A beginner’s guide to Hiking the Kumano Kodo (Nakahechi Route)

Hi everyone, here is a fairly detailed account of our traverse of a popular section of the famous Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, what to expect, and what we packed. I hope it’s useful to a few unsure where to start!

This post is effectively divided into four sections:

1. INTRO
2. PACKING GUIDE
3. ITINERARY
4. TIPS

\~

## 1. INTRO

If you are planning to hike the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage, you’re in for some fantastic historical sights, stunning views, and close-up encounters with various wildlife. 

I had the good fortune to join a friend for the full 72km Nakahechi Route from Takajiri-oji right through to Kumano Nachi Taisha just as the Pandemic lockdowns were lifting across Japan in June 2020. 

[Image of the Nakahechi Route](https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/04/en_kumanokodo_nakahechi_map_w1140.png)

At this time there were very few people to encounter on the trail or at the shrines and towns. The recent lockdown also meant a lot of usual stops for shopping and accommodation had limited options due to the tourism industry being so severely affected. 

The 1000-year-old path is not without its challenges, so a little bit of preparation goes a long way.

[Image of powerful hiking specimens](https://64.media.tumblr.com/ba04a51b1171a1f44faf5837a7c2fd82/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-f6/s640x960/7c1c81b303d17cb10e1dc9035a2110a2e186836c.jpg)

## When to travel

Most years, spring and Autumn are the preferred times to travel the route to avoid the heat. We chose to begin the pilgrimage on the first day of June 2020 – the day that the government officially lifted the lockdown in Japan. June is early Summer in Japan and temperatures start creeping into the 30-degree region. June is also the beginning of the rainy season (known locally as *Tsuyu* meaning “Plum Rain”), and the combination of hot weather and heavy rain makes it a less popular period for attempting the Kumano Kodo. Fortunately, we enjoyed a week of perfect weather with just a single overcast day.

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## Fitness

For reference, my hiking partner and I are both in our mid 30’s and of average fitness. Our winter seasons are spent working desk jobs and enjoying too much beer in ski towns, so summer is a period where we try to shed some of the bad habits and get more active. Neither of us had ever experienced anything longer than an overnight hike before this. Nevertheless, I would describe the Kumano Kodo as being a very beginner-friendly multi-day hike experience. There are so many populated areas along the way that it’s quite unlikely you will succumb to the elements and have your bones picked clean by the local fauna.

​

​

##

## 2. PACKING GUIDE (four nights/five days)

[Image of packed items](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d1a97f2e718753bb5266c9acd8b367c3/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-13/s640x960/2e9db0adce31b20d2a55ec065c5b2c360c4d0d37.jpg)

We both carried 60L hiking packs as we were also carrying camping equipment such as tents, sleeping bags, sleeping roll, cooking equipment etc. These added up to 15kg of weight with water included which made some of the steep passes quite a challenge in our poorly conditioned state. 

For other beginners who would like to do the Nakahechi Route for themselves, below is an outline of what we packed and where we purchased our items locally. Note that the below is not necessarily the best advice; it is merely what two inexperienced and budget-savvy guys chose. 

**10-15kg camping setup (per person)**

We purchased most of our camping gear from either [Hard Off](https://href.li/?https://www.hardoff.co.jp/) or [Second Street](https://href.li/?https://www.2ndstreet.jp/sell/category/sports). These chain stores are found throughout Japan and stock second-hand and budget-retail gear.

**60L Backpack -** 5,500 yen from Hard Off

*I went for a large backpack because we were packing camping gear. Most people stay at guest houses each evening and only need a day pack for water, snacks, etc.*

**One person tent -** 1,370 yen from 2nd Street

*This tent was reeeeeeaallly cheap. I’m glad it didn’t rain.*

**Sleeping Bag -** 1,500 yen from 2nd Street

*Cheapest of the cheap sleeping bags. Not good for cold weather. Great for keeping the boogeyman away from your toes.*

**Sleeping Roll** \- 9,000 yen from Alpen Outdoor

*I splashed out because I wanted a sleeping roll which packs down really small. Also hoped extra cost meant extra comfort, but it was still quite terrible to wake upon in the middle of the night.*

**Rain Cover for Backpack -** 1,000 yen from Hard Off

*Just in case it rained. A cheaper option is to put a bin liner in your Backpack.*

**Gas Stove & Gas & Lighter -** 5,000 yen from Alpen Outdoor

*Simple but effective. A little bulky compared to models in the 10,000 yen range and it uses larger gas canisters but got plenty of cooks and cups of coffee out of it.*

**Pots & Cup -** 900 yen from 2nd Street

*These were incredibly cheap, and we instantly burned the hell out of everything we tried to cook. Great for boiling water. Will carbonise anything else. A decent Teflon camping pot set will be on my Xmas list.* 

**Umbrella -** 1,000 yen from Uniqlo

*A simple alternative for keeping dry if you don’t want to purchase waterproof pants and jacket, which tend to get pricey when they are both waterproof and breathable.*

## Clothing 

We stopped at [Uniqlo](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uniqlo.com%2Fjp%2F&t=Yzg3NTRlNDdkNTZkNWJjMTJiYTUwYWQ2MGM1OTI1ODMwZTQ1NWUxZixkY2U2MTBjZWE4YThmNThhMTJmOTI1ZmI0YmM1ZWQzMTE3N2I1MDNi&ts=1614598964) for super cheap, light clothing. Nothing special, no fancy brands or special weaves. It was all comfortable for our needs.

**3 x Tee shirts -** 1,000 yen each from Uniqlo

**2 x shorts -** 1,000 yen each from Uniqlo

**1 x Gym pants -** 1,500 yen from Uniqlo

*Great for changing into after washing up each day and keeping bugs away from the ankles.*

**1 x light hoodie -** 2,000 yen from Uniqlo

**1 x light windbreaker** \- a Nike running Jacket I already owned

*I never used this, but it packed down tiny so no problem.*

**5 x socks** \- 2,000 yen total from Uniqlo

*These were cheap, cotton, ankle socks. I know cotton is frowned upon by anyone in the hiking community; however, I applied antiperspirant cream to my feet each morning to prevent my shoes from turning into the Bog of Eternal Stench and had no problems.*

**5 x undies**

*Personal preference. We ended up swimming on a couple of afternoons, so I found it easier to just rock life “commando” for a day or two rather than suffer wearing or carrying damp undies for hours.* 

**1 x Shoes** \- Salomon AlphaCross 8,000 yen from Amazon

*Hiking boots may be a better option due to the unstable terrain – my hiking companion almost rolled his ankle into the next century a couple of times. That said, these trail runners were comfortable and dry, and the traction was excellent everywhere except for the sections with wet, mossy rocks. Might as well have been wearing banana peels on my feet during those parts of the path.*

**1 x Jandals (aka flip flops/thongs/pluggers)** \- already owned

*For letting the piggy wiggies breath after a long day in the shoes.*

**1 x set of thermals** \- already owned

*These were unnecessary; June is fairly hot and humid plus there wasn’t enough altitude to encounter unexpected temperature drops.*

**Sun hat and Sunnies -** already owned

*For looking cool at the club. A wide brim hat would be a better choice for the trail.*

​

[Image of ronin riverside rest stop](https://64.media.tumblr.com/2df0b9fcfde3f2d7e1511372a0f0022f/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-ee/s500x750/1d3ef59dcfde608e8350dee6fa399f68fd77c0d7.jpg)

## Food and water

You should encounter drink vending machines and food shops at least once each day, so it’s not necessary to go overboard with supplies – especially if you’ve booked accommodations which provide dinner, breakfast, or a packed lunch. 

As we specifically planned to camp on a couple of evenings, and we had a brand new gas stove to try out, we brought extra food to cook up so we could feel like self-sufficient mountain men.

**We packed:** 

* Rice which we mixed with grains and seasoning and refrigerated for rice balls on the trail. **Warning**: google how to prepare rice for eating later, I watched a video on youtube.
* Instant ramen and canned tuna, which we cooked up for dinner both nights that we camped. Molto bene!
* Eggs and spam which we cooked and promptly burned for breakfast the morning after our first camp.
* Bananas, trail mix, CalorieMates, and Protein Jelly drinks as snacks.
* Instant Coffee and Teabags.
* Around 2-3 litres of water.

## Special mentions

* Wipes in case of emergency poopage.
* Bluetooth speaker for fighting off the ***Daru Spirits*** during the steep sections (special mention to [Prodigy’s Fat of the Land album](https://href.li/?https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=prodigy+fat+of+the+land) for getting us to the top of Echizen Toge Pass on day four).
* We forgot Insect Repellant and received some gnarly bites on the legs.

##

## 3. ITINERARY

**(5 days, approx 80km / 4160m total elevation gain)**

Our Itinerary was modified mid-travel because the Info Desk in Hongu advised that all accommodations and shops were likely closed at Koguchi. This village is where people typically rest overnight before tackling the demanding Echizen Toge Pass on the Ogumotori-goe section which is the most gruelling climb of the Nakahechi Route. As such, we incorporated the climb into the end of our 4th day rather than the beginning of our 5th.

## Day One

[Image of trailhead](https://64.media.tumblr.com/ee5ea19c6d9823e6fb752afd7d408abd/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-95/s500x750/518b21740a23f2dda174bcea45af2ada7d7f4260.jpg)

**Takajiri-oji Trailhead > Chikatsuyu-oji – approx 13.5km**

After being dropped off at the Trailhead by bus, we nosed about and took a few photos at the entrance before starting the ascent. It didn’t take a great deal of time to start building a sweat as the steps slowly took us up to the 400m mark, and I could feel a bit of self doubt (henceforth known as *Daru Spirits*) setting in as my lack of fitness made itself clear. Fortunately, there were a couple of interesting shrines on the way up which offered a chance to take off the packs and have a few sips of water.

Only a short while into this first climb we encountered our first slithery friend as we startled a nearby snake beside the track who in turn startled a few of my hairs into turning grey.

Once on the ridge line the pace was quite easy right through until Takahara 4km further. Here we enjoyed idyllic scenes of stepped rice paddies dropping down into the valley while a nearby water wheel lazily turned under a weak stream.

Another relatively tough climb directly out of Takahara – mostly due to the heat – and we were back under the forest canopy.

[Image of steep forest trail](https://64.media.tumblr.com/a8276e282970d8551ced3fc4e434da0f/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-66/s500x750/17d17f2a77737b910f713b40b10de4ec33e7941a.jpg)

In between enjoying the shrines and the forest views along the trail there were also plenty of interesting creatures spotted including more slitheries, and some red crabs which were definitely completely lost. 

[Image of mountain crab](https://64.media.tumblr.com/8785d8c67b33e07c4fc3f33d60b5621f/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-cf/s500x750/f186e38bd50bc7b56674cd5c709b935bea0540a5.jpg)

We camped at the [Iris Park Campground ](https://href.li/?http://irispark.jp/)which added a couple of extra km of walking as it is located over the hill from the main village. It was a great spot next to a river with plenty of amenities including cabins, sento bath facilities, power outlets, covered bbq areas, and – inexplicably – some sort of menagerie.

[Image of Iris Park Campground](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7c43a1104685d580b1f12f479f16ca36/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-7d/s500x750/dfcd30578cf745e8ac55a21e591e0c99dce85c09.jpg)

## Day Two

**Chikatsuyu-oji > Hongu – approx 25km**

[Image of Otorii](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7b56d81e0f6129b5e3f2ae889277b485/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-55/s500x750/6627ba841ed9428eeaec0c1b22ab7acc8bb868d8.jpg)

After a surprisingly shit sleep in our $15 tents, we cooked up some spam and eggs for breakfast to fuel the finely tuned machines that are our bodies then hit the trail again. 

[Image of cedar-lined shrine path](https://64.media.tumblr.com/f252da412e279ae9aced1c790a63016c/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-9d/s500x750/e73fd7919004ba8106f5b1b0f921431992ce5e02.jpg)

Today was to be a big 25km trek to Hongu where the first major shrine “Kumano Hongu Taisha” is located, and it was another hot one pushing 30 degrees with 85% humidity.

An hour or two out of Chikatsuyu there was an impressive shrine with stunning Cedar trees lining the stairway and a rest stop displaying a traditional grass “raincoat”. 

[Image of grass wear](https://64.media.tumblr.com/12650d5b73e82ae2ee846bc40a23249a/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-38/s500x750/1fbd13c9071ba7c26ec1a4a3f393cf122955e6fd.jpg)

**TIP:** Don’t try this thing on with short sleeves or you’ll rash up like a baby’s ass in summer.

The trail followed the road for some time making it an easy journey – except for the moment we didn’t notice a recently-squished snake on the road until we almost trod on it and squealed in sheer terror. 

The easy times were short lived though, as we entered the Detour Pass and started climbing, *Daru Spirits* started flying at us from every angle; between the steep staircases and sections exposed to the blazing sun, the Daru almost got the better of us. Fortunately, after a hard fought battle we reached the peak and promptly collapsed in the shade knowing that the worst was behind us for now.

[Image of dying pilgrims](https://64.media.tumblr.com/c65fe424bdf5cf9371a51dca2bca17f2/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-2b/s500x750/00420f7d006d0a3ad031ea0a5be20ef04cc58fc8.jpg)

Our feet were definitely feeling tender after this lengthy hike which involved clearing three passes in total, each with steep elevation. After the Detour Pass near Jagata-jizo, there was an excellent spot to relax on the stoney shore of a small stream, have a bite and cool the feet off in the chilly water.

As we were descending the final pass of the day, we had set a brisk pace through the trees and I accidentally stepped on a snake which was having a nap on the path. Needless to say it was none too happy about having its slumber rudely interrupted and it made a bee-line for my companion close behind who gave a yell and looked about ready to throw himself off the path to avoid the slithery vengeance. We proceeded a little more cautiously afterwards, but between all the sticks that look a lot like snakes, and all the snakes that look a lot like sticks it was a jumpy last few kilometers.   

Once we arrived in Hongu we picked up a celebratory beer – had a *kanpai* to celebrate surviving our snake encounter – and booked a dorm at the [Kumano Backpackers.](https://href.li/?https://www.kumano-experience.com/WP2017/bp/en/) The owner offered excellent local advice about where to find river swimming spots, camping, and refilling drink bottles on the road ahead. 

## Day Three

**Rest Day – approx 7km**

[Image of river swim](https://64.media.tumblr.com/4655c4a9770b7a77d776a26298ba4ab7/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-93/s500x750/daec22aad05df65fd18023f96c00b27b39d0d851.jpg)

We stayed a second night at Kumano Backpackers and used our free time to properly explore the Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, the impressive Otorii, and we also caught the bus to check out the nearby Yunomine Onsen town.

[Image of Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine stairs](https://64.media.tumblr.com/eaa61e0b6732e13bc0055e0eb5b3358f/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-9c/s500x750/fb9e6d3a15f904ecf745d8e93f693fd804fc6fee.jpg)

[Image of Yunomine Onsen town](https://64.media.tumblr.com/93bd6c10f4563a74bf665fa6d974f68c/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-22/s500x750/6292574b54b1d742cc2c67e2c190fac973dd3270.jpg)

[Image of traditional snack (the food, not the man)](https://64.media.tumblr.com/83d7feb6e91dcd2b95d85505784be2fa/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-1f/s500x750/0836a6438239f171ceb7754947e5343e759f64c8.jpg)

We learned on this day that our intended destination of Koguchi for the following evening was likely closed – which meant we may not be able to top up on clean water, fresh food, or book accommodation. This meant we were looking at a much bigger day of walking and would need to clear the Echizen-toge pass the same day to reach the next stop – Jizo-jaya Teahouse – which hopefully had operational vending machines for fresh drinks and a good camping spot.

We spent the evening preparing our rice for additional trail snacks, purchased an extra 2L water and looked forward to carrying the heaviest load of the whole trip up the largest mountain.

## Day Four

**Ukegawa Trailhead > Jizo-Jaya Teahouse Remains – approx 19km**

[Image of trail rest stop](https://64.media.tumblr.com/f39fc4102064964c8e47d77a52b904fa/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-a9/s500x750/78cb837817747a9237a1d83154281f7d0a096be1.jpg)

Well rested, we caught an early bus to the Ukegawa trailhead, which saved us an hour or so of walking along the highway. From here it was an easy 12.5km to Koguchi where we stopped for a lunch break.

Upon arriving, it turned out the local shop was, in fact, open and the incredibly kind lady working there gave us a hearty G*anbatte!* after topping up our water bottles with fresh, icey water and offering a snack for the road ahead.

Under the Koguchi bridge was a spectacular swimming hole with a plethora of fingerlings ready to nibble on any weary feet dipped into the water. We stopped here for two hours to enjoy a refreshing swim and a brief nap before downing a CalorieMate, Banana, Rice Ball, and an Energy Jelly (for good measure). 

Soon enough, it was time to saddle up again and tackle the 800m Echizen Toge Pass. 

[Image of fake smiles on the Echizen Toge Pass](https://64.media.tumblr.com/06d88e6dab9d97953716ad3075c6d3fd/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-d2/s500x750/192d7b5c2ab291fb6457677024228925b984bd05.jpg)

This was a long hike up, and many times we saw the sky appear in the trees ahead and felt we must be near the top, only for the track to turn once again and present us with another indeterminable number of stairs. We found ourselves making steady progress by focussing on counting down the official markers every 500m, and picking an easy line up the stairs which avoided making large strides. Since the steps were often haphazardly sized stones it was a good mental distraction to pick a path a few meters ahead as you climbed to avoid strenuous steps.

As we neared the top, we took a water break, connected the bluetooth speaker and queued up The Prodigy to get us pumped for the final few hundred meters. 

And then we were there – and we felt great! A quick water break, a photo-op, and then down the other side of the pass.

[Image of top marker at Echizen Toge Pass](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e4d7af7e76d50dd50fefb23327b67f64/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-34/s500x750/3aee6adcb874460e3730c633f9e29fd4a2b3ae51.jpg)

That evening we camped at Jizo-Jaya Teahouse – a fantastic rest stop with power and an indoor seating area for travellers. The shelter was located a short 1600m walk after completing the Pass.

[Image of Juzi-jaya Teahouse rest stop](https://64.media.tumblr.com/37b865f776897b14db22e3d09f15ffa7/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-e6/s500x750/e7e6f2dc211e2091be3dfd5c9082b68a2b34f2a8.jpg)

As well as offering more drink vending machines, the rest house area had a tranquil stream perfect for washing off the day’s sweat and grime.

[Image of Bathing spot](https://64.media.tumblr.com/03006d5809335fe1bc835dacf7c5ec19/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-61/s500x750/5a250c2386e3d2beb8c4aa518f405c4fb85f1126.jpg)

## Day Five

**Jizo-Jaya Teahouse Remains > Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine – approx 8km**

We made an early start to complete the final unchallenging 8km of the Nakahechi Route. The descent into the valley where the second Major Shrine is located offers a rewarding view.

[Image of Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine view](https://64.media.tumblr.com/6cbdf60d56a2bea275364c03ff1af00f/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-3e/s500x750/a0c93b5eba6ae7562aaa93e977d7bf2f9dd2afc1.jpg)

After exploring the temple grounds for an hour or two and collecting some souvenir junk, we descended the Daimon Zaka and caught the bus to Nachi Station, then a short train ride to Shingu to visit the third shrine – Kumano Hayatama Taisha. 

At Shingu we booked a traditional style hotel room, took off the packs for good and called it a week.

[Image of Japanese style hotel room](https://64.media.tumblr.com/3e693a984728bb974f9bf9470b2a25fd/2edaaa3857e1b9e5-4a/s500x750/a3b55a83d2d1f66bbafd78f7606b4ba158aa6e14.jpg)

##

## 4. TIPS

* Bring a copy of the official [Kumano Travel](https://href.li/?http://www.kumano-travel.com) guide with you, The information inside is amazing.
* Be sure to stop and read the information signs at the various points of interest during the pilgrimage. No photos of the Jizo and Oji shrines are included in this post because I felt they were best enjoyed in person as a rewarding place to rest during the journey. 
* Sleeping in a tent on a thin matt is pretty uncomfortable – book a guesthouse well in advance if you want the traditional experience.
* Bring a notebook so you can stamp the pages at each shrine along the way.
* Every toilet I encountered along the way was in great condition and extremely clean. If you can hold it in until you reach proper facilities you’ll thank yourself.
* Stay hydrated and don’t push yourself too hard on the steep sections.
* Don’t rush on the downhill side – it’s easy to injure yourself on uneven paths.
* Phone service can be limited especially in the last couple of valleys.
* Beware of the Daru!