Walk the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail in Japan
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
The Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo has linked the Grand Shrines of Kumano through the mountains of the Kii Peninsula for more than 1,000 years. You walk from Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha, staying in small villages, with English signs, maps and luggage shuttles along the way.
ModerateOver £500 / $650A few weeksOutdoorsAlone or with othersJapan
How to start
- Read the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau's Nakahechi pages and its tips and safety page.
- Choose between consecutive days on the trail or shorter highlight walks.
- Book village lodgings early, as they are small and reached by local bus.
Where to go
We opened this link on 27 October 2026 and found it to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Projects run over months and stall without a rhythm, so the plan sets milestones you can see.
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