Five-day trip report on the Kumano Kodo (Kii Peninsula, Japan)

I set off (on October 9, 2010) with my backpack from the Takijiri-oji bus stop, the starting point of the Nakahechi Route, which takes two days to reach Hongu Taisha temple.

Day 1: 12 km and a cumulative elevation gain (CEG) of 750 m. It was raining heavily, but I was well equipped with lightweight Gore-Tex. Spent the night and had a very Japanese meal at the ryokan Tsuki-no-ya at the entrance of the small village of Chikatsuyu-oji.

Day 2: the toughest day: 25 km and 1,000 m of CEG (just as much in descents...). Beautiful weather. Lots of fairly steep slopes with many stairs. Spent the night and had a meal at B&B Café in Hongu. Check out their English website.

Day 3: a rest day to visit Hongu Taisha Temple, then Yunomine Onsen and Kawayu Onsen, where I spent the night at Ashita-no-mori. They’re charming, speak English, and they were the ones who booked my nights for days 2 and 4 since I don’t speak Japanese. Connections between these three villages are by bus. Beautiful weather.

Day 4: Kogumotori-goe branch, taken in the opposite direction to what many pilgrims do. Beautiful weather. 17 km and 450 m of CEG, with just as much in descents. Fairly steep slopes, sometimes slippery stone slabs, and a few stairway sections. Spent the night and had a meal at Koguchi Shizen-no-le.

Day 5: Cloudy but nice weather. Ogumotori-goe branch to Nachi Taisha. Nearly 17 km and 1,250 m of CEG, with 1,000 m in descents. Similar terrain to the other days. Visited the temple, then returned by bus and train to my "logistics base" in Shirahama.

Things to note: > Don’t carry too much water. There are drink vending machines in many places. Bonus: cold drinks and a sugar boost. > This route is a bit technical, but it’s doable for someone who’s prepared physically. PS: I’m 62 and not a superhuman. > Check out the Tanabe City Tourism Bureau website (www.tb-kumano.jp)—it’s very well done—and ask them to send you the small guide with the trail maps (Pilgrimage Route Maps). There’s a certain Brad Towle, very professional and efficient.

In conclusion: a trek off the beaten path, very rewarding to experience. Early October seems like the perfect time. But May or June should be great too. I didn’t encounter many hikers, except a few during the first two days because Monday was a public holiday. All Japanese.

I highly recommend this trail—the only one, along with the Camino de Santiago, to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Feel free to contact me for more details.

Hello Dominique,

I really enjoyed your lovely hiking story, because on the official Japan website, there are very few comments about the Kii Mountains region. Thanks for referring us to the Tanabe site—it’s very informative: the maps you can download are really clear. After seeing a documentary about the region by train, I’d love to know how you got around. Also, how did you manage to book those ryokans? From France or on the spot? One last question: did you stay in Koyasan? Many forum members rave about the experience, but it seems other temples in Japan (like in Kyoto) also welcome tourists.

Great job on those beautiful hikes. Have a nice day, Anne.

Hi there, and thanks for sharing your experience! This all sounds so tempting... I'd love to do the same itinerary as you, probably next spring. However, before I dive in, I was wondering if you think there are any risks to doing it solo? I know Japan’s cities well, but hiking would be a first for me. For context, I live in Korea where I hike both in groups and solo without any issues or worries. I speak Korean but not Japanese. Thanks! Hali.

Thanks Anne.

I didn’t mention it, but I did this hike with a backpack.

To get to the starting point (Takijiri-oji), I took the Meiko Bus from Shirahama Station (a really nice seaside resort where I’d arrived two days earlier from Kansai International Airport in Osaka). The ride took 40 minutes.

At Nachi Taisha, I took a Kotsu Bus to Kii-Katsuura Station and then returned to Shirahama.

Ryokan reservations: As I mentioned, I got help from Ashita-no-mori guesthouse in Kawayu Onsen—which *is* listed in the Lonely Planet guide. That said, the Tanabe Tourism Office announced that an English booking site will go live in November. I had the honor of testing it in "draft" mode back in July.

Koyasan: Be aware, this site is quite far north of Hongu Taisha, and I didn’t go there. You *could* do that route (the Kohechi Route) to Hongu in 3 days on foot, but I don’t have any details (maps, accommodations, elevation changes, etc.).

Let me know how it goes if you decide to go for it.

Thanks for your interest.

Well, it's not exactly crowded on this trail, but things are moving thanks to the World Heritage "recognition" and maybe because of the first accounts from Westerners like mine...

The first three days coincided with a three-day "long weekend," and overall, the weather was beautiful (except for the very rainy Saturday). So I probably saw around thirty Japanese people, mostly on the last 8 km of the second stage.

Over the last two days, I crossed paths with just 15 people in total.

Risks: in terms of aggression—none. For emergencies like a fall, you’ll need a cell phone and should note the emergency number right from the start, as it’s regularly posted along the trail signs. Since the area is quite remote, I’m not sure how good the reception is—I didn’t test it.

You probably speak English. Contrary to what’s often said, most Japanese people understand key words.

Share your story with us too.

Thanks for replying so quickly. I didn’t know there was an emergency number. That’s pretty useful—it’ll definitely help me make up my mind for good. I didn’t have time this autumn, but I hope it’ll be just as great in the spring... Anyway, thanks for all the valuable info, Hali.

And also on this blog.

http://leverpfrance.blogspot.com/

Hi there,

I’ve been waiting for your update ;) Thanks for the report and the photos—I just checked out your blog too. I’d love to experience the Kumano Kodo next April, but I don’t have the physical stamina for what you did (I know my limits well).

So, I’m planning to rent a car to get around the region for 4 days and do some short day hikes (4–5 hours of walking), or maybe a two-day trek if it works out. From your photos, the Ogumotori-goe route to Nachi Taisha really appeals to me—the views look so open, and my husband, who loves mountain hiking, would enjoy it too. What you did on the third day also looks really nice.

I’m off to order the brochures from the tourism office website; that’ll help me plan this part of our trip to Japan.

If you have any tips for a weekend hiker like me, don’t hesitate!

Thanks for sharing this blog with us! Hali.

Amazing! Arigato gozaimasu! Thanks for this story 😎

It makes me want to go back...

Hi there,

I hiked the Kumano Kodo starting from Tanabe: the train station and tourist office are under construction, and there’ll soon be a brand-new center. I took the Nakahechi route—my first time, and in the middle of summer, it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Next year, I’ll start from Mount Koya.

There’s a great article in the latest issue of *TREK* magazine about this pilgrimage.

My pilgrimage project: from Saint-Jacques to Fukushima:

http://nippophile.blogs-de-voyage.fr/

Looking forward to reading your experiences.

Hi, I read your blog. I think your disappointment comes largely from the time of year you "did" the Kumano Kodo. Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid peak season wherever you go in the world if you can—the crowds and high temperatures really spoil the experience. Personally, I went there in mid-October with ideal weather (except for rain on the first day) and hardly saw anyone. And I loved Nachi.

I’d recommend doing it in spring or autumn for milder temperatures and a completely different landscape ;-)

Great travel plans, anyway!

Thanks,

Unfortunately, I don’t have a choice about the season. Mount Yoshino with the cherry blossoms in bloom must be magical, not to mention autumn. I just have to hope it won’t be (too) scorching hot.

I’m heading back to Shikoku this year for the Yosakoi dance festivals in Kochi and the Awa Odori in Tokushima, which takes place from August 15th to 17th. From there, I’ll take the ferry to Wakayama, then head to Koyasan, followed by Mount Yoshino, and finally Kumano Hongu Taisha via the Kohechi trail to the north. After that, I’ll make my way to Ise Jingu, then Izumo, and finally up north to Hokkaido for some cooler weather!

Hi Dominique,

I’m heading to the Kumano Kodo trails in early April. Since it’s a busy time with many hotels fully booked, I’m reserving everything now. I plan to hike the section between Hongu and Katsuura on foot, stopping at Nachi-Taisha and Koguchi.

I have two questions: - I’m not at all trained for hiking, but I’m in decent physical shape—I was able to hike for hours without issues for several days in a row in the Lake District in England. Does the difficulty level seem reasonable to you? - Do you recommend hiking from Hongu toward Nachi or the other way around? (For scenery and difficulty)

Thanks in advance! Alyssia

Hi Alyssia,

To gauge the difficulty of this section of the KK, check out the Tanabe City Tourism Bureau website. You’ll find your routes there with elevation profiles (HERE and HERE). Be aware that the total elevation changes are more significant than they appear on the map, where they’re smoothed out.

But it also depends on how many days you’ve planned for your trek.

Anyway, when I did it (my blog from that trip), I got the impression that the Japanese were hiking it in the opposite direction to me—from Nachi to Hongu.

Still, I’d recommend training a bit before you go (a few hikes with elevation changes).

Happy trekking!

Dominique

Thanks for the quick reply! I also found the tourism office’s website—it’s really well done, actually. http://www.kumano-travel.com/index/en/action_Default_Index The online booking system is now up and running (and at very reasonable prices, cheaper than on other well-known sites!), which is super convenient!

Do you think I’ll need any special gear, like a compass, etc.? Or will just printing the maps be enough? You mentioned: no need to carry too much water since there are vending machines… I’m curious—so should I bring 1 liter of water per day, or is it really unnecessary?

I’ll be doing the Nachi Taisha to Koguchi section (apparently the toughest) on the first day, then from Koguchi to Hongu, where I’ll stay for 2 days to enjoy the temples and onsens.

Hello again,

No, you don’t need any special gear—just hiking equipment suited to the weather conditions.

Start in the morning with a 500ml bottle, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to refill with lightly sweetened bottled water or soda. Yes, you’ll find drink vending machines even in unlikely spots, like a forest crossroads with restrooms. You can really count on this and save weight in your pack.

At these vending machines, you can pay with coins, bills, and maybe even by card at some.

If the weather’s on your side, you’re going to love the magic of this historic trail.

Dominique

At these machines, you can pay with coins, bills, and maybe even by card on some.

Not sure about cards, but Suica’s a good bet...

Hi there,

We're planning to go from Chikatsuyu to Yunomine in one day—is that too ambitious?

Chikatsuyu > Hosshinmon oji: 5-6 h Hosshinmon oji (Akagi-goe route) > Yunomine: 3-4 h

There’s a last bus at 4:40 PM from Hosshinmon oji, so we’d need to leave Chikatsuyu by 9 AM, right?

Should we plan to sleep halfway through?

Thanks! !