Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Route (Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha)

The Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo begins at the Takijiri-oji shrine gate in Tanabe City, Wakayama, reached by Ryujin bus from JR Kii-Tanabe Station in around 40 minutes; there is a small pay parking area at the trailhead for drivers, and no permit is required to walk the route. Over 2-3 days and roughly 34 km, the trail climbs repeatedly between 300 and 500 m through cedar and cypress forest on a mix of packed dirt, exposed tree roots, and stone-paved sections dating to the medieval pilgrimage era, with the highest point near the Hyakken-gura lookout at about 860 m. Technical difficulty is moderate rather than severe: there is no scrambling, but the sustained daily elevation change and uneven, sometimes muddy footing make sturdy footwear essential. Shade is near-continuous under the forest canopy except at ridge-top lookouts, where the trail opens onto sweeping views of the Kii mountain range. Key landmarks include the Tainai-kuguri sacred rock at Takijiri, the Takahara ridge with its panoramic viewpoint, the hamlet of Chikatsuyu-oji roughly a third of the way along, and the final descent into Kumano Hongu Taisha, one of the three grand shrines of Kumano. Most hikers break the route into stages, overnighting in family-run minshuku or ryokan in Takahara or Chikatsuyu, both of which have onsite meals; these lodgings also serve as informal water and shelter points, since the trail itself has only a handful of vending machines and no formal huts. Chikatsuyu marks a common turn-around or resupply point for those walking only a single stage. Water should still be carried between villages, as stretches of several hours pass without a reliable source.