Kumano Kodo, Japan’s sacred pilgrimage, lures people from all corners of the world. It’s a thousand-year-old network of trails cutting through the mountains of Kii, connecting the Three Grand Shrines of Komodo and a myriad of tinier shrines along the way. Your local, experienced, English-speaking guide will lead you through the trails, making sure you feel and eat like a local along the way! A support vehicle will be available, your luggage will be transferred to the next accommodation, and most meals are included—it’s up to you just to kick back and enjoy!
We meet at the hotel in Shirahama—a beautiful seaside resort on the southern coast of Wakayama prefecture. After getting set up with rental bikes, we gather for a briefing and ice-breaker before heading out on a short warm-up ride through town to get our bearings.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Japanese-style inn, Shirahama
We leave Shirahama and ride toward the sacred mountains of Kumano along the Nakahechi route—one of the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage paths—passing through historic sites and gradually climbing into the revered Kumano Sanzan, the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano. After lunch with a mountain view, we swap bikes for boots and set off on foot deep into the forest. Ancient cedar trees line the way as we walk stone-paved paths, moss-covered steps, and old bridges, stopping at small roadside shrines called “oji” to hear stories of the pilgrims who walked this same route 1,000 years ago. We finish in the small town of Chikatsuyu Oji, a historic lodging stop for retired emperors and aristocrats on their way to Kumano.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 30 km (19 mi)
Hiking: 9.5 km (5.9 mi)
Accommodation: Japanese-style inn, Chikatsuyu
We set off by bike along the paved Kumano Kodo path, riding between moss-covered stone walls and cedar groves before arriving at Hosshinmon Oji for a lunch break. From here we continue on foot toward Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine—one of the most atmospheric stretches of the entire pilgrimage route—where we stop to pay our respects before getting back on the bikes. We finish the day in Kawayu Onsen, a remarkable hot spring area where thermal water seeps up from the riverbank itself. We spend the night at a traditional ryokan to unwind after a full day on the trail.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 30 km (19 mi)
Hiking: 7.5 km (4.7 mi)
Accommodation: Japanese-style inn, Kawayu Onsen
We start with a ride to Yunomine Onsen, where we visit Tsuboyu—a World Heritage site and one of Japan’s oldest hot springs. We then follow the Kumano River downstream along a narrow, moss-covered path into Shingu City, where we pay our respects at Kumano Hayatama Grand Shrine. A visit to Kamikura Shrine rewards us with a dramatic climb up steep stone steps to a massive summit rock overlooking the Kumano Sea—said to be the spot where the Kumano deity first descended to earth. The evening is free to explore Shingu’s nightlife.
Meals: Breakfast
Cycling: 50 km (31 mi)
Accommodation: Japanese-style inn, Shingu
We ride along the coast on the paved Kumano Kodo path to the last of the Three Grand Shrines, Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine. At the entrance, we leave our bikes and climb Daimon Zaka—a beautifully preserved stone-paved path flanked by centuries-old cedar trees that captures the ancient spirit of the pilgrimage perhaps more vividly than anywhere else on the route. At the top, we visit the shrine and stand before Nachi Waterfalls—at 133 m, the highest in Japan and the sacred inspiration for the Kumano faith. We then ride down toward the coast to Kii-Katsuura, famous for having the highest tuna yield in Japan, where we soak in an onsen and enjoy a fresh tuna dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Cycling: 30 km (19 mi)
Hiking: 3 km (1.9 mi)
Accommodation: Japanese-style inn, Kii-Katsuura
We take a morning train to Kushimoto before setting off on our final ride, following the crystal-clear Koza River—one of the clearest in the Kansai region—through a landscape of dramatically large and strangely shaped rocks. The highlight of the afternoon is Hashigui Iwa, a surreal row of rocks stretching 850 m out into the Pacific Ocean. We spend our last night at a resort hotel perched on the hill directly above them—we recommend catching the sunrise from the outdoor bath as morning light falls across the rocks.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Cycling: 40 km (25 mi)
Accommodation: Japanese-style resort hotel, Kushimoto
After breakfast and check-out, the tour comes to a close. A shuttle bus runs from the hotel to Kushimoto Station, where direct express trains connect toward Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.
Meals: Breakfast
Included:
Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout):
Not included:
In order to join the hike and bike tour along Kumano Kodo, good fitness is required. The most you’ll cycle within a day is up to 50 km (31 mi), and you’ll also be hiking for 3 days, up to 9.5 km (5.9 mi) per day.
Your guides recommend renting an e-bike—at checkout, you’ll be able to select an e-hybrid bike, making the mileage and ascents less challenging. Due to some steep up-hills in this tour, using an e-bike is highly recommended. Still, you can rent a road bike if you have enough experience and confidence.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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If you’d like to, you can bring your own bikes, but don’t sweat if it’s too much hassle bringing it—your guides provide bike rentals at an additional cost (pricing shown at checkout). Choose between:
Once you’re on tour, a support vehicle will be available. No need to carry your bags on your bike, they will safely be transported to your accommodation. You will also be provided with GPS devices, maps, and a GPS tracking smartphone app for checking each rider’s real-time position.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking and biking the Kumano Kodo can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
The price for this Kumano Kodo adventure is based on twin-share rooms, but a single occupancy room can be arranged at an additional fee. You can add it to your booking at checkout.
Solo travelers are welcome to join, but securing a single occupancy room for themselves is mandatory.
To get to Shirahama, the starting point of your hike & bike Kumano Kodo tour, it’s best to fly into Kansai International Airport (KIX) or Itami Airport (ITM). Depending on where you land, it will take you 1.5-2.5 hours by car or up to 4 hours by public transport.
You’ll meet your guide at a hotel in Shirahama on Day 1 of the tour around 1- 2pm before a short test ride. More details are to come once you book.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.