Overview
This is a long, full-day hike over varied terrain. The trail is on pavement from Chikatsuyu Village, through the Nonaka area to Kobiro-toge Pass, and then on an unpaved mountain trail to Hosshinmon-oji.
From Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha, the trail switches between forest trail and paved road through settled areas.
There are no restaurants along the way, so it is best to bring a bag lunch. The creek beside Jagata Jizo and Mikoshi-toge are common lunch stops.
The 7-kilometer section from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha is a very popular half-day walk with views of rural country life, tea fields and scenic landscape.
Course Data
| Distance | ~25 km (~15.5 mi) |
| Time | 9~12 hrs ※Walking times vary. Please plan accordingly. |
| Difficulty Rating | 4 What is difficulty rating? |
| Total Elevation Gain | ~1210 m (~4000 ft) |
| Total Elevation Loss | ~1470 m (~4800 ft) |
| Access | Buses run from Kii-Tanabe and Shirahama to Nonaka Ipposugi bus stop (~30-min walk to Tsugizakura-oji from the bus stop): Bus Timetable #1 (Eastbound), Bus Timetable #2 (Westbound). The same buses as above also stop at Kumano Hongu Taisha. Buses to/from Shingu stop at Hongu Taisha-mae: Bus Timetable #3 (Northbound), Bus Timetable #4 (Southbound) |
| Nearest Bus Stop | Chikatsuyu-oji, Nakahechi Bijutsukan-mae (Start), Hongu Taisha-mae (Finish) |
How to Shorten This Day
Accommodations
Route Maps
Detour
Because of trail damage, there is a ~4 km detour from the forestry road junction east of Sign Post No. 43 to Jagata Jizo, south of the main pilgrimage route. The trail follows a forestry road for a short time (to Log Bridge noted on the Route Map) before climbing over the Iwagami-toge pass (~650 meters elevation). The trail then descends to the Jagata Jizo following another forestry road for part of the way.
