Abstract
Many mountain trails in Japan depend heavily on volunteer management, span extensive geographical areas, and involve multiple regulatory frameworks. Consequently, trail management systems are complex and remain poorly understood. This paper examines the management systems for the Kumano Kodo Iseji mountain trails through interviews with relevant stakeholders. These trails span nine municipalities across Mie and Wakayama Prefectures, with certain sections designated as component parts of the World Cultural Heritage site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.” We found distinct differences in the management systems between the two prefectures. In Mie Prefecture, administrative sectionalism is observed between the departments overseeing the World Heritage components and those responsible for the Kinki Nature Trail. While local volunteer conservation groups face challenges─such as a shortage of successors, limited inter-group cooperation, and inadequate legal and financial frameworks─they continue their activities out of a strong attachment to local resources, thereby contributing to the maintenance and enhancement of local communities. In contrast, Wakayama’s management system is more centralized, managed by a limited number of quasi-public entities centered around the Board of Education, though it lacks sufficient participation from private actors. Furthermore, in both prefectures, inter-municipal cooperation remains underdeveloped. These findings suggest that establishing an overarching management body could lead to the sustainable and integrated management of the Kumano Kodo Iseji
trails.
