This trek had been on my bucket list for many years and the incredible experience was certainly worth the wait. Each year I embark on an adventure alone with my daughter (currently 16 years old) without Mum and in 2026, we choose the Kumano Kudo. We have visited Japan many times, love the food and are well acquainted with the culture, however the Kumano Kudo was entirely different with some unexpected surprises and challenges.
Despite peak season during Sakura blossom with many trekkers (both Japanese and foreigners) walking the Kumano Kudo, there were still extensive periods of time when we felt totally alone in the wilderness with only the sounds of the breeze and birdsong. Often one can really get a sense of what this Imperial route must have been like in ancient Japan. The Nakahechi spans 65km, and while it's not lengthy or at high altitude, most days feature undulating terrain with several peaks and valleys. In parallel with admiring the wonderful scenery, a great deal of focus and concentration is necessary, especially walking over tree roots and on smooth stones, some with slippery green moss.
The service and support provided by Kumano Travel in booking our accommodation and luggage transfers for the selected number of days was first class, and if you are organising your trip by yourself (rather than simply booking a package tour) then I cannot recommend their service enough. Subsequent follow-up questions were answered promptly. All but one of our preferred accommodation options was available and the alternative hotel recommended was very good, so overall, we were delighted with the diverse array of accommodation. The luggage transfer service was seamless. Admittedly this service did require payment in full 8 months in advance but at least we had peace of mind during the peak Sakura season. We did encounter other trekkers who arranged accommodation & transport themselves much closer to the trek date, but they were not staying in ideal locations, quite far from the trekking route. My only request to Kumano Travel is to please consider providing the email address, LINE ID or WhatsApp number of each accommodation to make communications much easier for those trekking and avoid the need to search for a public telephone. This is because most foreigners visiting Japan acquire a Data Only eSIM or SIM card without voice calls.
As regards improvement, 2 subjects. Firstly, the distance markers either side of Koguchi at the end of day 4 and start of day 5 are not accurate. Marker 30 (a little after Okiri Jizo) is much further than 500m from marker 29 at the start of the Ogumotori-goe section. I would estimate it to be at least 1200m. Secondly, we generally found all of the facilities (toilets, shelters etc) along the entire trek over 5 days to be in excellent and very clean condition. There was only one exception at Jizo-Jaya Teahouse Remains, ironically a very pretty place to stop on the final day. Whilst somewhat surprisingly the Male toilets were spotlessly clean with plenty of toilet paper etc, the Female toilets were the worst I have ever encountered in more than 100 visits to Japan. Specifically, the floor was soaking wet, there were piles of discarded toilet paper in each toilet, a pile of rubbish at the entrance way and zero toilet paper. Some responsibility lies with those walking the Kumano Kudo but clearly this facility had been omitted from routine cleaning. Hopefully it was a rare oversight.
Overall, Kumano Kudo was an exceptional experience for us both.
