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Kumano Ancient Trail

A small-group guided walking tour with five hikes of 2-7 hours of village-to-village walking on the Kumano Kodō Trail

  • Duration: 9 days
  • Trip level:
    Intermediate
    Level
  • Availability: April to November
  • Type:Guided tour with an expert bilingual guide
    Level
Departures

Please choose your preferred month to see available departures.

Our departures are guaranteed once 4 travellers have joined.

2025

  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov

2026

  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
Departures
2025 Mar 26 - 2025 Apr 3

Closed

USD 3,710

Closed

Highlights

 

  • Travel from imperial Kyōto through the Kumano mountains, to the Pacific Ocean fishing port of Kii-Katsuura
  • Walk village to village on enchanting sections of the Kumano Kodō
  • Bathe in an outdoor hot spring bath beside the Pacific Ocean
  • Ride a traditional boat on the Kumano River
  • Visit the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano
  • Enjoy an exclusive shamisen musical performance in a lovely traditional setting on the Kumano Kodō

The Kumano Kodō, or Kumano Ancient Trail, is a pilgrimage route to Kumano, part of the mountainous Kii Peninsula which stretches south from the Kansai cities of Ōsaka, Nara and Kyōto. The well-maintained trail threads its way through deep valleys, mountains, and small villages to offer a wonderfully varied hike over four days. Stay at comfortable family-run inns with excellent food, soak in natural hot springs, and visit the shrines along the way.

The pilgrimage routes to the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano – Hongū, Nachi, and Hayatama – were popularised during and after the Heian Period (794-1185). During this period, Imperial family and nobility began to seek salvation in sangaku shinkō, a belief in the supernatural power of mountains, rather than through common religious practices. Emperor Gotoba (1180-1239) made no fewer than thirty pilgrimages to Kumano, recording his thoughts and feelings in the Kumano poems.

Our journey begins in the modern city of Kyōto, after which we travel south by train along the coast and spend four days hiking the UNESCO-certified Nakahechi route, one of the Kumano Kodō trails. There is a day mid-way to relax, with a gentle ride along the Kumano River to Hayatama Grand Shrine. We cross the Kii Peninsula on foot to its eastern coast, and the fishing town of Katsuura, with two nights at a hot spring hotel and a further optional day of hiking. We finish by travelling on to Kyōto by train. On small-group guided tours with Oku Japan, your guide handles luggage arrangements for you.

Please note that Days 1 and 7 differ slightly between 2025 and 2026 departures. 

We are the only tour operator with a local branch on the Kumano Kodō trail: See more about our Kumano Kodō branch.

Download PDF itinerary

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What is included
Full-time services of an English-speaking tour guide
8 nights in hotels and Japanese-style inns
Daily breakfast and 8 dinners
All transportation between tour locations
Entrance to museums, temples, and other sights on the group's itinerary
Daily luggage transfer for 1 piece of luggage per person from Day 2 to Day 6
Traditional boat ride on the Kumano River
Exclusive shamisen musical performance
What is not included
Flights
Airport transfers
Drinks and meals not included in itinerary
Entrance fees to museums, temples, etc. not mentioned in the itinerary
Single room supplement for solo travellers at hotels
Itinerary

Tour itineraries are subject to change. We will inform you of any amendments as soon as we become aware of them.

Map

 

Meet at the tour hotel in central Kyōto in the evening. There will be a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

 

Accommodation: Western-style hotel

Meals: Welcome dinner

We travel south along the coast by train to Tanabe (about 3 hours), then transfer by local bus (about 40 minutes) to Takijiri, at the beginning of the Nakahechi, part of the network of ancient pilgrimage trails known as the Kumano Kodō, or Kumano Ancient Trail. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Kumano Kodō became popular from the 11th century as a place of pilgrimage from Kyōto by emperors. The Kii Peninsula, which extends south from Nara and Ōsaka, has long been considered sacred in Japan as the entrance to the land of Yomi, the mythical afterworld. It is also the site of the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano.

 

We continue with a 2-hour hike to the small hilltop village of Takahara, where we spend the night. Our accommodation is a delightful traditional Japanese accommodation built by local craftsmen, with rooms affording spectacular views over the surrounding mountains. There are hot spring baths and the sumptuous evening meal is made with organic, locally sourced ingredients.

 

Walking distance: 4.5 km / 2.8 mi

Elevation gain: 370 m / 1,200 ft ascent and 175 m / 575 ft descent

Time required: about 2 hours

 

Accommodation: Japanese-style accommodation

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Starting from Takahara, we continue eastwards along the Nakahechi pilgrimage trail. Along the path we pass small jizō bodhisattva statues, placed there by locals to protect travellers. There are also the sites of old teahouses, which provided rest to pilgrims right up until the early 20th century. We descend to the village of Chikatsuyu and our accommodation for tonight.

 

We stay in a lovely guest house run by a friendly local couple, with their own natural hot-spring baths. In the evening, the dinner menu might include their delicious takikomi gohan (a flavoured rice dish steamed with vegetables), freshly-caught fish, and tempura.

 

After dinner, a local shamisen music group will treat us to a private performance in the lovely setting of our Chikatsuyu branch office. Enjoy this rare opportunity for a close-up experience of Japanese musical tradition.

 

Walking distance: 11.3 km / 7 mi 

Elevation gain: 350 m / 1,150 ft of ascent and 360 m / 1,180 ft of descent 

Time required: 4 hours


Accommodation: Minshuku (family-run guesthouse)

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Today we hike two scenic sections of the Kumano Kodō trail, passing ridge-top villages and ōji shrines. Nobles would rest at these sub-shrines to refresh themselves and compose poems. From Chikatsuyu we take a local bus to Hoshinmon-ōji and walk to Hongū Grand Shrine. The symbol of the shrine is the mythical three-legged crow, representing Hongū, Nachi, and Hayatama shrines – the same motif as the one used by the Japan Football Association. In mythology, the three-legged crow was sent to guide Emperor Jimmu on his journey from Kumano to the Yamato Plain, now present-day Nara prefecture.

 

After visiting the shrine, pass through Dainichi-goe and head to Yunomine Onsen. Dainichi-goe has been a popular pilgrimage route since ancient times. Along the way, moss-covered stone pavements and cedar forests create a mystical atmosphere. From the top of the mountain you can see the Kumano River and the surrounding mountains, and the attraction is that you can feel nature and history.

 

Walking distance: 9.7 km / 6 mi

Elevation gain: 440 m / 1,444 ft of ascent and 650 m / 2,132 ft descent

Time required: 3-5 hours


Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn)

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

We transfer by local bus to the Kumano River. We board a traditional wooden flat-bottomed boat to take us on a gentle one-and-a-half-hour ride along the Kumano River to Hayatama Grand Shrine, just as Imperial pilgrims did in olden times. In the case that the boat is unavailable, we will offer a replacement experience; we will notify you of these changes. Afterwards, we will travel back by bus for another night at our hot spring inn. There will be time to soak in one of the natural hot spring baths before dinner.

 

Accommodation: Onsen ryokan (hot spring inn)

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

We transfer by taxi to Koguchi and hike the final section of the trail over the Ōgumotorigoe Pass to glimpse the Pacific Ocean, and then descend to Nachi Falls and Nachi Grand Shrine, the last of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano.

 

From there we take a short bus ride to the fishing port of Katsuura and to our hotel.

 

Walking distance: 14.5 km / 9 mi

Elevation gain: 980 m / 3,215 ft of ascent and 920 m / 3,020 ft of descent

Time required: 6 – 7 hours

 

Accommodation: Onsen hotel (hot spring hotel)

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Today there is an optional hike along a different section of the Kumano Kodō. This is a coastal part of the Kumano Kodō's Iseji route, which has some lovely views over the Pacific Ocean, pretty villages, and the oldest paved section on the entire Kumano Kodō network, with stone blocks dating back eight hundred years.

 

Alternatively, you can choose to relax and try the various hot spring baths in your hotel. You can also explore the town, with its excellent seafood, old-fashioned Japanese shopping arcade, and a few interesting backstreets.

 

Optional walk

Walking distance: 6.4 km / 4.1 mi

Elevation gain: 546 m / 1,790 ft of ascent and 539 m / 1,768 ft of descent

Time required: 3 hours


Accommodation: Onsen hotel (hot spring hotel)

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

We leave the Kii Peninsula this morning, travelling on the coastal rail line to Kyōto. Our final night is at a centrally-located Western-style hotel; you are free to explore the city or relax until dinnertime. In the evening, we will enjoy a final farewell dinner at a local restaurant with our guide.

 

Accommodation: Western-style hotel

Meals: Breakfast, farewell dinner

On our final day, we will say farewell in Kyōto after breakfast at the tour hotel. Your guide will be on hand to offer assistance and advice for your journey to the airport or onward travel in Japan.

 

Meals: Breakfast