Getting from Osaka to the Kumano Kodo

The Kumano Kodo is a UNESCO registered pilgrimage trail across the south east peninsular of Honshu, the main island of Japan with my mother. We completed the Kumano Kodo walk over 5 days and 4 nights staying in traditional Japanese ‘Minshuku’ guest houses along the way in the villages we passed.

Getting to Japan is easy with direct flights from Australia to Osaka, and we stayed in a hotel in Shin Osaka upon arrival and prior to departing. Shin Osaka which seems to be a suburb based around a large modern railway station with both local commuters and bullet trains out to other Japanese cities coming and going.

Shin Osaka was easily accessible from the airport by train, and similarly provided easy access to get down to, and back from the Kumano Kodo by train also.

On the day we set out, we started by catching a JR train from Shin Osaka down to Kii Tanabe which took about 2 hours. 

At Ki Tanabe there's an information centre specifc to the Kumano Kodo, and it's here that we include a pre-walk briefing for all our walking guests to catch up on the local conditions, weather, any track changes, local bus timetables, and more. This briefing is also a great chance to ask any last minute questions.

Hiking Trails Travel Service and Hiking Gear Shop can help help you book your Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage with our self-guided Kumano Kodo walking packages.