I’ve come to crave the solitude and asceticism of these solo walks. There is no quieter place on earth than the third hour of a good long day of walking. It’s alone in this space, this walk-induced hypnosis, that the mind is finally able to receive the strange gifts and charities of the world. If that sounds like woo-woo nonsense, it feels even more woo-woo to experience.
I’ve come to realize the only true walk is the re-walk. You cannot know a place without returning. And even then, once isn’t enough. That’s why I’m back. Back on the Peninsula. Walking these roads I’ve walked before. It’s only through time and distance and effort—concerted, present effort, controlled attention, a gentle and steady gaze upon it all—that you begin to understand old connections, old wounds. That the shape of once-dark paths becomes clear.
From the book Things Become Other Things: A Walking Memoir by Craig Mod. Copyright © 2025 by Craig Mod. Published by Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.
How to get there
For the Ise-ji, take the Shinkansen train from Tokyo to Nagoya, and transfer to the Kintetsu Limited Express down to Ise City.
Where to go
Walk from Ise Grand Shrine to Shingu Hayatama Shrine over eight or nine days. Or else take the train from Ise City to Owase, set up base in Owase, and spend a few days exploring Yakiyama Mountain and Magose Mountain Pass.
Where to stay
A historical inn in Ise: Asakichi
An easy hotel along the route: Fairfield by Marriott Mie Okuise Odai
A detail-oriented B&B-style ryokan-inn: Misuzu
An onsen ryokan with opulent meals: Minoshima
An inn with a seaside view: Owase Seaside View
What to pack
Keep things light. No boots. Trail running shoes are best—there can be a lot of up and down depending on which parts of the Ise-ji you’re walking. Collapsable hiking poles can be handy. Bring layers—merino wool base layers with tops, fleeces, and jackets depending on the season. It can rain a lot on the Kii Peninsula, so a light, collapsable umbrella is never a bad idea. A big floppy hat is great to beat off the sun, which can be utterly brutal from May through October.
