Tenkawa

Driving is one option. From Koriyama IC (郡山) of E25 (Nishi-Meihan Expressway) drive Route 24 and Route 169 southbound. At Shimoichiguchi crossing turn right onto Route 309 and drive until you get to Tenkawa. There is a bus leaving from Kintetsu Shimoichiguchi Station (下市口), which is on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line. You can board an express train (急行) for Yoshino (吉野) at Osaka Abenobashi Station, the Kintetsu station adjacent to JR Tennoji. That train will take you to Shimoichiguchi, from where you can take a bus for about an hour until you reach Tenkawa Mura (天川村). Tenkawa is on the Ōmine Okugake-michi road of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail, which begins in Yoshino. This is one of the less travelled and more challenging routes, and you'll need to bring food and camping gear to tackle it end to end. The information center (天川村総合案内所) is the first place you should drop in on when you reach Tenkawa. They offer guidebooks and information on this area....