Dorogawa: A Spiritual Retreat

The Town

The small hot spring hamlet of Dorogawa has a retro atmosphere and quietude punctuated only by the occasional sound of conch shells blown by mountain monks. Local life takes place along the charming high street running through its center.

Dorogawa Onsen Townscape

The small onsen town has hardly changed since it first welcomed pilgrims 500 years ago.

Lining both sides of the street, there are many traditional inns and small shops selling herbal medicine and the equipment and garments used by Shugendo practitioners.

At Zenitani Shokakudo Daranisukegan, you can buy daranisuke, a folk medicine that has its roots in the esoteric Shugendo community practicing in the nearby mountains. The dark black pellets made from tree bark are a natural remedy for maladies ranging from stomach aches to hangovers.

Zenitani Shokakudo Daranisukegan

A family-run general goods store selling souvenirs including sweets, textiles, and the local herbal medicine, daranisuke.

Many of the ryokan in the area have been operating for hundreds of years. Hanaya Tokubei, the oldest, has been welcoming pilgrims for 500 years. At night, the lanterns that hang outside the inns glow a dim orange, lending the town a special atmosphere. Kadojin looks particularly beautiful lit up in the evening.

Kadojin

A popular ryokan, Kadojin is renowned for its elegant, spacious tatami rooms and photogenic facade.

Although the town can be covered easily on foot, there is a small petrol station that rents scooters at the bottom of the main street, near the bus station. These are handy for exploring more of the Tenkawa area and to get to Mitarai Valley.

While in the town, try its spring water, Gorogoro Mizu. The name alludes to the gurgling sound of the spring's water which can be heard from within nearby Goyomatsu Limestone Cave. The water is as pure as it gets and can be drunk straight from the source.

Gorogoro Mizu

Take a bottle with you to fill up before setting out on a hike. The water is pure and full of minerals.

Where there is pure spring water, there is good quality soba and tofu. Seikuro only opens for lunch, but serves excellent soba noodle sets with kakinohazushi, a kind of pickled sushi wrapped in persimmon leaves. At Meisui Tofu Yamaguchiya, you can buy fresh tofu to eat outside on the small bench in front of the shop.

Seikuro

Popular with visitors and locals alike, make sure to arrive early to avoid dissapointment.

Shugendo & Sacred Mt. Omine

Shugendo is a psycho-physical practice from the Heian era, combining elements of shamanism, Shinto, Taoism and Buddhism. Practitioners undertake challenging hikes up sacred Mt. Omine and along the Omine-Okugake Trail. Through this practice they purify and revitalize themselves, becoming one with nature.

Located near the peak of Mt. Omine, Ohminesanji Temple, is only open between May and September. During this time, thousands of Shugendo practitioners gather from around the world in Dorogawa. Dressed in traditional white attire and occasionally sounding conch shells, they are easy to recognise.

Ohminesanji Temple

This holy Shugendo site and parts of Mt. Omine are off-limits to women.

Long and arduous, the Omine-Okugake Trail leads over mountain ridges and through forests. It runs from Yoshino, south through Totsukawa and into neighboring Wakayama Prefecture. The section from Mt. Omine to Totsukawa is particularly challenging and not recommended for novices.

Omine-Okugake Trail

A challenging trail for inexperienced hikers, part of the World Heritage network of pilgrimage routes running through the mountains of Nara and neighboring Wakayama Prefecture.

Open all year round, Ryusen-ji Temple, at the base of Mt. Omine, holds the opening and closing ceremonies for the sacred mountain on May 3 and September 23 each year. The temple itself is beautiful, and well worth a visit when in Dorogawa.

Ryusen-ji Temple

Beautiful in all seasons, Shugendo practitioners have gathered here for prayer and meditation since its founding around 645 AD.