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City in Kansai, Japan
Photo: usui.mobile, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Kumano (熊野) is a city in Mie Prefecture in Japan.
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獅子岩
Kumano's famous lion rock formation. There is a cafe on one side which is in the perfect spot for viewing.
花の窟
An ancient Shinto shrine.
鬼ヶ城
The demon castle is a stunning rock cave formation against a backdrop of ocean and mountains which you can walk right through.
丸山千枚田
Senmaida means "One thousand terraced rice fields", built into a hill where no machines can reach. It must be planted by hand every year and many of the town's residents show up to pitch in. For travelers, the view of the rice terraces is highly photogenic. It is listed as one of the top 100 rice terraces in the country, a list which focus on scenic beauty.
Kumano is home to several sections of the ancient pilgrimage route, the Kumano Kodo. Matsumoto Toge and Kannon Michi are great places to hike.
Kumano has two beautiful beaches that you'd swear are private groves in a tropical land. Odomari beach is only one station north of Kumano, head straight down the hill from the station. Atashika beach by Atashika station is a bit more remote, but larger than Odomari. Both overlook mountains and small villages in the distance. Swimming season usually lasts from June until the end of August. Changing rooms and concessions are available in season, but no life guards so watch out on a day when the sea is particularly rough.
熊野花火大会
Kumano's biggest festival, and actually one of the biggest fireworks festivals in Japan, occurs on August 17th of every year. People come from all over Japan, clogging the trains and highways, camping out on the beach and in the Aeon department store, just for this day. Fireworks will shake the ground, take up the entire horizon, and last for hours and hours. Takes place on Kumano's endless coastline at about 7pm, but don't expect any space on the beach for a big group unless you come early, as the town's residents began to stake out their own spaces by tying down tarps on the beach days before. Prime space can be reserved online, but it's easy to see from anywhere on the beach. If you will be coming by train, it is recommended you reserve limited express tickets two weeks in advance.
瀞峡
Doro Kyo is a natural gorge that you can hire a boat ride through.
Although it is now a part of Kumano, it still kind of feels like its own town. It's a charming place - about 40 minutes from Kumano proper, there are no train lines at all, and when it was independent it had fewer than 2,000 residents. It also used to be known for its mining industry which you can learn about at the mining information center/museum off route 311 in the center of town. Not far from there you can find Seiryuso and Yunokuchi, two awesome onsens quite close to each other. In fact, they are connected by a tiny mining rail car line with only two stops! The shaky little train is a great attraction. As for the actual onsens, Seiryuso is part of a hotel and Yunokuchi has natural water pumped in from deep under the mountains.
天女座
A unique cafe near Hadasu station overlooking the ocean and mountain scenery. Also a home to a collection of old instruments and the owners would be happy to give you an impromptu concert.
ローゼン
Cafe Rosen is a bit more than just a cafe — it has a beautiful wood interior and a full dinner menu of familiar western-style food.
しんばし
A local favorite is a bar called Shinbashi, which is located near the police station and not far from the Aeon shopping center. They offer chuhai drinks in every flavor from banana to ramune.
ユースホステル熊野市青年の家
熊野倶楽部
Kumano Club is Kumano's one resort club, with excellent dining and hot spring baths.
Kumano's main train station, Kumanoshi (熊野市), is on the JR Kisei line. The Nanki Limited Express trains from the north run 4-5 times daily from Nagoya, and local trains run from Taki. From Wakayama, transfer at Shingu.
Read in the guideA few buses run throughout the city and local trains can get you to the few Kumano stations that are situated along the coastline. For better freedom and time management, it is recommended to come with a car.
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Shirahama · Regional · SHM
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