We have many years of experience hiking in the Kumano Kodo region, and have a travel agent account on the KUMANO TRAVEL site where we can make booking requests directly for clients. We can put together a self guided trip for you and your group that includes accommodation, meals, luggage transfer, maps, trip notes, safety information and other logistics as required.

Our standard self guided tours are structured so that you visit all three of the main shrines – Hongu, Hayatama and Nachisan. We also ensure you do not miss any other important sights. You will also meet the criteria for the dual pilgrim certification, if you wish to complete that. (Dual pilgrim is Camino de Santiago and Kumano Kodo)

We can tailor the walking to your needs and experience

You choose your own dates and length of tour

Our prices are very competitive. Compare our prices and inclusions!

Spring and Autumn are the most popular times to do the Kumano Kodo Hiking Tour. Late March to Early April is Cherry Blossom time. This is by far the busiest time on the Kumano Kodo. October and November are also very popular due to the milder temperatures, and Autumn Colours which are at their peak in mid to late November. Here is a list of how far in advance you should book to ensure great accommodation and minimum bus travel to accommodations.

January – book at least 1 month in advance

February – book at least 1 month in advance

March – book 9 to 15 months in advance

April – book 12 to 15 months in advance

May – book 9 to 12 months in advance

June – book 6 to 9 months in advance

July – book 3 to 6 months in advance

August – book 3 to 6 months in advance

September – book 6 to 9 months in advance

October – book 9 to 12 months in advance

November – book 9 to 12 months in advance

December – book 3 to 6 months in advance

It is possible to book later than the recommended time, however your choices for accommodations will be reduced. The longer you wait, the less choices there are!

• Kumano Kodo Nakahechi route, Japan. 6 days and 5 nights $AU1,860 per person
• Additional or less days, add or subtract $300 per night
• Single supplement is $90 per night
• The traditional riverboat tour is $80 per person
• Local English speaking guides are $AU290 for 4 hours, and $AU500 for 8 hours, per group of up to 8 guests
• Tailored itineraries can be arranged upon request. As you are going self guided, we can tailor the hike to suit your duration, hiking preferences and hiking skill level. Please contact us to discuss options.
• A 5% discount is available for groups of 6-9 people
• A 10% discount is available for groups of 10-14 people

These prices are based on standard Japanese accommodation. Surcharges are added for higher standard and western accommodations.  Once accommodations are reserved for your trip we will provide you with a final quotation, If you do not accept the quotation, you will not have to pay anything, and we will cancel the reservations.

Included

• All accommodation (based on twin share)
• Most meals
• Luggage transfers while hiking
• Official guide book
• Nakahechi route maps 
• Personalised trip notes
• Dual Pilgrim Stamp booklet
• Kumano Tourist Map

Not included

• Airfares, train fares and bus fares
• Guide
• Some lunches and 1 dinner
• Passport, visa (if applicable) and travel insurance

Optional Extras

• Traditional Riverboat Tour on the Kumanogawa River – $80 per person
• English speaking Japanese guide – Half day $290, Full Day  $500. (Price is for the whole group)
• We can also quote for additional charges for luxury accommodation, and accommodation at Takahara, when available 
• Single Supplement, when available, is $90 per night. 

The minimum group size is 1 hiker, and the maximum group size is 14 hikers.

As you are going self-guided you choose the itinerary. We can tailor the hiking to suit your preferences. On some days we have options you can choose. As an example, the 6 day / 5 night Nakahechi Trail has the following options.

Day 1 – Option A, No walking, arrive at Kii Tanabe in the afternoon

Day 1 – Option B, Arrive at Kii Tanabe before lunchtime. Bus to trail head. Walk 3.5km to Takahara Village. Ascent 430m, descent 200m.(Rated hard (2-3 hours walking)

Note 1: Availability of rooms at Takahara is limited (about 20 rooms in the whole village), so if all are booked out, Option A is the only option. 

Note 2: Accommodation at Takahara is more expensive and attracts a surcharge of $AU50 – $AU150 per person, depending on the accommodation sourced. Dinner is included at Takahara, but not at Kii Tanabe.

Day 2 – Option A, Bus to trail head. Walk14km to Chikatsuyu, Ascent 900m, descent 800m. Rated hard (6-7 hours walking).

Day 2 – Option B, Bus to trail head. Walk17km to Tsugizakura Oji, Ascent 1260m, descent 900m. Rated very hard (7-10 hours walking)

Day 2 – Option C, Walk 10.5km from Takahara to Chikatsuyu, Ascent 470m, descent 600m. Rated hard (4-5 hours walking)

Day 2 – Option D, Walk14km to Tsugizakura Oji, Ascent 830m, descent 650m. Rated hard (6-8 hours walking)

Day 3 – Option A, Bus to Hosshinmon Oji, walk to Yunomine Onsen via Hongu. 10km, Ascent 300m, descent 450m. Rated moderate (4-5 hours walking)

Day 3 – Option B, Bus to Hosshinmon Oji, walk to Yunomine Onsen via Akagi-goe trail. 8km, Ascent 460m, descent 320m. Rated moderate (4-5 hours walking)

Day 3 – Option C, Bus to Doyukawa-bashi bus stop, walk to Hongu via Hosshinmon Oji. 17km, Ascent 630m, descent 950m. Rated hard (6-8 hours walking)

Day 3 – Option D, Walk from Tsugizakura Oji to Hongu via Hosshinmon Oji. 22km, Ascent 970m, descent 1,440m. Rated very hard (8-11 hours walking)

Note 1: On day 3, option A will allow you more time to explore the Grand Shrine area, Kumano Museum and information centre, shops and cafes at Hongu. Option B misses the Grand Shrine area, but if you did B, you could add a rest day and visit the shrine area before doing Day 4 Kawayu Onsen to Koguchi. Options C & D finish at Hongu. If accommodation is required at Yunomine Onsen or Kawayu Onsen, then the last bus leaves Hongu at 4.40pm.

Note 2: Options C & D are not recommended for solo hikers as parts of this section are very isolated and you may encounter local wild animals, such as monkeys and bears.

Day 4 – Option A, Walk about 14km from your accommodation at or near Hongu to Koguchi, Ascent 670m, descent 690m, Rated moderate – hard (6-7 hours walking)

Day 4 – Option B, Bus to trailhead. Walk 12km from Ukegawa to Koguchi, Ascent 670m, descent 690m, Rated moderate – hard (5-6 hours walking)

Day 5 – Option A, walk 15km from Koguchi to Nachisan, Ascent 1,260m, descent 930m, Rated very hard (7-8 hours walking)

Day 5 – Option B, Traditional riverboat tour on the Kumanogawa River, finishing at Shingu. Then explore Hayatama Grand shrine and other sights at Shingu. Walking is 5km, mainly flat, rated easy (2-3 hours walking)

Day 5 – Option C, Bus to Shingu. Then explore Hayatama Grand shrine and other sights at Shingu. Walking is 5km, mainly flat, rated easy. (2-3 hours walking)

Note: The Traditional riverboat tour on the Kumanogawa River is closed December, January and February

Day 6 – Option A, Bus or train to Shingu. Store luggage at Tourist Information Centre. Then explore Hayatama Grand shrine and other sights at Shingu. Walking is 5km, mainly flat, rated easy. (2-3 hours walking)

Day 6 – Option B, Bus to Nachisan, Walk Diamonzaka Slope and explore the shrines and waterfall at Nachisan. Walking 5km, rated easy to moderate (2-3 hours walking)

Note 1: On days 5 & 6, options B & C will allow you more time to explore the Grand Shrine areas at Shingu and Nachisan. On Day 5, option A should only be done by fit, experienced hikers.

Note 2: If you choose option A on Day 5, choose option A on Day 6. If you choose option B or C on Day 5, choose option B on Day 6.

These itineraries can be changed due to weather conditions or wanting shorter walking distances. 

As you are self guiding, you choose the dates that suit you for the trip. The
best times to go are spring or autumn, followed by winter and finally summer.
Summer is hot and rainy.

Sometimes circumstances arise that result in dates needing to be changed. If this is due to Government imposed travel restrictions (e.g lockdowns or border closures), then there is no charge for changing the dates. In other circumstances, there is a $AU500 (total for all guests on the trip) administration charge to change dates.

Please contact us to book.

marcus@homecomfortshiking.com 

or

Contact

A deposit of $300 per person will secure your booking. Bank details for the deposit are:

Home Comforts Hiking
BSB 923100
Account 36237075

Please contact us to book.

marcus@homecomfortshiking.com

Contact

A deposit of $AU300 per person will secure your booking. I will send you a PayPal invoice. You do not need a PayPal account to make the payment. You just need a Visa or Mastercard to make the payment. 

We will not ask you for a deposit until accommodation is checked to ensure dates can be confirmed.

If accommodation is not available for your preferred dates, and an alternative timeframe is not suitable there is no charge.

Once accommodation requests have been submitted a deposit of $300 per person is required. Once the deposit is received we will send you your Pilgrim Pack containing a guide book, maps, stamp book, luggage tags and safety information.

Accommodation, luggage transfer, meals and other bookings are finalised 1-2 months prior to start date. Upon finalisation of all details and bookings, and receipt of your final payment we will email you your personalised trip notes, accommodation, meals and luggage transfer vouchers and all bus timetables. The final payment is due 1 month prior to your tour start date.

If cancellation is by Home Comforts Hiking for any reason, you will receive a full refund of all amounts paid.

If cancellation is due to border closures, natural disasters or cancellation by our agent in Japan (Kumano Travel) you will receive a full refund of any amounts paid less $300 per person administration fee. The administration fee covers booking fees, bank fees, exchange rate losses and time taken to make bookings .

If the cancellation is by you before final payment is made, you will forfeit your deposit. If cancellation is by you, after final payment is made, a part refund may be possible, depending on how much we receive back from the accommodations. Generally cancellations between 15-30 days from departure date lose 40-60% of payments made, and cancellations received 14 days or less from departure receive no refund at all.

Please ensure you take out travel insurance to mitigate the risk of financial loss due to cancellation.

You can book your flights once you have paid your deposit and all booking requests have been submitted.

We recommend that you take out travel insurance that covers cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances, medical costs, and your valuables.

• Yes it is! Inexperienced and unfit hikers should not do this hike. You will be hiking in the mountains so there are many ascents and descents; some of them steep. Overall, the Nakahechi trail is rated moderate to very hard for experienced hikers.  The total distance walked over 5 days of hiking is up to 65km. That said, we can tailor the hiking to suit your skill level. The toughest sections can be avoided by taking buses.

As the stays are in small villages during the hike, and you only require one night’s accommodation at each village, the options available are very limited. The pricing is based on 2 people sharing a room. When you book and pay for single or twin accommodation, this is what you can expect:

· Night 1 at Kii Tanabe – If you book single, you will get your own room. Otherwise you will be sharing a twin room. There is an extra charge of AU$80 for single accommodation at Kii Tanabe. Beds are generally western style.

Other nights are at a village on the hike – You will stay at Minshukus, which are traditional Japanese, family run guesthouses. The rooms are traditional Japanese with tatami mats and futons. Futons are rolled out on the floor. Western beds are scarce but can be requested if available. There are no bathrooms in your room in standard accommodations. We may be able to secure ensuite accommodation in more upmarket establishments, but this will incur a surcharge.

Breakfast and dinner are included each day. The rooms are all twin share, and the number of rooms are limited. If the Guesthouse has enough rooms, a single room may be available for a surcharge. If the guesthouse does not have the availability, then we can try and source accommodation at a nearby location for you. In these circumstances, we will enquire as to availability and quote you the surcharge for the single accommodation. Generally expect to pay $90 single supplement surcharge per night.

Note that bedding linen and towels are provided at every accommodation we stay at. Also, the pillows provided are sometimes quite hard, so you may want to bring your own pillow, especially in the Japanese accommodations.

Most accommodations have onsite onsens and some also have fantastic public onsens nearby, which are worth visiting for the experience.

Most meals are included in the cost of the trip:

• On day 1 at Kii Tanabe, dinner is not included. There are over 70 restaurants in Kii Tanabe. Dinner is included all other nights, and the meals are of a very high Japanese standard. The meals are a highlight of the trip.
• Breakfast is included each morning. Usually it is Japanese, but sometimes a western option is served.
• Lunch – where it is possible to purchase lunch, you will purchase your own lunch. Where this is not possible, a Japanese lunch box will be provided and is included in the cost of the trip.
• Snacks – please bring or purchase your own snacks and ensure you have sufficient water each day.

Not all accommodations can meet all dietary requests, especially at busier times of the year. 

Making a Vegetarian Meal Request – When you make a reservation request and would like vegetarian meals, please choose your “Vegetarian type” from the .pdf file that we send to you showing the options available.  We will also advise accommodations of any allergies you have.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Katsuo Dashi (fish broth) is used for many types of seasoning and is very difficult to remove from traditional Japanese cooking. If you are able to eat the ubiquitous trace amounts of Dashi, then your options of places to eat will increase.

Luggage transfer is included for all Nakahechi Hikes. Each guest is allowed one bag up to 20kg. Bags are left at reception each morning by about 8.30am, then picked up and taken to our next accommodation. You only need to carry a day pack while hiking. If you prefer not to have luggage transfer, this can be arranged.

• Small backpack with waterproof cover
• One bag for luggage transfer
• Shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, socks, hat, masks
• Hiking boots or shoes (slippers are available at accommodation) 
• Rainproof jacket or poncho
• Hiking Pole(s)
• Swimsuit
• Your own pillow if you don’t like hard pillows
• Money and/or Debit/Credit Card
• Passport, Visa (if applicable), Travel Insurance docs
• Phone and/or tablet, camera and chargers
• Toiletries and medication

Note: Cotton evening Yakutas are provided at all minshukus. Soap, shampoo and towels are also provided.

We will send the following items by mail to the leader of your group once all deposits are received:

• Kumano Kodo Official Guide Book
• One Kumano Tourist Map
• Kumano Kodo Nakahechi route maps
• Safety information
• Luggage tag(s)
• Stamp booklet
• Our business card

On receipt of your final payments you will receive the following by email:

• Detailed self-guided trip notes
• Safety information
• Accommodation and luggage transfer vouchers
• Disaster Prevention Brochure

Upon arrival at Tanabe Tourist Information Centre obtain up to date trail and weather information and the following:

• Additional Kumano Kodo Nakahechi route maps (one per person)
• Dual Pilgrim stamp book (one per person)
• How to use the buses information card  

Top tips!

• Use the Google Translator App for translating to and from Japanese
• Use the Japan Transit App for public transport information
• Check your hiking boots and gear before departing for Japan. Gear failures on the trails are very inconvenient! Look out for loose soles.
• There are ATMs at the airport and at every convenience store (Family Mart, 7-Eleven etc). I find this the easiest way to obtain local currency
• You can buy a mobile phone SIM data only card at the airport (or hire a wifi toggle)
• For data only plans use Skype or WhatsApp to make calls
• Download the Safety tips app and the NHK World Japan app to stay up to date with severe weather and earthquake information.
• Take snacks & water on your hike. There are shops near all the hiking trails.
• Power point in Japan is 2 straight pins, same as USA
• Washing machines and dryers are available at nearly all accommodations
• Ponchos are great when it’s raining. They go over you and your backpack. You can buy them at convenience stores.
• Bamboo hiking poles are available to buy or borrow at various locations along the trails.
• Pack light! Dragging heavy bags up and down stairs is no fun! Here’s a great website to help you pack light https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/traveling-light.html
• Do your souvenir shopping on the last day (less weight to carry during tour).
• At all minshukus there is the provision of yakata (cotton dressing gown) that can be worn to dinner, reducing the need for dinner wear and extra luggage. Shampoo, conditioner and body wash are provided too.
• In most accommodations on the tour, showers are only available in the communal onsens. For privacy you should use the onsen later at night just before they close. Check closing time with each accommodation.
• There are no public rubbish bins along the trail or in the villages. Take your rubbish with you each day, and dispose it at your accommodation each evening. Bins next to vending machines are for bottles and cans only!

If you require any additional information please contact Marcus Ludriks. Contact details are:

E: marcus@homecomfortshiking.com
M: 0490 454220
WhatsApp: +61 490 454220