Description

 Itinerary Map

 Highlights

 Detailed Itinerary

• PREPARATION

  Preparation and planning is the key to a safe trek in the sacred Kumano mountains.
  
  Choose a route that you have adequate experience and physical strength to safely complete. 
  
  Wear appropriate clothing and footwear, and carry necessary gear. 
  
  NOTE: Details sometimes change, especially bus schedules, so please double-check times before your trip.  If you notice something incorrect, please let us know. Thank you!
  
• WHEN TO VISIT

  The Nakahechi route is open year round.  
  
  Summer can be hot and humid, and winter has a slight possibility of snow at higher elevations (from end of December to end of February) although it usually melts shortly it falls. The winter months have shorter daylight hours.
  
  Japanese national holidays and long-weekends can be busy so best to avoid (especially golden week in the beginning of May and Obon mid-August).
  
  NOTE: It is often best to come mid-week as capacity is limited in smaller villages along the trail.
  

  Public Holidays in Japan
• RESOURCES

  There are many useful resources related to the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes.  Please use these to make the most of your trip.
  
  Maps and Official Guide Book, are available onsite in Tanabe.  Online “Pilgrim Packs” including these materials can be mailed in advance.

  Pilgrim Pack

  Kumano Kodo Official Guide Book

  Kumano Kodo Maps

  Kumano Kodo Overview

  Bus Timetable List

  Are you a Dual Pilgrim?
• INCLUSIONS

  The itinerary below is a sample.  
  
  Only the products and services that you book are included.  For example if you would like lunch boxes or daily luggage shuttle, these must be reserved in advance.  They are not included unless you book them.
  
  Transportation fees are not included.  It is easy to pay transport costs as you go.
• GUIDED or SELF-GUIDED

  This model itinerary can be done guided or self-guided.
  
  1. Self-guided. Use the detailed information online and onsite to complete your walk independently.
  2. Guided. Hire a local guide to have some comradery on the trail while experiencing the region’s rich culture.
  3. Partly-guided. Or have the best of both!  Hire a guide for the first day to get you going and then complete the itinerary on your own.  
  
  NOTE: The itinerary below is based on option 1. Self-guided
• LUGGAGE OPTIONS

  There are a few options for your luggage.
  
  1. Daily Luggage Shuttle. Luggage is transferred to your accommodation everyday (This is often the most popular option. If required, please book when making your accommodation reservations).
  2. Next-day or Later Luggage Shuttle can be arranged onsite without reservations at local convenience stores.
  
  NOTE: The itinerary below is based on option 1. Daily Luggage Shuttle
  
• MEALS

  Immersing oneself in local cuisine is part of the Kumano experience.
  
  1. At Accommodations.  Meals are most often served in accommodations in rural areas, as options for eating outside are limited to non-existent.  (Eating the set meals at accommodations is the most common and convenient option.)
  2. Lunch Boxes.  Lunch boxes are provided by most accommodations along the Kumano Kodo (in the Hongu area can be delivered to your lodging in the morning).
  3. Special Dietary Needs.  Special meal requests such as vegetarian or specific allergies must be made at the time of booking.  Vegetarianism is not common in Japan, especially in the countryside, so please double-check to confirm which types of vegetarian meals are available.  Often being able to eat trace amounts of the ubiquitous Dashi fish stock makes it easier to find options.
  
  NOTE: The itinerary below is based on meals supplied 1. At Accommodations with 2. Lunch Boxes when available.

• DAY 1 OVERVIEW

  DAY ONE is a transferring to Hongu, the heart of the sacred Kumano region: a train ride to Kii-Tanabe and then local bus to Hongu.  Visit Kumano Hongu Taisha, one of the main shrines of Kumano and then walk the short but steep Dainichi-goe section of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route to Yunomine Onsen, Japan's spiritual hongu 
  
  NOTE: The Kumano Kodo is a mountain trail, therefore walking times vary greatly depending on weather, season, personal experience, and fitness.  Please plan accordingly for a safe walk, as many people underestimate the difficulty of the terrain.
• TRAIN FROM OSAKA TO KII-TANABE (JR Kuroshio 3)

  

   Depart: 9:01 Shin-Osaka
    Depart: 9:21 Tennoji

    Arrive: 11:21 Kii-Tanabe

  
  The JR train travels down the west coast of the Kii peninsula. 
  
  As you head south the scenery changes dramatically from the large urban centers to agricultural and natural regions, with distinctively less populated mountains. 
  
  Watch for terraced orange and ume orchards along the way.
  
  TIP: Sit on the right hand side of the train for the best views.
  

  Train Timetable Search Engines
• VISIT TANABE TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER
  

  

  This information center is next to the Kii-Tanabe station as you exit on the left.
  
  There are paper copies of maps and transportation timetables as well as Dual Pilgrim credential to collect stamps along the trail. 
  
  This is the best place to get the most up-to-date information before you begin your walk!
• LUGGAGE SHUTTLE
  

  Give your bags directly to your reserved daily luggage service provider in front of the TANABE Tourist Information Center to be delivered to your accommodation.
  
  TIP: Daily luggage shuttle is convenient and highly recommended: to be able to walk freely without the worry of your bags.
• MEALS

  At a restaurant, or buy something to go.  Ask at the tourist information center for ideas.
  

  Central Tanabe Map
• BUS FROM KII-TANABE STATION TO HONGU (Ryujin Bus)

  

   Depart: 12:50 Kii-Tanabe
   Arrive: 14:57 Hongu Taisha-mae
  
  Busses depart from bus stop two in front of the station. 
  
  PRICE: 2,100 yen
  
  NOTE: You can buy your bus ticket at the vending machine in the information center.
  

  Bus Timetable #1
  How to Ride a Local Bus
• VISIT KUMANO HONGU TAISHA
  

  

  One of the three grand shrines, Kumano Hongu Taisha stands on a small ridge line in the north of the Hongu village.
  
  The austere pavilions are made of wood with impressive cypress bark roofs; it's architecture style dating back over 800 years.
  
  Watch for the sacred symbol of Kumano, the Yatagarasu three-legged crow.
  

  Kumano Hongu Taisha

  Hongu Map
• VISIT KUMANO HONGU HERITAGE CENTER

  

  This visitor center is on the east side route 311 across from the Kumano Hongu Taisha grand shrine. 
  
  It has detailed information and exhibits about the area in English. 

  
  HOURS: 9:00~17:00 (open year-round)
  
  NOTE: Registration as DUAL PILGRIM takes place here.  It takes at least 15 minutes and cannot be mailed out.

  Kumano Hongu Heritage Center
  Dual Pilgrim
• VISIT OYUNOHARA

  

  Kumano Hongu Taisha was originally located at Oyunohara, a sandbank at the confluence of the Kumano-gawa and Otonashi Rivers.
  
  Legend has it that the Kumano deities, in the form of three moons, descended into the branches of a giant oak tree in this clearing.
  
  All of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes lead to this sacred site.
  
  The entrance to Oyunohara is marked by the largest Torii shrine gate in the world (33.9 meters tall and 42 meters wide). It is a formalized gateway that designates the entrance to a sacred area and signifies the division of the secular and the spiritual worlds.

  Oyunohara
• Option 1
  WALK KUMANO KODO - HONGU TO YUNOMINE ONSEN - DAINICHI-GOE

  

   Distance: ~2 km
   Time: 1~2 hr
   Elevation Gain: ~250 m
   Elevation Loss: ~190 m
  
  The Dainichi-goe route is a short but relatively steep trail over Mt. Dainichi that links the Hongu village with Yunomine Onsen.
  
  The trailhead is at the southend of Hongu.
  

  Dainichi-goe
  Kumano Kodo Map
• VISIT YUNOMINE ONSEN

  

  Yunomine Onsen is one of the oldest hot springs in Japan and directly connected with the Kumano Kodo. It is a quaint little collection of inns tucked into a small valley.

   
  Tsuboyu is an historic bath which was used by pilgrims past to purify themselves with the hot water. Tickets are sold at the booth next to the temple.
  

  Yunomine Onsen
  Yunomine Onsen Map
• OVERNIGHT IN YUNOMINE ONSEN

  There is a diversity of accommodations in Yunomine Onsen such as Ryokan inns, Minshuku lodgings, each with their own hot spring baths.
• SUPPER

  At accommodation.

• DAY 2 OVERVIEW

  DAY TWO is a full day walk from Hongu south on the Kogumotori-goe section of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route to the small village of Koguchi.
• BREAKFAST

  At accommodation.
  
  PICK UP LUNCH BOX
  
  It is usually easiest to order your lunch box from the accommodation. Book a lunch box plan to take advantage of this service.
• LUGGAGE SHUTTLE
  

  Leave luggage at accommodation.
• BUS FROM YUNOMINE ONSEN TO UKEGAWA (Kumano Kotsu)

    Depart: 8:31 Yunomine Onsen
    Arrive: 8:44 Ukegawa

  PRICE: 340 yen

  Bus Timetable #4
• WALK KUMANO KODO "KOGUMOTORI-GOE" - UKEGAWA TO KOGUCHI

  

   Distance: ~13 km
   Time: 4.5~6 hr
   Elevation Gain: ~670 m
   Elevation Loss: ~690 m
  
  The Kogumotori-goe is a pass over a mountain range between Hongu and Koguchi. 
  
  The northern section is a gradual climbing gradient, mid-section has some ups and downs, and the southern descent is the steepest portion.

  Kumano Kodo Map
• LUNCH

  Picnic lunch along the trail.
• VISIT KOGUCHI

  Koguchi is a tiny settlement in a valley bottom surrounding by lush green mountains, the stopping point for walkers between the Kogumotori-goe and Ogumotorie-goe sections.
  
  Several small rivers converge here, offering enticing swimming sites in the summer months.
  
  

   
• OVERNIGHT IN KOGUCHI

  There is limited accommodations in Koguchi. If these are not available then transferring to a nearby village is an option, such as Kumano-gawa or Takata.
• SUPPER

  At accommodation.

• DAY 3 OVERVIEW

  DAY THREE is a full day walk from Koguchi south on the Ogumotori-goe section of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route to the shrine-temple complex of Nachisan and Japan's tallest waterfall.
  
  This is considered one of the most difficult sections on the Nakahechi route: Not technically difficult but some long climbs and descents often with cobblestone lined trails, which can be slipperly, especially when wet.
• BREAKFAST

  At accommodation.
  
  PICK UP LUNCH BOX
  
  It is usually easiest to order your lunch box from the accommodation. Book a lunch box plan to take advantage of this service.
• LUGGAGE SHUTTLE
  

  Leave luggage at accommodation.
• WALK KUMANO KODO "OGUMOTORI-GOE" - KOGUCHI TO NACHISAN

  

   Distance: ~14 km
   Time: 7~9 hr
   Elevation Gain: ~1260 m
   Elevation Loss: ~930 m
  
  The Ogumotori-goe connects Koguchi and Kumano Nachi Taisha, site of the divine Nachi-no-Otaki, Japan's tallest waterfall. 
  
  This is often considered the most difficult section on the Nakahechi route, so best to give yourself enough time to complete the walk.
  
  As there are no escape routes, if one doesn't feel up to the challenge, take public transit to Shingu and then onto the shrine grounds.

  Kumano Kodo Map
• LUNCH

  Picnic lunch along the trail.
• VISIT SEIGANTO-JI

  Seiganto-ji temple was founded in the early 5th century and is one of the oldest buildings in the region.
  
  The view from the temple grounds is dramatic, featuring a pagoda with the falls as a backdrop.
  

  Nachisan Map
• VISIT KUMANO NACHI TAISHA

  One of the three grand shrines, Kumano Nachi Taisha is located halfway up Nachi Mountain, about 350 meters above sea level.
  
  It has its religious origin in the ancient nature worship of Nachi-no-Otaki falls.
  
  The branches of a giant camphor shades the roof of the worship hall.
  

  Kumano Nachi Taisha

  Nachisan Map
• VISIT NACHI FALLS

  Nachi-no-Otaki is 133 meters high and 13 meters wide - the tallest waterfall in Japan.
  
  It's water source is the surrounding broad-leaf evergreen primeval forest, a sanctuary that has been protected since ancient times, used for ascetic training by mountain monks who practice Shugendo, a mixed religion of foreign and indigenous beliefs.
  

  Nachisan Map
• OVERNIGHT IN NACHISAN

  Mitaki Sanso guesthouse is located just below the shrine grounds. It is a 25 minute bus ride Kii-Katsuura station where other accommodations are located.
• SUPPER

  At accommodation.

• DAY 4 OVERVIEW

  DAY FOUR is the last morning of the visit.   Spend some time in the morning to re-visit the shrine grounds and falls area before the crowds arrive.  
  
  Then bus to the Kii-Katsuura station where you can walk around the village and have lunch before taking the train back to Osaka.
• BREAKFAST

  At accommodation.
• BUS FROM NACHI TO KATSUURA (Kumano Kotsu)

    Depart: 9:44 Nachi-no-Taki-mae
    Arrive: 10:08 Kii-Katsuura

  PRICE: 630 yen

  Bus Timetable #8
• LUNCH

  There are a diversity of small restaurants near the station.  Ask at the tourist information office in the Kii-Katsuura station.

  Kii-Katsuura Station Area Map
• VISIT KATSUURA

  Katsuura Onsen is a fishing port on the rugged Pacific coastline. 
  
  This coastal village is famous for its hot spring baths and world-class seafood.
  

  Katsuura Map
• TRAIN FROM KII-KATSUURA TO OSAKA (JR Kuroshio 26)

   Depart: 13:46 Kii-Katsuura

    Arrive: 17:50 Shin-Osaka
  
  TIP: Sit on the lefthand side of the train for the best coastal views.

  Train Timetable Search Engines
• OTHER OPTIONS

  There are a few options after the trek including the following:
  
  1. Visiting the Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu before taking the train to Osaka.
  2. Staying another night in the Katsuura area to enjoy some downtime to recuperate from the walk.
  3. Head east up the coast towards Ise and Nagoya.