滉一JAPAN BY KOICHI
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Pilgrim Stories

Voices from the trail.

Short interviews with travellers Koichi has guided along the Kumano Kodo — why they came, what they carried, and what they found along the way.

Nakahechi Route ・ 5 days

Ieuan

Wales

A Welsh pilgrim who has walked the Camino de Santiago three times, Ieuan came to Kumano Kodo searching for a deeper connection with culture, nature, and himself. Through steep mountains, muddy trails, and encounters with fellow pilgrims, he discovered what it means to keep moving forward—and when to wait.

“E Ultreia! Keep moving forward—but when in doubt, wait.”
Read the full interview →Full interviews are published on note.com
Nakahechi Route ・ 1 day

Farley

USA

Farley, a traveler from the United States, came to the Kumano Kodo looking for a break from a fast, always-connected life. Between misty forests, mountain paths, and quiet moments in Yunomine Onsen, he rediscovered the value of slowing down—and being fully present.

“The Kumano Kodo did not ask me to be faster or stronger. It simply asked me to keep walking—and to notice where I was.”
Nakahechi Route ・ 5 days

Pablo

Barcelona, Spain

After leaving his job, Pablo set out to walk the Camino de Santiago—and heard about the Kumano Kodo from a fellow pilgrim along the way. Drawn by its beauty and spiritual atmosphere, the 41-year-old programmer from Barcelona came to Japan to continue his journey on another sacred trail.

“Time is limited, so I want to use it well—by seeing the world, meeting people, and trying things I have never done before.”
Read the full interview →Full interviews are published on note.com
Nakahechi Route ・ 1 day

Guna

Germany

Guna is a 30-year-old German who lives in Kanazawa, speaks Japanese, and has spent years exploring Buddhism and the culture of tea. At an important turning point in his life, he came to Kumano to walk from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha—not to find quick answers, but to make space for honest reflection.

“Tea taught me to pay attention to a single moment. Kumano taught me that a whole life can also be reconsidered one step at a time.”
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