Hiking Guide to Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route

Consisting of a number of routes, the Kumano Kodo is a hiking mecca for all tourists, traversing the Kii Peninsula, south of Osaka, and passing through beautiful beaches, forests, waterfalls, and hot springs towns. Below you will find information on the best time to hike Kumano Kodo, how to experience the three most popular Kumano Kodo routes (Nakahechi Route, Kohechi Route, and Ohechi Route), luggage shuttle services on Kumano Kodo, etc.

The Best Time to Hike Kumano Kodo

Surrounded by cherry blossoms in the spring, covered by dense forests in the summer, colored by maple leaves in the fall, and adorned with snowflakes in the winter, the Kumano Kodo will delight you all year round.

The Kii Peninsula has more pleasant climates in the spring and fall, making them the peak hiking seasons to enjoy the fancy spring sakura as well as the red and gold autumn leaves. In summer, the Kii Peninsula is as lush as an anime scene, shielding most of the summer heat and making it a pleasant route for most hiking tourists. Winter is a great time to enjoy the hot springs at Kumano Hongu Taisha, or continue on to Kumano Nachi Taisha at the end of the route, which looks like a fairyland as the Nachi Falls cascade down, creating a mist in the chill air.

Autumn Leaves in Kumano Kodo

The Three Most Popular Kumano Kodo Routes

Ending at the Kumano Sanzan (the three most important Kumano shrines, Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha), the Kumano Kodo is not a single route but a network of several distinctive routes, of which the most popular hike-able routes are the Nakahechi Route, Kohechi Route and Ohechi Route.

The Nakahechi Route, with its beautiful scenery and the best facilities, is the first choice for most hikers. The Kohechi Route follows mostly mountainous paths through valleys and alpine villages, making it more popular with hikers who like a bit of a challenge. The Ohechi Route offers coastal scenery and a marine park, and the path is gentle and easy for most tourists.

Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route

The Nakahechi Route is approximately 30 kilometers long. This route is suitable for most tourists. It has easy-to-walk paved sections, as well as some physically demanding uneven sections and steep uphill and downhill climbs. Bus is available all along the way, you can freely choose between hiking or taking a bus depending on your stamina.

It starts at Takijiri-oji in Kii-Tanabe City on the west coast of the Kii Peninsula, from where you will walk all the way east through virgin forests, wispy mists, ancient villages, and finally to Kumano Hongu Taisha, where there are Japan's largest torii, as well as skyscraping cedar trees and wide rice paddies. After visiting Kumano Hongu Taisha, you can head to the nearby 1,800-year-old hot spring village of Yunomine Onsen, where you can soak in the hot springs as a reward for the hike.

Takijiri-oji, the Starting Point of the Nakahechi Route

If you want to explore all three shrines at once, you can continue the hike. First, you'll need to take a boat ride like the ancient pilgrims to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, with wonderful river views along the way; after that, you'll walk through towering centuries-old cedar trees to Kumano Nachi Taisha, where the Nachi Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in Japan, is located.

Two Days' Experience to Kumano Hongu Taisha

Nakahechi Route can be completed in two days. The first day's walk from Takijiri-oji to the village of Chikatsuyu takes about 6 hours, and along the way, you pass Kiri-no-Sato Takahara Lodge, Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Michi-no-Eki Rest Stop, and Chikatsuyu, all of which have restaurants where you can stop to enjoy the food and take a rest. The village of Chikatsuyu has several hotels where you can spend the night.

The next day's hike from Chikatsuyu village to Kumano Hongu Taisha will take about 9 hours. You don't have to walk the whole way but take a bus instead. You can choose where to take the bus depending on your stamina. You can take a bus directly to Kumano Hongu Taisha at the Chikatsuyu-oji, Nonaka Ipposugi, or Hosshinmon-oji bus stop. After visiting Kumano Hongu Taisha, you can stay overnight in the nearby hot spring village of Yunomine Onsen, and enjoy a hearty dinner in the hotels there.

Vapour from Yunomine Onsen

An Extra Day to the Other Two Shrines

If you want to hike to the other two shrines, you'll need an extra day. First, you will go along the most special section of Kumano Kodo, a river pilgrimage route, to Kumano Hayatama Taisha. From Yunomine Onsen, it takes about 40 minutes by bus to the Michi-no-Eki Kumanogawa, where you can take a boat ride down the Kumano-gawa River, which is a relaxing ride with crystal clear water and endless forests and mountains on the bank.

Hotel on Nakahechi Route

In about 1.5 hours, you will arrive at the vermillion-and-white-colored Kumano Hayatama Taisha, where you will find a thousand-year-old tree and a museum with a large number of national treasures. You will then continue your hike for about 2 hours to the Kumano Nachi Taisha. Along the way, you will pass through towering cedar trees, camphor trees, and bamboo groves, before ending the pilgrimage in awe of the spectacular Nachi Falls and the stunning Seigantoji Temple.

Kumano Kodo Kohechi Route

Kohechi Route starts in Koyasan and leads from north to south to Kumano Hongu Taisha. It is more than 65 kilometers long and passes through forests, river valleys, mountain peaks and valley towns. Along the way you can enjoy Totsukawa Onsen and Yunomine Onsen, and one of Japan's most beautiful villages, Hatenashi Settlement, which sits on a ridge top with a panoramic view of the mountains through which the route passes.

This route has more mountainous sections and four passes over 1,000 meters above sea level, making it suitable for experienced hikers with good stamina. Along the way you may encounter cooling temperatures and brief rain, please bring warm and rainproof clothing. Kohechi Route is closed from mid-December to mid-March each year due to snow blocking the passes.

Four Days' Experience on the Kohechi Route

Kohechi Route can be completed in four days. On the first day, you can spend the night in Omata after the 7-hour walk from Koyasan through forests and river valleys. Miura-guchi could be your second-day destination which has quaint hotels to stay in.

On the third day, you will walk for about 8 hours to Totsukawa Onsen where you will enjoy the hot springs. If you like, there are also buses you can take to Kumano Hongu Taisha at the Totsukawa Onsen bus stop. Or just keep your pace, you will walk through the picturesque Hatenashi Settlement to your final destination of Kumano Hongu Taisha on the fourth day.

Kumano Kodo Ohechi Route

About 37 kilometers long, the Ohechi Route, boasting stunning sea views, is a newbie-friendly route with mainly paved, gentle roads, and you can take a bus or train.

Bus, Another Choice

It starts at Kii-Tanabe and leads to Kumano Nachi Taisha along the southwestern coast of the Kii Peninsula with its mesmerizing seascape, and along the way, you will pass by the Kushimoto Marine Park, Japan's first marine park, with an undersea observatory that lets you see marine life up close. You will also pass through the town of Yukawa, famous for its hot springs. After visiting Kumano Nachi Taisha, don't miss the nearby unforgettable poetic scenery formed by the Nachi Falls and the Seigantoji Temple on the side.

Three Days' Experience on the Ohechi Route

Ohechi Route can be completed in three days. On the first day, travel from Kii-Tanabe to Kushimoto, which takes about 8 hours, and you can take a bus or train along the way. You can have lunch and rest at Akase Elementary School halfway, see marine life at Kushimoto Marine Park, and finally arrive at your hotel in Kushimoto for the night, where there are restaurants and hot springs.

On the second day, travel from Kushimoto to Katsuura, which takes about 8 hours, enjoying hot springs and delicious food in the town of Yukawa on the way, and then traveling through the forest path to Katsuura, where you can enjoy a delicious barbecue at Blue Beach, followed by a good night's sleep at the Japanese-style hotel.

On the third day, it takes only 1-2 hours to travel to Kumano Nachi Taisha. You can pray and learn about the history of the shrine as the locals do there, and afterward enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Nachi Falls and Seigantoji Temple.

Luggage Shuttle Services on Kumano Kodo

You can enjoy luggage shuttle services whether you are hiking or taking a bus or train. Your luggage will be transported from one accommodation to another, so you just need to bring enough food to eat before arriving at the restaurants on the way every day.

Kumono Kodo Luggage Shuttle Service

You need to book luggage shuttle services at least 10 days in advance. When you pack your luggage, please note that the total length, width, and height of each package should not exceed 160 centimeters, and the weight should not exceed 25 kilograms. The shuttle service price depends on the size and weight of the luggage. Luggage with a combined length, width and height of 160 centimeters and weighing 25 kilograms costs 17 USD.

Tips for Hiking Kumano Kodo

• The hotels along these routes are limited in the number of tourists they can accommodate, and some hotels with hot springs are highly sought after, so it is recommended that you make reservations as early as possible.
• Prepare hiking essentials such as comfortable non-slip hiking shoes, breathable hiking socks, hiking poles, knee pads, quick-drying towels, sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats, waterproof backpacks, etc.
• It is best to wear multiple layers of clothing to cope with changes in temperature, for example, breathable and quick-drying short-sleeves or shirts for the innermost layer, warm clothes for the middle layer, and waterproof and windproof clothes for the outermost layer.
• Prepare first aid supplies common to outdoor sports, such as sterilized cotton, band-aids, gauze, heat stroke medication, etc.
• Protect the natural environment. Don't litter; don't use fire or smoke in the forest; and follow the rules on signs along the trail.
• Eat and drink promptly to prevent hypoglycemia and dehydration, and take breaks on the hike.

Lush forests, magnificent mountains, graceful waterfalls, towering torii, and sacred shrines on the Kumano Kodo are waiting for you to explore. Let Odynovo create travel plans and handle possible hassles for you, so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.