On this walk, you may have to catch a few buses with your guide and on your rest day; most of the rides are very short.  This is by far the most eco-friendly and also the best way to get around the mountains.  Do make sure you take sufficient change.

Travelling to the Start of the walk

This walk starts in Tanabe and ends in Nachi-san or Nachi-Katsuura. You will need to get yourself to and from the start and end of your walk (i.e. you will need to organise your travel to the start in Tanabe on the first day and then onwards from your last accommodation on the last day). This is not difficult and to make it easy, we have collated some useful information that will assist you in making arrangements for your travel.

By Air: The best option is to fly into Osaka and take the train from there. You can take the train direct from Osaka Kansai Airport to Kii-Tanabe (train station).  Take a local train from Osaka city for a few stops and then hop on the Kii Peninsula JR West train. The train station is at the airport, and there are English-speaking staff at the ticket office. You might consider spending some time in Osaka or Kyoto. Osaka is a very interesting city and has many beautiful temples and of course Osaka Castle. In spring, it is particularly beautiful. It also has a sophisticated restaurant culture and markets that seem to go on for kilometres, literally. Kyoto is stunning and if you haven’t visited it before then we highly recommend spending some time there.

By rail: Japan has one of the best train systems in the world, so it’s very easy to catch a train to any destination in the country. An express train is the fastest way to travel to the area. Travelling in Japan on trains is a seamless experience, and it is not necessary to always pre-purchase tickets. There’s plenty of Rail staff that speak English well enough to direct you the right way and to converse with you about how to buy your ticket. We can provide more information if you wish, so please ask one of our destination consultants.

Hyperdia is a great website resource to figure out when and where your train departs. It might be best to buy your train ticket on the JR train network when you first arrive in Japan so you can relax. However, the trains run often and are so efficient that you shouldn’t have any trouble just arriving 20 minutes beforehand and buying a ticket. JR passes can be a convenient and reasonable way to get around the area. There are two regional JR passes that cover the Kii Peninsula: Kansai WIDE Area Pass and Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Tourist Pass.

The journey from Osaka to Tanabe takes about 1 – 2 hours. You can take the train direct from Osaka Kansai Airport to Kii-Tanabe (train station).  Take a local train to Hineno station then hop on the Kii Peninsula JR West train. The train station is at the airport, and there are English-speaking staff at the ticket office.

If you stay in Osaka, then you’ll need to catch the Subway (Osaka Metro Midosuji) to Tennoji station. The tickets can be purchased locally. From Tennoji, it’s a JR train service to Kii-Tanabe bound for Shirahama.

Travelling from the end of the walk

By rail: The train from Katsuura (Kii- Katsuura train station is a short distance from Nachisan) back to Osaka takes about 4 hours. You can also choose to go to Tokyo or anywhere else for that matter, in Japan. However, you most likely will need to travel through a major city to get there.

By Air: See above

This 61km walk is moderate to challenging. Walks average about 17 km with 5 –9 hours of walking each day, with the longest being 24 km. The walking is over well-maintained paths, but expect each day to start with moderate elevation gains.  We recommend training and having a good level of fitness to complete this walk comfortably. 

This historic route has an abundance of small temples (Oji) and statues to admire along the way. For much of the time, you are walking under a forest canopy which makes for mild conditions.

Please refer to Gear Advice in our FAQ section for what to bring.

As walkers, we believe any time is good for walking, but spring and autumn are the most popular as the weather is ‘perfect’ for walking.

Soaking in an outside onsen in the cool of the night is one of those authentic Japanese experiences you can look forward to after a big day on the track.

See the weather information about Osaka’s average weather at different times of the year.

We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.

For all trips requiring international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance including medical evacuation coverage.

We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred by our suppliers and in the office.  See the FAQ section for more information.

For nearly 30 years, we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know that you’ll have many more questions even with that in mind. You will receive a detailed information pack and itinerary approximately six weeks from departure outlining all the fine details and much more.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants. You can get in touch with us via our contact form or email us at info@stroll.com