The Kumano Kodō is a region of Japan comprised of branching pilgrimage routes that stretch into varying corners of the Kii Peninsula. The pilgrimage itself dates back more than 1,000 years and its routes have been walked by all levels of society, from commoners and artisans to aristocrats and retired emperors, and stands as a symbol of inclusivity for all seeking worship. The trails that comprise the region sprawl over mountain ranges and weave through lush valley greenery, each dotted with quiet hamlets and bustling hot-spring towns famous for their rejuvenating waters.
Of the trails that make up the Kumano Kodō, the Nakahechi trail was once considered the imperial route, leading from Takijiri on the western edge of the peninsula and stretching to Shingū on the eastern coast. The sheer number of pilgrims who would march in long processions earned the trail the nickname ‘pilgrimage of ants’, and the trail remains the most popular of the routes today.
Running along the eastern and western coasts of the Kii peninsula are the Iseji route and Kiiji route, respectively. The Kiiji route historically connected Kyōto and Ōsaka to the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano, linking up with the Nakahechi route at Tanabe City. Meanwhile, the Iseji route connects Ise Grand Shrine, the holiest place in the Shintō religion, with the Grand Shrines of Kumano.
Its isolation from the rest of Japan truly lends the Kumano Kodō an immense sense of calm, complemented by its striking scenery, the delicious food and the warmth of its locals. Being close to the Pacific coast, the region is also famous for its tuna dishes, and local pilgrims will be well acquainted with the revitalising power of meharizushi – salted rice balls wrapped in mustard leaves. Be it for a journey of self-discovery, a pilgrimage of worship, or simply for the joy of the hike, the Kumano Kodō is a must-visit location for a walking tour in Japan.
This 6 day walk is the quintessential Kumano Kodō experience on the classic Nakahechi route. But 4 and 5 day options are also available – please ask for details.
Prices (based on two people sharing a room) from:
£1,250 per person for 4 days/3 nights
£1,555 per person for 5 days/4 nights
£1,770 per person for 6 days/5 nights
Single supplement on request.
Included:
5 nights at Japanese inns along the Kumano Kodō trail
5 breakfasts and 5 dinners
Round-trip train tickets from Kyōto or Ōsaka
Detailed day-by-day itinerary and walking directions
Topographical maps
Local support by telephone and at our Kumano Kodō branch
Our Preparing for Your Trip and Travelling in Japan guidebooks
Not Included:
Flights
Airport transfers
Drinks and meals not included in itinerary
Local bus journeys which must be paid directly to the bus driver
Single room supplement(s) for solo occupancy
Daily luggage transfer
Departure Dates:
All year (snow falls occasionally from December to March)
Day 1: Takijiri – Takahara
Walking distance: 4.5 km / 2.8 mi
Elevation gain: 370 m / 1,200 ft of ascent and 175 m / 575 ft of descent
Time required: About 2 hours
Accommodation: Japanese-style hotel or minshuku (family-run guesthouse)
Meals: Dinner
Our tour includes train tickets for your journey from Kyōto or Ōsaka to the small town of Kii-Tanabe on the mystical Kii Peninsula, gateway to the historic Kumano Kodō Trail. The railway line runs close to the ocean for the latter part of the journey and offers fine views out over the sea. The journey from Ōsaka to Kii-Tanabe is around two and half hours; from Kyōto it is around three hours and usually requires a change of trains at Shin-Ōsaka station. Board a local bus outside Kii-Tanabe station and travel forty minutes to Takijiri. This is where your walk on the Nakahechi portion of the Kumano Kodō pilgrimage route begins.
From Takijiri the path climbs steadily to the ridge-top village of Takahara, and takes around two hours. Stay tonight in a small, Japanese-style minshuku in the tiny village of Takahara, or in the nearby village of Kurisugawa. Both serve delicious home-cooked dinners featuring local seasonal ingredients.
Day 2: Takahara – Chikatsuyu
Walking distance: 10 km / 6.5 mi
Elevation gain: 480 m / 1,575 ft of ascent and 520 m / 1,700 ft of descent
Time required: About 4 – 5 hours
Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
After your Japanese breakfast, you leave your inn and follow the trail as it winds through small settlements and the peaceful countryside. You pass several ōji shrines before finally descending to the village of Chikatsuyu. The paths are clearly defined, and flagstones have been laid in some places to make the climbs easier. Arrive in Chikatsuyu in time to relax before dinner at a family-run guesthouse.
Day 3: Chikatsuyu – Hongu
Walking distance: 24 km / 14.9 mi
Elevation gain: 820 m / 2,700 ft of ascent and 1,140 m / 3,740 ft of descent
Time required: About 8 – 9 hours, requiring an early start!
We offer two shorter alternatives of 7 hours (15 km / 9 mi) or of 2 hours (7 km / 4 mi), using a local bus from Chikatsuyu to shorten the walk. You can choose which option you prefer on the day—no need to decide in advance!
Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
From Chikatsuyu and Nonaka, the trail continues through the mountains. We have shorter and longer hiking options to choose from this day, all of which include the ‘can’t miss’ walk between Hosshinmon-ōji and Hongu Grand Shrine. At the heart of these sacred mountains, Kumano was said to be the entrance to the land of Yomi, the ‘other world’ which spirits travelled to in Japanese mythology. From Hongū, a short bus ride brings you to Yunomine Onsen, one of the oldest natural hot spring villages in Japan, or to Kawayu Onsen, famous for the thermal water bubbling to the surface of the crystal-clear river. Enjoy a relaxing soak in a Japanese bath before or after your delicious, multi-course dinner.
Day 4: Hongu – Koguchi
Walking distance: 12.4 km / 7.7 mi
Elevation gain: 520 m / 1,705 ft of ascent and 500 m / 1,640 ft of descent
Time required: About 4 hours
Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse) or ryokan (traditional Japanese inn)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
For guests spending a second evening close to Hongū, we offer various excellent hiking options up to 6 hours, the longest of which can generally be undertaken completely on foot. We offer a number of alternatives from 1 up to 6 hours (13 km / 8 mi) if staying close to Hongū.
Take time to explore the atmospheric village where you spent the night, before undertaking one of two possible hiking options: ascend the Kogumotorigoe path towards Koguchi or undertake another section close to Hongū, with excellent valley views. The first option begins with a short bus ride to Ukegawa on the banks of the Kumano River. From Ukegawa, you start on the Kogumotorigoe path, which heads up to the Kogumotorigoe Pass before descending to the remote village of Koguchi.
Day 5: Koguchi – Mount Nachi
Walking distance: 15.1 km / 9.3 mi
Elevation gain: 980 m / 3,215 ft of ascent and 920 m / 3,020 ft of descent
Time required: About 6 – 7 hours
Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse) or onsen hotel (hot spring hotel)
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
The final section of the trail takes you from Koguchi up to the Ōgumotorigoe Pass with a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. It then descends to Mount Nachi, the location of Nachi Grand Shrine, one of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano and Nachi Falls. Stay overnight either in the small village of Mount Nachi close to the shrine, or take a local bus for the twenty-minute ride to the port town of Kii-Katsuura, with wonderful views over the island-studded bay. Enjoy dinner and breakfast served by your hosts at your accommodation.
Day 6: Visit Kii-Katsuura and onwards train to Osaka or Kyoto
Meals: Breakfast
Kii-Katsuura is an active fishing port and has a lively early-morning fish market. Enjoy the views out over the island-studded bay. There are intriguing backstreets and a traditional covered shopping arcade to explore, too. It is also possible to visit Hayatama Shrine, one of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano. We provide train tickets for you to board a train at lunchtime, travelling back around the Kii Peninsula and arriving in Ōsaka or Kyōto mid to late afternoon.
As a general guide, we suggest you bring a small or medium suitcase with wheels, plus a medium daypack. It is important to travel light in Japan. Buses and trains have limited luggage space and stations often have stairs. Your tour will be more enjoyable and easier if you limit the luggage you bring.
If your self-guided tour includes village-to-village trail walking, you will want to carry just a daypack on those days. Takkyubin Courier is ideal for dealing with your main luggage while walking on the trail. An alternative option of Daily Luggage Transfer is available on the Kumano Kodo Trail and parts of the Nakasendo Trail, so on those tours you can choose the system which suits you better.
For most clients on our self-guided walking tours, the best way to deal with your main luggage is to send it ahead by the wonderful Takkyubin Courier service. Takkyubin is the brand name of the best-known service provider. These services are secure, efficient and economical, typically between 2,500-3,000 JPY per bag per transfer. The sent luggage does not re-join you each night; it is waiting for you at the accommodation where you stay at a night or two later on. You carry overnight essentials in your daypack for the intervening nights.
Send your main luggage from the hotel you stay at before the trail to an inn part-way along the trail. You then send it from the inn part-way along the trail to the hotel you will stay at after the trail. Takkyubin does not need to be arranged in advance. You arrange and pay for the service yourself in Japan, usually with help from the concierge of your hotel or inn. Some smaller local hotels and inns may not offer the service, but they will direct you to the nearest location where the service is available – a local convenience store, for example.
Takkyubin is also ideal for those who choose to manage with their daypack for all their nights on the trail, without any access to their main luggage. Simply send your main luggage from wherever you stay before the trail to wherever you stay afterwards.
Travelling light on the trails is easy. All inns provide cotton yukata gowns and slippers for you to wear after arrival for dining, relaxing in your room, exploring outside and sleeping. They also provide small towels, soap, shampoo and hairdryers. You don’t need a complete change of clothing for the evening, so it really is possible to manage with just a medium daypack to carry overnight essentials. Takkyubin may be a novel experience for clients who have walked self-guided in other parts of the world, but it works wonderfully well in Japan.
Takkyubin allows you to travel throughout Japan without having to handle your main luggage. You can avoid carrying your bags on trains and buses, where luggage space is often limited, or through busy railway stations. The only disadvantage is that you are without your main bag for one or more nights while it is in transit.
For clients who prefer to have access to their main luggage each night, we now offer Daily Luggage Transfer on the Nakahechi portion of the Kumano Kodo Trail, and for a portion of the Nakasendo Trail for a supplement. This service is pre-booked and pre-paid through Oku Japan.
Daily Luggage Transfer offers clients the option of bringing luggage by train and bus to the trail, and then having it transferred from inn to inn on a daily basis. This Daily Luggage Transfer is more expensive than Takkyubin Courier. We know it will appeal to some clients, because it means having to carry less in your daypack and allows access to your main luggage each evening. But please be aware that bringing large suitcases through railway stations, on the train and then on the bus to the start of the trail can be inconvenient. Luggage space on trains and buses is limited; railway stations may be busy and involve stairs. We think Takkyubin Courier is a better choice for most clients. Please note that Daily Luggage Transfer is available on the Nakasendo Trail as far as Narai (on our 3 day tour) and up until Matsumoto on our longer Nakasendo adventures; the service does not extend to Karuizawa or Kamikochi, (featuring in our longer Self-Guided Nakasendo tours), so it is still necessary to use Takkyubin Courier for that final section.
