Totsukawa Village
Kazuo Sugimoto

“Kumano Kohechi Pilgrimage Route” is the pilgrimage route of the shortest route connecting the two main sacred places of Mt.Koya, the grand head temple of Shingon Buddhism, and Kumano Hongu. “Omine Okugakemichi” is shugendo (the mountaineering asceticism) that passes through the steep main ridge line through the two main sacred places of Yoshino and Kumano. It takes about 6.5 hours between two sacred roads. There is a trip invited by Yagi-Shingu Express Bus, known as the “Japan's longest route bus”.

We invite passengers to a different world. It also can be said this is shugendo for me.

As a route bus without using the expressway, Yagi-Shingu Express Bus runs the longest distance in Japan. It has the name of “Express” because it doesn’t stop at several bus stops in some sections, but in fact almost is operated with the local train. Six buses make 3 round trips a day.
Since it runs for long time of 6.5 hours, 10 to 20 minutes breaks at 3 spots including Tanize Suspension Bridge and Totsukawa is set. However, there is no change of driver on the way, and it is a hard work that crews by one person in all sections. “Yes, it is hard and important how maintain my feeling of tension. Sometimes I feel frustration or stressed. I will continue to work harder every day, during feeling various conflicts, and the degree of tension.”
Entering Totsukawa-mura, I’m nervous by narrow roads, curves with poor visibility, and narrow tunnels that may be difficult to cross oncoming vehicles. “The attraction is the scenery from the train window than anything else. You can enjoy the scenery that you cannot enjoy if driving by yourself. People who are busy every day jump into a non-ordinary and different world called the charm of the mountain village in the countryside of Japan. If we can help it, I'm glad that I'm a driver.”
Also, Totsukawa-mura is the best of best as an unexplored area where people want to visit, and it is said that an easygoing time to heal those who visit flows.
“I hold the steering wheel in the hope that each passenger fully feels the village's air and time in the bus and it will be a source of energy to return to their everyday life.”

Interviewed in July, 2019
Writer : Hideko Takahashi / Photographer : Hiroyuki Tamura