The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route is one of Japan’s most enchanting walks.
Deep in rural Wakayama Prefecture ? but just a few hours south of Kyoto and Osaka ? the UNESCO-recognized Kumano region is filled with spirituality and history, as well as beautiful landscapes, charming villages, hiking, and onsen (hot springs).

Hayatama Taisha Shrine, Kumano Kodo
Kumano Kodo’s UNESCO Status
The Kumano Kodo remains pleasantly off the path of most visitors to Japan, though it has begun to attract a steadily-increasing number of adventurous travelers – partly thanks to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape (Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range).
Kumano Kodo is also part of a Dual Pilgrim program with its sister walk, Spain’s better-known Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James). Daimonzaka Path at Nachi Taisha Shrine
Getting to Kumano Kodo
Despite its wonderfully rural location, getting to the Kumano region is relatively easy from Kyoto, Osaka, or Mount Koya.
Most travelers will enter the Kumano region via the coastal city of Kii-Tanabe (on the west coast of the Kii Peninsula), the most convenient entry point for those arriving by train. The JR (Japan Railways) Kuroshio is a limited-express train connecting Kansai, the region where Kyoto and Osaka are located, directly with Kii-Tanabe.
Walkers completing the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route will end on the east coast of the Kii Peninsula, and can take the JR Nanki, a limi...