In the Rhythm of a Mountain Village: Four Days in Rural Kumano

Beyond Tokyo’s neon lights and Kyoto’s famous temples lies another side of Japan.

A quieter one.

A place of winding mountain roads, small farming villages, citrus orchards, and communities where life still follows the rhythm of the seasons.

This is not the Japan of guidebooks or bucket lists.

It’s the Japan of morning birdsong, conversations with locals, coffee in the garden, and evenings spent beneath a sky full of stars.

What if, instead of rushing from one famous sight to another, you spent four days experiencing this side of Japan?

Welcome to Sakamoto, Mihama Town, a small mountain village tucked away in the hills of southern Mie Prefecture.

Day 1, Arrive and Slow Down

After a long drive through the mountains of the Kii Peninsula, you arrive in Sakamoto, Mihama Town.

Life moves quietly here.

There are no crowds. No tour buses. No busy shopping streets.

Just mountains, rice terraces, and the sound of the wind moving through the trees.

Your home for next four days will be the traditional country house, Sakamoto BASE.
Drop your bags and take a moment to breathe.

For dinner, drive about 15 minutes to a local restaurant and enjoy your first meal in Mihama Town.

Over dinner, you may find yourself chatting with local farmers, fishermen, or neighbours from the town.

Sushi-Bun

Kiyomasa Sushi

other options nearby→

By the time you return to the guesthouse, darkness has settled over the valley.
Step outside.
Above you is a sky filled with stars.

Day 2, Discover Rural Kumano

Wake to birdsong instead of an alarm clock.

Make a cup of coffee and spend the morning slowly.

Wander through the garden and discover the seasonal flowers carefully tended by your host.

Depending on the season, you may also have a chance to harvest organic Amanatsu citrus directly from the trees at her orchard.

Sakamoto is surrounded by rice terraces, small farms like citrus and plum, and mountains. Take a walk through the village and explore at your own pace.

The terraces climb the hillside above the village.

In a time of large-scale agriculture, places like this are becoming increasingly rare.

A small shrine stands quietly at the mountain side, cared for by local residents for generations.

By lunchtime, head to a local eatery, just driving twenty minutes to the coast.

At the area of Park Shichirimihama, so called Michino-Eki, you find some lunch options, Benkei for Sashimi Teishoku and Ramen, Gochiso-Dining for Japanese style, or Shunsai for modern chinese. Park Shichirimihama also has a supermarket, useful for picking up snacks, drinks, or supplies for your stay.

After the lunch, visit Kii Café and drink hand-dripped coffee or some different varieties of local citrus juice and chat with the staff about life in this corner of Japan.

Then, do something many traveler forget to do.

Nothing.

Sit by the sea at Shichiri-Mihama Beach.

Watch the waves.

Feel the sea breeze.

Take your time.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at Shokudo Ao, a restaurant that has quietly earned a reputation among food lovers for its thoughtful use of local ingredients.

Between courses, you may find yourself talking with the chef about fishing, farming, and life in Kumano. Better to do booking in advance!

Day 3, Walking the Kumano Kodo from Sakamoto

Today begins slowly again.

After yesterday’s feast, there’s no need to rush breakfast.

Late in the morning, join your host to learn how to make mehari-zushi, one of Kumano’s traditional foods. Despite the name, mehari-zushi is quite different from the sushi most people know.

Every family has its own recipe for mehari-zushi, each with its own small variations. Today’s version comes from your host’s family recipe.

Have a taste while they’re still warm, then save the rest for lunch on the trail.

As you cook together, your host shares stories about life in this corner of Kumano.

Just after noon, walk to the nearby bus stop and take a local bus to the trailhead.

Your host will explain the local bus system and help you plan the trail hike.

One of the advantages of staying in Sakamoto is that you can walk a quieter section of the Kumano Kodo. On some days, you may spend an hour on the trail without meeting another hiker.

Also, the trail finishes in Sakamoto itself, so there’s no need to return to a parked car.

There are several self-service fruit stands right in front of the bus stop you get off. One of the small surprises of rural Japan is this unmanned fruit stand. Farmers leave citrus by the roadside with an honesty box, trusting customers to pay for what they take. It’s a simple system, but one that says a lot about life in the countryside.

The walk takes about 2 hours, and includes a number of uphill sections. It’s not the easiest route, but those willing to make the effort are rewarded with beautiful views, peaceful forests, and a deeper sense of Kumano’s landscape.

The trail climbs gently through cedar forests and over an old mountain pass.

For centuries, these paths connected villages, shrines, and the people who lived among the mountains.

As the trail climbs towards 300 metres above sea level, the forest gradually gives way to one of the route’s most rewarding viewpoints. From the mountain pass, you can look out across rolling mountain ridges all the way to the sparkling waters of the Kumano Sea.

Once you’ve reached the pass, the hardest part is behind you. The remainder of the route follows a gentle descent through the forest towards Sakamoto.

Just beyond the pass, a small wooden shelter offers the perfect place to stop for lunch.

Open your lunch.

The mehari-zushi you made with your host just a few hours earlier somehow tastes even better now.

After a quiet walk through the forests of the Kumano Kodo, with the scent of cedar trees in the air and a light sweat on your brow, the simple meal feels surprisingly satisfying.

Sometimes, the best food is not the most elaborate — it’s the food that arrives at exactly the right moment.

Sakamoto – your home for the past few days – is now just a short walk away.

The forest begins to thin, the rice terraces of Sakamoto come into view, and before long you’re back in the village.

A hot shower.

A few pages of a good book.

Perhaps a nap before dinner.

Back at the guesthouse, an optional barbecue dinner can be arranged in the garden by the host.

As the stars appear overhead, you’ll understand why so many people wish they had discovered this side of Kumano sooner.

＊Mehari-sushi making and barbecue are optional.

Day 4, Explore at Your Own Pace

One of the best things about staying longer is that not every day needs a plan.
You could spend the morning reading with a cup of coffee and simply enjoy village life.

Option 1

Stay in Sakamoto.

Read some books.

Stroll in the village.

Do absolutely nothing.

Option 2

Head for the coast.

Spend the afternoon watching the waves at Shichiri-Mihama Beach.

Option 3

Visit Nachi.

In the evening, visit a neighbourhood grocery store to get sashimi, prepared foods, and a bottle of local sake.

Enjoy a simple dinner back at the guesthouse.
Sometimes the best meals are the ones you eat at home.

Day 5, One Last Slow Morning

Wake early.
Take one final walk through the village.
Listen to the birds.
Watch the morning light reach the mountains.
Make a cup of coffee and sit quietly for a while.

Five days ago, this place was unfamiliar.
Now it feels a little like home.

The Spanish poet Antonio Machado once wrote:

“Traveler, there is no path. The path is made by walking.”

Many visitors come to Kumano searching for a destination.
But perhaps the real gift of staying in Sakamoto is to discovering that the journey itself is enough.
And that some places reveal themselves slowly, over days rather than hours.

Guesthouse, Sakamoto BASE

ツーリズムみはま

〜旅と暮らし文化で 地域の未来をつくる〜 地域の自立と持続を目指すために、地域経済の活性と促進、ゼロからの観光促進に挑戦する、エリアマネジメント法人です