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Fujishirozaka1 / 8k Slideshow(for Quest2/3)
Fujishirozaka2 / 8k Slideshow(for Quest2/3)
Few ancient trails in the Kansai region offer as much scenic variety as this route. The landscape is especially breathtaking during the Satsuma mandarin (unshu mikan) harvest from late autumn to early winter.
Walking the Kumano Kodo from Kainan Station, you encounter traditional streetscapes, though they are being demolished year by year. Unlike European towns, Japanese streets lack uniformity because house designs vary wildly by era; furthermore, utility poles and power lines mar the aesthetic. In regional cities, the situation is even more dire—it feels as though the towns themselves are beginning to crumble. Nevertheless, this particular route still manages to preserve scenes of the past.
After passing Fujishiro Shrine and hiking up the Fujishiro-zaka mountain path, glimpses of the sea begin to appear and disappear until a stone marker engraved with “Kumano Kodo” emerges from a dense bamboo grove. A short climb from there opens up a sweeping vista; from the “Gojo-no-Shiba” lookout, a majestic view of Kainan and Wakayama City unfolds. From this point on, orange orchards blanket the entire mountainside. Whenever I visit during the late autumn or early winter when the trees are laden with fruit, I can’t help but enjoy a drink while soaking in this ethereal world. In the spring, the white mandarin blossoms bloom in profusion. I’ve heard that in the past, there were so many trees that their fragrance would drift all the way out to the fishing boats offshore.
Music: Singing on the water I, Summer-colored campus
By Music Atelier Amacha
https://amachamusic.chagasi.com/