Kumano Kodo Trail (Walk only)
- Follow in the footsteps of Japan’s Imperial family on the Kumano Kodo Trail
- Walk through stunning rural scenery - Japan as it once was
- Relax in an outdoor bath at Yunomine Onsen
- Explore the Grand Shrine at Hongu
- Sumptuous evening meals beautifully presented in traditional minshuku
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Takijiri Oji to Takahara 2.5 miles / 4.5 kmYou will take the train to the mystical Kii Peninsula via Osaka. Your train will hug the coastline until you reach the small town of Tanabe. From there you will board a bus (payable locally) and then start the walk on the Kumano pilgrimage route from Takijiri. From the start at Takijiri Oji, the path climbs steeply up to the ridge-top village of Takahara (2 hours). Stay at a lovely ryokan with both Japanese and western style rooms.
N:B There is very limited accommodation in Takahara so if the inn there is full the itinerary will be changed to the following;
Day 1: Take train to Tanabe on the Kii Peninsula and overnight
Day 2: Take early morning bus to Takijiri and walk to Chikatsuyu: 14.5km, 6-7 hours
Day 3: onwards: as per below

Kirinosato offers friendly service, magnificent views from each room and delicious meals with locally produced organic rice and vegetables. There are three Japanese-style tatami-mat rooms and five western-style rooms for guests. All guestrooms have private ensuite toilet; guests use the two gender-segregated communal bathing rooms. Water for the hot spring bath comes from Wataze Onsen in Hongu. Bathing is available from 3pm to 11pm and from 7am to 9am. If you are staying in a tatami-mat room, please lay out your futon yourself in the evening. Wifi is available in the lobby area.
It's family run and offers Japanese cuisine. With this option the guest would be able to walk as normal, with just a slightly longer walk to descend to their accommodation at Kurisugawa. It has 6 Japanese-style tatami-mat rooms and there are share toilets on each floor. Shared baths are segregated by gender and available until 10pm, showers are available 24 hours. Wi-Fi is not available.
Akatsuki is a “Minpaku” or homestay run by the cheery Maeda couple, in their two story home with the guestrooms on the second floor. The house itself is lovingly maintained and decorated with handmade crafts and flowers, and is a comfortable and welcoming homestay environment.
The Nakaheji has been established as one of Japan's National Historic Roads and here the paths are clearly defined, and flagstones have been laid in some places to make the climbs easier. Today’s walk undulating walk through gorgeous rural scenery passes several oji shrines before descending to the small village of Chikatsuyu.
Ascent: 480m / Descent: 520m

The cozy cottage has a Japanese style room, small loft, dining room, and kitchen. The dining room features a giant wooden table. The windows look onto the surrounding garden planted with a variety of flowering trees. Guests often enjoy sitting on the deck or in the private gazebo taking in the peaceful location.
Minshuku Chikatsuyu is a small guesthouse located in the Chikatsuyu village along the Tonda River. The Hisui-no-yu onsen is a hot spring bath next to the inn. The water is famous for its smooth texture. One of their specialty dishes is ayu (sweet fish) rice. The view from the dining room opens onto the river and mountains beyond.
Minshuku Nonaka Sanso is a family run guesthouse in the Nonaka area of Nakahechi village next to route 311. An annex cottage with an Irori hearth is the focus of the minshuku, where meals are sometimes taken. There is a river running behind the property. In the spring, fireflies dance with the sparks from the fire. They have Japanese style shared bathrooms which are gender segregated.
Today’s walk is quite tough but well worth the effort! An initial climb takes you up through the mountains to Mikoshi-touge (pass). From here the path levels off slightly before reaching the grand shrine Kumano Hongu Taisha at the heart of the sacred Kii mountains. Kumano was said to be the entrance to the land of Yomi, the ‘other world which spirits travelled to in Japanese mythology. From the shrine, you take a bus (payable locally) to Yunomine Onsen, one of the oldest natural hot spring onsen villages in Japan.
Ascent: 820m / Descent: 1140m
N.B it is possible to shorten to 21 or 7 km using local buses.

Minshuku Kuraya is a small guesthouse with over 100 years of history and features traditional Japanese construction. It is located by the creek in the middle of the Yunomine Onsen hot spring village. Minshuku Kuraya serves local “family” meals and the hot spring bath is open 24 hours. The communal dining room is surrounded by sliding shoji paper screen doors. The guestrooms look out onto the village. For those looking for an authentic guesthouse with Japanese architecture, this is a good choice.
An extra day in your wonderful onsen Ryokan in Yunomine is a welcome break after a few days on the trail. You can do some sightseeing, or simply sit back and relax. Or for those still feeling energetic there is an optional short walk available to Dainichi-goe shrine.
Optional Walk: 12.4 km, Ascent: 520m / Descent: 500m

Minshuku Kuraya is a small guesthouse with over 100 years of history and features traditional Japanese construction. It is located by the creek in the middle of the Yunomine Onsen hot spring village. Minshuku Kuraya serves local “family” meals and the hot spring bath is open 24 hours. The communal dining room is surrounded by sliding shoji paper screen doors. The guestrooms look out onto the village. For those looking for an authentic guesthouse with Japanese architecture, this is a good choice.
The final section of the Kumano Kodo trail takes you over the Ogumotorigoe Pass, where you should catch a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. It then descends to Nachi-san, the location of Nachi Taisha (Grand Shrine), one of the three ‘Grand Shrines of Kumano’ and Nachi-taki waterfall, Japan’s highest.
Ascent: 980m / Descent: 920m

Mitaki Sanso is the only accommodation in the village of Nachi-san, close to the Shrine and waterfall. A stay here offers the wonderful opportunity to wander around the village in the evening or early morning without the presence of day-visitors.
Today you have a final short walk of 45 minutes from Nachi shrine to the coast at Kii-Katsuura where you board the train to Osaka (4h).
Osaka is the heart of Kansai and second only to Tokyo as a thriving urban environment. Food is what drives Osaka and it is deservedly known as Japan’s food capital.
Other Information
Is it for me?Perfect if you are planning a longer trip to Japan but like the idea of including some walking whilst you are there. The walking is moderate but does involve some days with fairly steep ascents and descents although the longer walking days can be shortened. Overnight accommodation is in very traditional minshuku and ryokan where you will sleep on futons giving you a taste of truly authentic Japan!
Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers
The walk is graded moderate but it does involve some days with fairly steep ascents and descents.The terrain can also be quite tricky underfoot as wet tree roots can be quite slippy at times. The longer walking days can be shortened if you want to cut down the distance. On most days you will be walking between 2 and 6 hours although there is one longer day of up to 8.5 hours so you should be an experienced walker to get the most from this trip.
In Kyoto and Osaka, we use carefully selected 3 or 4* western-style hotels. We use local family-run accommodations on the walking section. They are generally simply furnished and less formal, but have excellent food and wonderful personal service.
Solo Walkers & Single Rooms
This trip is available to solo walkers and a limited number of single rooms are available, although a single/solo supplement is payable.
Meals
Japanese cuisine is the highlight of many people’s visit to Japan and this is especially the case on the Kumano Kodo Trail. Your trip includes all breakfasts and 5 evening meals whilst on the trail.
Most meals will be Japanese cuisine, though breakfast in western-style hotels usually includes more familiar choices.
Dinner and breakfast in ryokan and minshuku are set meals, usually with a whole succession of different dishes which will delight you. Alcoholic and soft drinks are not included with meals. Tipping is not customary at hotels and restaurants in Japan.
The route is partly way marked (in English and Japanese) and we provide detailed route notes and topographic maps so you should have no problem following the trail.
- 5 Nights minshuku (guest house) accommodation on the Kumano Kodo trail.
- 5 Breakfasts
- 5 evening meals
- Train tickets from/to Kyoto or Osaka
- Detailed information pack with local travel information, route notes and maps.
- Telephone support from our local, English speaking, area manager.
- International flights and travel to Kyoto/from Osaka
- Drinks with meals
- Lunches
- Local buses on day 3, 5 & 6 should be paid locally (around ¥2500, £18 or $28)
- Baggage forwarding is not included, though we provide instructions for how this can be easily arranged locally or you can pre-book as an optional extra
- Travel insurance
- Additional nights on the trail or in Kyoto, Tokyo or Osaka (prices on request for Kyoto and Osaka)
- Daily Luggage Transfers (Takijiri to Nachi-San)
This trip is available year-round but we recommend April to November. The region may experience occasional snow from December to March. It can also get quite hot and sticky in July and August.
Accommodations are busy and may charge extra during the following Japanese holiday periods: New Year (29 December - 04 January), Golden Week (29 April - 05 May 2024), and O-bon (13-15 August 2024).
The inns get extremely busy for the months of April and May as this is peak cherry blossom season, so please be aware that bookings during this time may require a change of itinerary or accommodation. There is very limited accommodation in Takahara so if the inn there is full you will stay in Tanabe (where you usually take the train to on Day 3) on the first night and complete the first two sections of the walk on Day 4 to Chikatsuyu.
By Air:
The best airport to arrive at is Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights from international destinations. You can also fly into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto (3h30).
The West Japan Rail Company operates services between Kansai Airport and Osaka/Kyoto. The Airport Express HARUKA (Kansai Airport Line) takes approx 75 mins to Kyoto.
By Air:
Train tickets are included on Day 6 from the trail to Osaka city centre. You can then fly out Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights to many international destinations. You can also fly out of Tokyo Narita (NRT) and take an internal flight or the shinkansen (bullet train) from Osaka (3h30).
The West Japan Rail Company operates services between Kansai Airport and Osaka. The Airport Express HARUKA (Kansai Airport Line) takes approx 75 mins to Kyoto.
Luggage transfer is not included during your walk as standard and you have a couple of options here. The first option is to arrange luggage transfers by a service called Takkyubin which is a courier service in Japan and can only be booked in Japan. This is cheap, reliable and costs approx £12 per day. With this service, your bags will not be moved each day but instead will be waiting for you at your accommodation a couple of nights later. On the Kumano Kodo tour, we recommend forwarding your luggage from Kyoto (or wherever you are staying before the walk) to Yunomine Onsen. You then carry overnight essentials for your nights in Takahara and Chikatsuyu. You then forward your luggage from Yunomine Onsen to wherever you are staying after the walk; you carry your overnight essentials for your nights in Koguchi and Nachi. Our information pack has full details on how to use this service, which is really easy. Your accommodation during the walk provides robes to wear in the evening and shoes are not worn inside, so you only need your hiking gear and can travel very light.
The other option is to arrange a daily baggage transfer service if you prefer to access your bag every night and this can be booked in advance through ourselves. 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. However, as it can be quite difficult to navigate public transport with luggage, we recommend Takkubin as the most convenient method. On the Kumano Kodo, this service is available from Takijiri through to Nachi-San. You will need to carry your bags with you on the last day.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes, and lightweight clothing for summer.
Latest Travel Advice on Japan (2022 and 2023 Season)
For the most up-to-date information visit: https://www.macsadventure.com/about-us/booking/japan-travel-advice-2023/
Dietary and Allergies on the Kumano Kodo
Japanese Inns prepare their meals in-house and take great pride in their cuisine which showcases the best seasonal and local produce it has to offer! This means that dietary requests such as gluten-free and strict vegetarian and vegan are difficult to cater to. Gluten-free is still poorly understood in some parts of Japan, and the base ingredients of Japanese cuisine contain a large amount of gluten or fish. Whilst, in some cases you think it's easy for them just to make you vegetables and rice but this is not the case! The inns may be family-run and simply cannot make alternate meals due to resources at hand or more commonly that the meals and hot spring baths are the largest attraction to staying at an inn for domestic Japanese travellers and the innkeeper's sense of pride will cause them to simply decline these requests fearing the customer will be unsatisfied.
Interestingly, on the Kumano Kodo itself, there are many young families or those simply fed-up with the rat race in the larger cities who have decided to move to regional Japan. You may find that these residents have set up local businesses such as Japanese inns, cafes, and coffee roasters. These residents are more progressive in attitudes and many have opened a vegan cafe, or are willing to substitute the fish stock for mushroom or seaweed stock at their inns.
Getting around
Your package includes train tickets from/to Kyoto or Osaka to the start of the walk and from the end of the walk back to Osaka or Kyoto. The public transport system in Japan is world class and your pre-departure information pack and itinerary has detailed information on tickets, trains and how to use public transport easily and what trains/buses to take from Kyoto/Osaka to Kii-Tanabe at the start of the walk.
Our specialist Laura travelled to Japan in 2014 and you can read her experience of using public transport, on the blog.
Visas
Please check your visa requirements with the foreign office or the embassy in your country of residence before travelling to Japan.
British nationals wishing to visit Japan for three months or less for business, tourism or family purposes etc (but not to work for a local employer) may do so without a visa. You must have a valid passport and an onward/return ticket. Please visit www.fco.gov.uk for up to date information.
Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, lightweight clothes, waterproofs and a day pack.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
Luggage transfer is not included during your walk as standard and you have a couple of options here. The first option is to arrange luggage transfers by a service called Takkyubin which is a courier service in Japan and can only be booked in Japan. This is cheap, reliable and costs approx £12 per day. With this service your bags will not be moved each day but instead will be waiting for you at your accommodation a couple of nights later. On the Kumano Kodo tour we recommend forwarding your luggage from Kyoto (or wherever you are staying before the walk) to Yunomine Onsen. You then carry overnight essentials for your nights in Takahara and Chikatsuyu. You then forward your luggage from Yunomine Onsen to wherever you are staying after the walk; you carry your overnight essentials for your nights in Koguchi and Nachi. Our information pack has full details of how to use this service, which is really easy. Your accommodation during the walk provide robes to wear in the evening and shoes are not worn inside, so you only need your hiking gear and can travel very light.
The other option is to arrange a daily baggage transfer service if you prefer to access your bag every night and this can be booked in advance through ourselves. 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. However, as it can be quite difficult to navigate public transport with luggage, we recommend Takkubin as the most convenient method. On the Kumano Kodo this service is available from Takijiri through to Nachi-San. You will need to carry your bags with you on the last day.
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