautiful treks in the world. It consists of a network of seven pilgrimage routes with the Nakahechi route being the most popular. It can be a challenging multi-day trek or a series of short single day walks supplemented with bus or boat transport.

Where Is and How Do I Get To The Kumano Kodo?

The Kii Mountain Range is a bit south of Kyoto and Osaka. You can expect it to take a good 7 hours by train from Tokyo to get to the start of the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo. You'll take a Shinkansen (Bullet train) from the Tokyo station of choice to Shin Osaka and then transfer to a Limited Express train toTanabe City's KiiTanabe train station. Local buses run from the train station and take about 45 min to Takijiri-oji, the entrance of Kumano Kodo and beginning of the Nakahechi route.

You should definitely purchase a Japan Rail Pass. A 7-Day Pass is less expensive than purchasing a round-trip ticket from Tokyo. You must purchase the Rail Pass in your home country before leaving for Japan though. I personally always spring for the Green First Class Pass. It really isn't that expensive in context of your trip. You get much more space in your seat and the train cars are also much less crowded.

HyperDia is the Japan Rail Schedule website. There is also an accompanying mobile app for your smartphone.

Local bus schedules and much more are available at the Kumano Kodo Tourism website. 

When Should I Do The Kumano Kodo?

The Kii Mountain Range has a temperate climate so its certainly possible to do the Kumano Kodo whenever it is convenient for you. You should consider that the Typhoon season is at its peak in August and September and part of the Nakahechi Route was permanently destroyed by a particularly strong typhoon in 2011. It also can be unbearably hot and humid during the summer months. Most walk in the early Spring and late Fall. I walked in mid- February and enjoyed perfect hiking conditions with walking temperatures ranging from mid 40's to mid 50's F.

Why Do The Kumano Kodo?

I am sure there are as many reasons to do the Kumano Kodo as there are pilgrims that have walked its routes. However, calling the Kumano Kodo a Pilgrimage only is a bit short-sighted for it is so much more. There are sacred sites and statues dating from the 10th century lining the Kumano Kodo as it is considered the birthplace of Buddhism in Japan. There is unbelievable natural beauty along the route. You'll encounter locals along the way and be enriched for the grace and hospitality they will bestow on you. Lest I forget, the local food is extremely delicious. There certainly is a great feeling of accomplishment for completing these difficult hiking routes too.

I will definitely cover my personal reasons for walking the Kumano Kodo in a future blog post.