Visit Wakayama

The Kumano Kodo refers to pilgrimage trails that take you around the southern part of the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture (Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, and Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple).

Tourism in Japan began with pilgrimages, and it is said that the Kumano Pilgrimage was the first of these. Kumano, surrounded by a vast natural world, has long been revered as a sacred place where deities dwell, and people believed that they could ask the gods for happiness in the next life by making a pilgrimage here. In around the 12th century, the Kumano faith, which accepted everyone equally—not only the privileged classes such as the emperor, nobility, and samurai, but also the common people—spread across Japan, and large numbers of people made long and hard journeys to get to Kumano.

[Explanation of Japanese in the map]
＜Kumano Sanzan: three shrines and one temple＞

・熊野本宮大社：Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine

・熊野速玉大社：Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine

・熊野那智大社：Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine

・那智山青岸渡寺：Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple

＜Pilgrimage trails＞

・紀伊路：Kiiji

・小辺路：Kohechi

・中辺路：Nakahechi

・大辺路：Ohechi

・伊勢路：Iseji

・高野参詣道：Koya pilgrimage trails 

・大峯奥駈道：Omine Okugakemichi

＜Stations＞

・和歌山駅：Wakayama Station

・紀伊田辺駅：Kii Tanabe Station

・白浜駅：Shirahama Station

・紀伊勝浦駅：Kii-katsuura Station

・新宮駅：Shingu Station

＜Areas＞

・高野山：Koyasan

・熊野川：Kumano River

＜Descriptions＞

・大阪方面：To Osaka

・吉野方面：To Yoshino

・伊勢神宮方面：To Ise Jingu

The Kumano Kodo was registered as UNESCO World Heritage “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” in 2004, thanks to its historical and cultural value as a path of Japanese faith, cultural properties such as the shrines and temples along the way, and beautiful natural scenery. It is also popular for its open-minded spirituality and universal values that allow diverse pilgrims, regardless of their social status, gender, and religion. The Kumano Kodo accepts anyone—why not walk it yourself?

The Kumano Sanzan refers to the three shrines of Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, and Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, and one temple—Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple.

Even though we refer to “the Kumano Kodo,” there are actually several routes. You can enjoy different scenery and atmospheres on each route, so we recommend you try challenging yourself with multiple courses. Here, we introduce the Kumano Kodo routes in Wakayama Prefecture.

The Kumano Kodo has become famous as a sightseeing location around the world, highly rated in France’s most influential travel guide as “worth a trip out of your way.” Guidebooks have been created in multiple languages, and it attracts foreign travelers as an experience unique to Japan, with a beautiful natural world, spiritual sites, and interactions with local people in small minshuku accommodations in settlements along the way.

Kumano is also perfect if you want to enjoy trekking. The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage paths that continue toward Kumano Sanzan have multiple routes, and each course offers different highlights, so you can challenge yourself again and again. You can think about distant history as you walk these paths taken by ascetic monks and pilgrims, or make the most of the landscapes with beautiful flowers and nature. Enjoy trekking around Kumano as you please, with a useful Kumano Kodo map (Wakayama Prefecture road map) in hand.

There are multiple forms of accommodation along the Kumano Kodo, including hot-spring inns in Kumano Hongu Onsen town (Yunomine Onsen, Kawayu Onsen, and Watarase Onsen), homey minshuku accommodations where you can enjoy regional dishes made using local ingredients, and guest houses for rent where you can spend a leisurely time in a private space as a single group for one night. You can stay over on your walking trip along the Kumano Kodo, and also enjoy relaxing in an environment where abundant nature and history intertwine, in a way that suits your goals. Why not give it a try?

Cars offer the most convenient access, but you can generally get to each Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route by train or bus. There aren't many buses or trains, so make sure you check the public transport operating hours in advance. More specific information on how to access the trails is included at the bottom of each route map created by Wakayama Prefecture, so make sure to check these too.

What is the average annual temperature and precipitation?

Compared to Tokyo, the average annual temperature does not change much, but precipitation tends to be higher throughout the year.For more information on Nakahechi (Tanabe City area), please refer to the following site.

What should I wear/what should I bring?

We recommend hiking clothes suitable for the season and temperature.

◎Shoes: Broken-in trekking shoes, sports shoes with non-slip soles, or walking shoes. Shoes with spikes or hard-soled shoes can damage the path and cause landslides in the rain, so please avoid these.

◎To bring: Rucksack (day pack for hiking), rain gear (rainwear, collapsible umbrella, rucksack cover), hat, drinks, household medication, items you would personally like to have (camera, travel food, book or sheet to collect stamps from shrines, etc.)

*Summer: Sunblock, insect repellent, towels for sweat, items to prevent heatstroke, etc.

*Winter: Items to protect you from the cold, outer clothing to layer, etc.

Are there local tours or kataribe (guides)?

Travel companies arrange local tours.

See the page below for information about kataribe (guides).

Are there services to transport baggage, or coin lockers?

There are businesses that offer baggage transportation services. There are also coin lockers in each area, though only in certain places.

Are there convenience stores, vending machines, and/or toilets?

It depends on the walking course—in some cases, there are none of these things. Check the walking courses in advance (convenience stores, vending machines, toilets, Michi-no-eki (roadside stations), etc. are shown on the map), and enjoy planning.

Is there parking?

There is parking for the popular courses as follows:

[Route from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine]

Park in Kumano Hongu Heritage Center’s river-bank parking area, etc. in front of Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine and take a bus to the start point of Hosshinmon-oji.

[Route from Daimon-zaka to Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine]

Park in the Daimon-zaka parking area and walk from the start of Daimon-zaka. You can return to the Daimon-zaka parking area from Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine by bus.