How to Get to the Kumano Kodo Trailhead (From Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto)
When you start planning your Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, it can feel like a ton of work piecing together stations, trains, and buses, just to reach the trailhead.
I’m going to simplify everything for you by sharing my first-hand tips on how to reach the Kumano Kodo trailhead (again, assuming you are hiking the Nakahechi route, which is the most popular choice for beginners or first-time pilgrims).
Whether you’re flying into Tokyo or Osaka, or making your way down from Kyoto, here’s the best, most time and cost-effective way to reach the Kumano Kodo trailhead.
Where Is the Kumano Kodo Trailhead?
The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage has multiple trails. But the one most people hike is the Nakahechi route, which runs west to east across the Kii Peninsula of Wakayama Prefecture, just south of Osaka and Nara Prefectures.
Luckily, getting to the Takijiri-oji trailhead (the start of the Nakahechi) is easier than it looks.
Step 1: Get to Kii-Tanabe Station
From Kyoto or Osaka to the Kumano Kodo
Take the Limited Express Kuroshio Train
- Shin-Osaka / Osaka Station / → Kii-Tanabe
- Travel time: ~2 hours
- Cost: ~¥5,600–7,500
- JR Pass coverage: Yes!
Your first step is to reach the Kii-Tanabe Station in Tanabe City, down in Wakayama.
With the Limited Express Kuroshio trains, you can reach Kii-Tanabe directly from the major stations in Osaka (i.e., Tennoji, Osaka Station, Shin-Osaka).
If you’re coming from Kyoto, you would just board the same Kuroshio train earlier, bound for the same destination (Kyoto → Shin-Osaka → Kii-Tanabe).
All of these trains can be booked online via Klook, as I did.
From Tokyo to the Kumano Kodo
Take the Shinkansen + Limited Express
- Tokyo → Shin-Osaka
- Shin-Osaka → Kii-Tanabe
If you are starting your journey in Tokyo, then you would need to first reach Osaka Station or Kyoto Station.
I think it’s easier and more cost-effective to reach Osaka Station from Tokyo Station, and then transfer to the Kuroshio limited express down to Kii-Tanabe.
I would highly recommend staying in Osaka or Kyoto for one night to break up the journey.
Or, you could reach Tanabe and stay overnight there. This way, you can start the hike fresh from Takijiri-oji to either Takahara (the first stop) or Chikatsuyu (the second village stop).
Option 2: Domestic Flight
You could also fly from Tokyo to Osaka or even Wakayama, then take a train and bus to the trailhead from there.
But honestly, the Shinkansen is worthwhile and more of a slow traveler experience!
Step 2: Get From Kii-Tanabe Station to Takijiri-oji
By Bus
The next step, once you reach Kii-Tanabe Station, is to book one of the “Kumano” buses. You will see these easily labeled in Google Maps, like this:
Buses depart every day from the Kii-Tanabe Station, just outside of which is the bus terminal and the Tanabe City Tourist Information Center, where you can purchase bus tickets and also pick up your free Kumano Kodo stamp booklet.
Line up for the bus at Bus Stop #2, just outside the Tanabe tourism office doors. Here is the bus timetable to access Takijiri-oji.
The bus didn’t accept IC cards (cash only or a credit card, which can be purchased inside the office) and cost ¥970 one-way per adult.
💡 I recommend arriving in Tanabe no later than 12 pm, so you have time to catch the 40-minute bus to Takijiri-oji and set off on your first hike to Takahara village and arrive before early evening.
If you can only reach Tanabe later in the day, then plan to stay overnight in Tanabe and hike the following day from Takijiri-oji to Takahara (or Chikatsuyu, if you want to skip Takahara).
Can You Start the Kumano Kodo Somewhere Else?
Yes! You don’t have to start at the Nakahechi trailhead at Takijiri-oji. However, I do recommend it for getting the full experience.
Technically, you could bus the entire way to Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, but that’s not really what makes the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage experience…
If you want to shorten the Nakahechi route, you could hike just two days between Takijiri-oji and Hongu, or spread it out across 4-5 days from Takijiri-oji to the trail’s end at Kumano Nachi Taisha (one of the three grand Kumano shrines that make up the Kumano Sanzan).
Read more in my Kumano Kodo itinerary for ideas on how to split up the hiking distances/days.
Have any questions about how to get to the Kumano Kodo? Drop them in the comments below!
