Overview
Japan’s ultimate spiritual trail, the Kumano Kodo, has carried pilgrims for centuries across the peaks and valleys of the Kii Peninsula, to worship at three magnificent Grand Shrines en route: Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha and Hayatama Taisha. This 258km walking route has various subsections, and this nine day, guided walking adventure covers the inland, mountainous Nakahechi route. As well as the Grand Shrines, you explore other traditional treks while experiencing ryokan or minshuku accommodation. If you’re new to Japan, the Nakahechi Trail guided version is a great way to gain insight into Japan’s natural and cultural heritage.
- Fishing port of Kii-Katsuura
- Grand Shrines of Kumano
- Outdoor hot spring
- Kumano Mountains and villages
- Traditional boat on Kumano River
- Shamisen musical performance
Itinerary
Day 1: Meet in Osaka
Meet at the hotel in central Osaka. If you arrive early we recommend a visit to the following sights: Osaka Castle, Shitennoji Temple, Isshinji Tennoji Temple, or take a stroll around Dotonbori district. End the day with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
- Accommodation: western-style hotel in Osaka
- Meals included: welcome dinner
Day 2: Osaka – Takahara | 4.5km
Take the train from Osaka (3h) to Tanabe on the Kii Peninsula, then travel by local bus from Kii-Tanabe station to Takijiri (40mins), where the Nakahechi Route of the Kumano Kodo begins. From Takijiri, the path climbs steadily to the ridge-top village of Takahara, your last stop for today. Spend the night in a traditional Japanese ryokan with views over the mountains and hot spring baths.
- Accommodation: ryokan in Takahara
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 4.5km, 2h, ↑370m ↓175m
Day 3: Takahara – Chikatsuyu | 11.3km
From Chikatsuyu, the trail continues through small villages and forest trails over the Kii Mountains to Kumano Hongu Taisha, one of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano. 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 Kumano Hongu, a short bus ride brings you to Yunomine Onsen, one of the oldest natural hot spring villages in Japan, or Kawayu Onsen famous for the thermal water bubbling to the surface of the crystal clear river. Take the chance to have a relaxing soak in a Japanese bath before or after your delicious, multi-course dinner. After dinner, a local shamisen music group will perform for the group.
- Accommodation: minshuku in Chikatsuyu
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 11.3km, 4h, ↑350m ↓360m
Day 4: Chikatsuyu – Hongu Grand Shrine | 12.9km
Today’s hike includes two scenic sections of the Kumano Kodo trail, passing through ridge-top villages and taking in ōji shrines, where nobles once stopped to refresh and compose poems. From Chikatsuyu walk to Kobiro, then take a local bus to Hoshinmon-ōji before descending on foot to Hongū Grand Shrine. The symbol of the shrine, is a three-legged crow, representing Hongū, Nachi, and Hayatama shrines. In mythology, the three-legged crow was sent to guide Emperor Jimmu on his journey from Kumano to the Yamato Plain, now named Nara prefecture. After visiting the shrine, transfer by local bus to Yunomine Onsen, one of the oldest hot springs in Japan, or to Kawayu Onsen, famous for its thermal water bubbling to the surface of the crystal-clear river.
- Accommodation: ryokan in Yunomine Onsen or Kawayu Onsen
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 12.9km, 4h ↑321m ↓360m
Day 5: Kumano River boat ride
Transfer by local bus to the Kumano River to take trip on a traditional wooden boat along the river to Hayatama Grand Shrine, as Imperial pilgrims once did. Finally, take the bus back to Yunomine Onsen for another night at the hot spring inn.
- Accommodation: ryokan in Yunomine Onsen or Kawayu Onsen
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
Day 6: Nachi Grand Shrine and waterfall | 14.5km
Take a local bus to Koguchi and hike the final section of the trail which takes you from Koguchi up to Ogumotorigoe Pass with 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. You also get a chance to visit Nachi-taki waterfall. From there take a short bus to the port town of Kii-Katsuura with wonderful views over the island-studded bay.
- Accommodation: onsen hotel in Katsuura
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 14.5km, 6-7h ↑980m ↓920m
Day 7: Hike Daimon-zaka, Matsumoto Pass and Onigajo | 4.1km
Head to Daimon-zaka, a cobbled slope about 600m long on the Nakahechi Route, a pilgrimage route to the Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine and Nachi Falls. In the afternoon, walk along the Iseji Route, another section of the Kumano Kodō, then continue to Matsumoto Pass and Onigajō Cliff, which has been oddly shaped by waves and wind. It has been designated a national scenic spot and a natural monument. End the day in Kumano.
- Accommodation: Japanese-style hotel in Kumano
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 4.1km, 2h ↑155m ↓155m
Day 8: Transfer to Kyoto
Leave the Kii Peninsula behind by travelling on the coastal rail line to Kyoto and end your evening with a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
- Accommodation: western-style hotel in Kyoto
- Meals included: breakfast, farewell dinner
Day 9: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
- Meals included: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
The following types of accommodation are used on this tour: please note that, in Japan, it is common for accommodations to have twin rooms rather than double. If you prefer a double bed, we will happily request this at time of booking, however it can’t always be guaranteed.
- Hotels (Osaka, Kii-Katsuura): A modern western-style hotel is used in Kyoto. The rooms are generally smaller than equivalent hotels in the west. All have en-suite facilities, air-conditioning and TV and most have fridges in rooms. The hotel in Kii-Katsuura is a wonderful blend of Japanese and western styles; all rooms have tatami mats and futons laid out in the evening for sleeping. All have indoor and outdoor thermal baths.
- Ryokans and minshukus (Takijiri, Yunomine or Kawayu, Chikatsuyu or Nachi-San): ryokans and minshukus are traditional Japanese-style inns. They may be in modern concrete or older wooden buildings, but the rooms are always in the Japanese style with tatami (straw) matting and futon bedding. At a ryokan, the futons are laid out for you in the evening. In a minshuku, you may need to arrange your own futon with the provided bedding. Dinners are served together, usually in the dining room, and are exquisitely prepared multi-course meals. Some ryokans have en-suite bathrooms, although older buildings generally offer shared facilities. Smaller inns offer normal baths used privately in turn by guests; larger inns offer communal spa-style baths, segregated by gender. Read more in our blog on Japanese baths.
Click to view example accommodations
- Hotel Vischio Osaka (Osaka)
- Akizuno Garten (Takahara)
- Minshuku Chikatsuyu (Chikatsuyu)
- Yunomineso (Yunomine Onsen)
- Urashima (Kii Katsuura)
- Royal Park Hotel Kyoto Sanjo (Kyoto)
In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
All breakfasts and dinners are included. Most meals are Japanese cuisine and vegetarian options are available but limited. Strict vegetarian diets, vegan diets, or gluten-free diets will be difficult to accommodate due to the pervasiveness of the fish-based stock dashi and the use of soy sauce and miso in Japanese cuisine.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is suitable for active and fit walkers who do regular full-day walking or hiking and are comfortable walking for extended periods on consecutive days, with much of each day involving ascent and descent (read more about difficulty grades).
When to go
This small group tour (4-13 people) can start on any of the pre-scheduled dates:
- 23 October 2026
- 23 March 2027
- 06 April 2027
- 14 May 2027
- 03 June 2027
- 28 September 2027
- 13 October 2027
- 03 November 2027
This trip needs a minimum of four people to operate. Therefore, if your booking has fewer than three travellers, please note that confirmation is dependent on the group size coming up to at least four.
For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Japan.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival and departure airport for this tour is Kansai International Airport in Osaka.
By train or bus
There are regular trains from Kansai Airport to Osaka and Kyoto. For timetables and further information, visit Navitime or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- Full-time services of an English-speaking tour guide
- Accommodation for eight nights
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary above (8 breakfasts and 8 dinners)
- All transportation between tour locations
- Luggage transfer (one piece per person) on two occasions: From Kyoto to Yunomine Onsen or Kawayu Onsen and then on to Kyoto
- Traditional boat ride on the Kumano River
- Private shamisen musical performance
Excluded
- Airfare to and from Japan
- Airport transfers
- Drinks and meals not included in the itinerary
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Entrance fees to museums, temples etc. not mentioned in the itinerary
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers. At the Japanese inns on the tour, tatami-mat rooms are culturally less intimate spaces than western bedrooms and Japanese guests travelling with acquaintances are accustomed to sharing. We follow this Japanese custom and will ask our solo travellers to share a tatami-mat room with another group member of the same gender.
