FAQ – Kumano Kodo Japan

The trail can be walked year round, but the weather varies a great deal. March and April bring cherry blossom and October and November bring autumn colour, with daytime temperatures around 10–15°C. May and September are warmer with longer days, around 18–24°C. Summer (June to August) is humid with higher rainfall and temperatures of 25–30°C, and the forest is beautifully green.

Winter is quiet and there is a small chance of snow on the Nakahechi; we recommend it for experienced trekkers only, and most accommodations close over the Christmas and New Year period. The Kii Peninsula is one of the wettest areas of mainland Japan, so bring good rain gear whenever you walk. Typhoons are most likely from August to early October.

The Nakahechi is graded strenuous — not because of extreme altitude, but because of long, sustained climbs and descents on uneven stone and forest paths, often in humid conditions. The Kohechi is harder again, with three high passes and few escape points. The coastal Ohechi and the Iseji are gentler and are usually walked in sections.

If you are reasonably fit and comfortable walking 5–7 hours with a day pack over hilly terrain, you will enjoy the Nakahechi. Luggage transfers are available on the Nakahechi, and shorter daily stages can be arranged.

On the Nakahechi the classic walk is about 68 km over 4–5 walking days, which works out at roughly 13–20 km a day, or 5–8 hours of walking including breaks and shrine stops. Because accommodation on the trail is limited and fixed in location, daily stages are largely set by where you can sleep.

You don't need technical skills, but you do need hill-walking fitness and some experience of consecutive days on your feet. Prepare as you would for any multi-day walk: train on hills, walk in the boots you will wear, and practise with the pack you will carry. RAW Travel also runs free Kumano Kodo information and training nights.

Suggested list: blister kit, rehydration salts, first aid kit, personal medication and insect repellent; alarm clock and head torch; 1–2 litres of water capacity; sunscreen, hat and sunglasses; a comfortable day pack; waterproof bags to protect gear in the rain; well worn-in boots with ankle support; several pairs of walking socks; quick-drying t-shirts or trekking shirts; shorts and lightweight trousers; a warm fleece, hat and gloves for February–March and October–November; a waterproof breathable jacket and overtrousers (essential — this is the wettest part of Japan); walking poles; and trail snacks. An umbrella is a genuinely useful optional extra.

Well worn-in boots with ankle support are the best choice. The Kumano Kodo is steep in places and much of it is old stone paving, tree roots and forest floor, which becomes slippery in the frequent rain — so grip and ankle stability matter more than light weight. Remember you'll be taking your shoes off constantly at guesthouses, so boots that are easy on and off help.

They're not compulsory but they're recommended. Poles help with balance and stability on uneven stone paths and take weight off your knees on the long descents. Leave them in the entrance hall with your shoes and umbrella when you arrive at your guesthouse — and remember to collect them before you leave.

The Nakahechi is very well marked, with regular numbered posts, bilingual signage and maps at junctions. Walkers regularly tell us the trail is so well signed it almost feels too easy to follow. RAW Travel walkers also receive detailed track notes and a navigation app, and we produced the first English-language guidebook for the Kumano Kodo.

Outstanding, and one of the highlights of the walk. Each evening in the guesthouses you're served a multi-course dinner of regional specialities, presented in individual dishes and built around local seasonal produce — river trout features often, at dinner and at breakfast.

Be aware there are no alternatives to Japanese food on the trail: there's no takeaway to pop out to, so you should be a flexible eater. There are very few shops on the trail, lunches are arranged through your accommodation and are usually simple rice and fish, so carry your own snacks. At a Koyasan temple you'll eat shojin ryori, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine.

Rural Kumano sees few English speakers, and in the guesthouses communication is often good-humoured gesture rather than conversation — most walkers find this part of the charm. Signage on the trail and in stations is bilingual. RAW Travel walkers get detailed notes, phrase support and Japanese staff on the ground to smooth over any difficulty.

Australian, New Zealand, UK, US, Canadian and most EU passport holders can enter Japan as temporary visitors for short tourist stays without arranging a visa in advance. Rules do change, so always confirm current requirements for your own passport with the Japanese embassy or consulate before you book flights.

Yes. Comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travelling with RAW Travel, and it should cover medical treatment and repatriation, cancellation, and multi-day hiking as an activity. Check that your policy covers walking at the altitudes and on the terrain involved.

Yes. Trains connect Kansai International Airport and Osaka with Kii-Tanabe, and a local bus runs from outside Kii-Tanabe station to the Takijiri trailhead. Buses link the trail villages, and from Hongu you can take a bus or a traditional boat down to Shingu on the coast, then a train back towards Osaka or on to Nagoya. Regional rail passes such as the Kansai Wide Area pass can save money, but they run on consecutive days once validated.

Kumano's shrine calendar is busy. Highlights include the Hongu Taisha spring festival in mid-April, the Nachi Fire Festival (Ogi Matsuri) on 14 July, when huge flaming torches are carried down the steps at Nachi Taisha, and the Kumano Hayatama Otou Matsuri in February at Shingu. Cherry blossom (late March–April) and autumn colour (late October–November) are the busiest travel periods, along with Japan's Golden Week in early May, when accommodation books out well ahead.

RAW Travel produced the first English-language guidebook to the Kumano Kodo, along with a navigation app, and both are provided to walkers on our trips together with detailed daily track notes. The Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau also publishes excellent free English maps and route descriptions.

Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau (tb-kumano.jp) is the official regional source for trail conditions, maps and timetables. Japan Guide and the Japan National Tourism Organisation cover wider travel logistics, and the Rough Guides Japan culture and etiquette section is a good primer on customs before you arrive.

Our route guides include short films shot on the trail — see the videos embedded on the Nakahechi and other route pages for a feel of the forest paths, shrines and guesthouses before you go.