TRAIL LOGISTICS | How to Plan and Book the Kumano Kodo Trail
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- When we first decided to hike the Kumano Kodo Trail in Japan, we didn't know where to start! This video runs through key information for planning your pilgrimage; as well as the booking process for accommodation along the Kumano Kodo.
We have recently partnered with Japan Rail Pass and you can now get your JR Passes here! There is no additional cost to you and it helps support the channel :)
Regional Passes - click.jrpass.c...
National JR Pass - click.jrpass.c...
If you are planning on travelling to Japan and have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! You can respond here, or email us directly at chrisanddanya@gmail.com
If you would like to see more of the Kumano Kodo, check out our hike:
• HIKING | The KUMANO KO...
Useful Resources:
The Main Site: www.tb-kumano....
Reservation Site: www.kumano-tra...
Detailed video on accommodation and luggage transport by Alain Stewart: bit.ly/33oevW5
Overview of the Kumano Kodo Trails with transport information: bit.ly/32EDuD6
Hongu to Koguchi Bus Timetables (May need to find updated Timetable): bit.ly/2QyYndl
Nakahechi Route PDF Map Booklet: bit.ly/2G8ZQVS
Thank you all for watching! If you enjoyed the video, consider subscribing for more outdoor adventures :)
We have recently partnered with Japan Rail Pass and you can now get your JR Passes here! There is no additional cost to you and it helps support the channel :)
Regional Passes - click.jrpass.com/SH66
National JR Pass - click.jrpass.com/SH67
If you would like to see more of the Kumano Kodo, check out our hike:
ua-cam.com/video/zPHwDjg3eS8/v-deo.html
If you are planning on travelling to Japan and have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! You can respond here, or email us directly at chrisanddanya@gmail.com
Thank you and yes I want to do the whole pilgrimage but am just nervous about that one thing, the tight rock space. Can a bigger man fit through it? My boyfriend is a bigger guy lol.
Hmmmm, I'm pretty skinny and I struggled a bit to get through haha
You 100% don't have to squeeze through the rock to do the trail from where we started. It was just something pilgrims used to do to cleanse themselves before starting their journey. You can just walk around
Thank you for your correspondence.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
I am native Japanese who lives in USA. This video is far better than any Japanese video/website to understand how to hike in Kumano Kodo. Thank you for uploading this!
Thank you very much, that really means a lot; esepcially coming from a native Japanese man!
Wow. I've scrolled through lots of websites and videos researching the kumano Kodo trail. This was by far the BEST! Thanks for your efforts. It is was super helpful xx
Thank you, glad it was helpful! Enjoy your trip!!
That was fantastic. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Super helpful had to watch it a few times lol and still booked very late
Mate this is absolutely brilliant…. Thank you so much for your time and advice
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it! 😊
My partner and I are planning this trek in 2023 so thank you so much for all this great information. So useful! Side note...cudos to Chris for the "correct" pronunciation of "g'day". You don't hear people who are not born in Aus pronounce it the Aussie way very often. 👍
That's so awesome you're doing it in 2023! So excited that Japan is allowing tourists in again. We're hoping to visit in 2024 at some point
Glad you found the video useful, if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask
Also, I better pronounce it correctly considering I lived there for 8 years! Haha
Thanks again!
this was super helpful! i have been stumbling my way through this for 2 weeks, and this has certainly clarified some things for us. We requested accommodations 2 weeks ago, and still see they are " in progress". Still not fully confirmed, so it is a matter of patience and planning a long way out. Thanks for posting this, the visuals are excellent. love from Western Canada
It's possible they are having difficulties getting in contact with the accommodation hosts, hopefully they respond soon! There is a bus route that connects to most parts of the track so you could always bus out to a larger town at the end of the day, then bus back in the morning and continue on. But staying in the towns is definitely preferable as it is part of the experience. Glad you found the video helpful 😊
This is one of the trails on my wish list. Thank you.
Hope you get to do it one day!
Thanks for the video. Easy to understand for a future booking
Thanks for watching Steve!
Thanks for the vid and the really useful information. Shout out to Alain Stewart for mentioning you in one of his videos. I've just been through the process and sent off a booking request. Not sure the booking process is a lot simpler though as you mentioned. Tbh, I found it a bit of a pain.
For anyone going through the process, I would recommend having two tabs open of the booking page and also one of the model itinerary you are planning to follow. The second tab of the booking page can be used to look through the alternative accommodations to choose your three or more alternatives if you don't get the accommodation you want. The additional model itinerary tab can be used to approximate your arrival times and also your travel details before each accommodation request. Alternatively, you could just write all this stuff down. If there is an easier way, then it would be great for everyone to know.
It also might be worthwhile registering first as after you go through the booking process and then register, you are directed to your page, but my booking request was still in my cart waiting for me to hit the continue button. For a moment, I thought I'd lost everything. Finally, i did notice after choosing certain places that the price changed when they were added to my cart. Sadly, up and not down. Possibly a single supplement or a seasonal price change. Still not sure why, so just watch out for it. Anyway, hope that helps anyone using the website.
Thank you for your helpful comments Carl, I'm sure others will find them very useful!
I agree the booking process can be a bit of a pain. At least we can be grateful there is so much useful information available in English. Without it, it would be very difficult to hike this beautiful trail! ❤️
Hope you have a wonderful trip.
We can wait to get back over there! 🇯🇵⛰️
Do you have a video on what to wear/take etc? This is brilliant!
Thank you Kara! 🙏❤️
We don't have any video on what to wear/pack, but it's a pretty straight forward hike. Anything you'd wear on a standard day hike would suffice. Just make sure you take a mid layer like fleece, a warm synthetic or down jacket and a rain jacket.
Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
I was planning to take my family this June, but Covid restrictions and lack of ability to work enough to save up the money to fly all four of us there and back has caused me to push it to next June. I’m just starting to get really into planning it again though. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that the two of you have put such valuable resources here to help us who want to follow in your footsteps, and the footsteps of pilgrims 1000 years ago. :-) Thank you again so much!
I’m going to send this video to my brother-in-law who lives in Japan, and who I hope will be joining us. He teaches English in Osaka. Very convenient location. :-) We have no excuse not to do this as soon as the money is saved!
One more quick question…
I noticed that at one of the guest houses the package which included breakfast, packed lunch, and dinner, was about ¥10,000. This is about US $86. Was that package price per person, per couple? Per group?
That will be an amazing trip for your family and the lead up can just add to the excitement. There was something so special about this trail, you can feel the history and culture.
We're glad the video was of help ☺️ I checked what we paid and the rate online was per person. It was an expensive hike in terms of the accomodation but there wasn't really any alternatives in the town's we wanted to stop in. Also the stays were wonderful and really ended up adding to the trip. There was a supermarket and few restaurants in Chikatsuyu for food but not much in Yunomine other than a little corner store that closed early and a small restaurant.
All the best with your planning! Let us know if you have any more questions
@@ChrisandDanya Thank you so much for your response! It does seem like it will be worth the cost, definitely! This just tells me I probably need to save up more than I previously thought, but that’s OK. :-)
Thank you for this. I’ve been planning on a trip there for next year, ever since watching your video of it. :-)
That's great to hear! Let us know if you have any further questions and we'll be happy to help any way we can
So helpful! Thanks
Thanks for watching! 😊
Thanks. Very useful.
Thanks for watching Jeffrey! Any questions, just let us know 😊
Nice! I was looking through some of your videos, and I am so happy that you uploaded a Plan and Book Kumano Kodo Trail video. It was really helpful, and I am looking forward to planning my trip, because hiking through Japan is a lot of fun and you always see something new. Next week I'm about to explore Hakone a bit. Was on my bucket list for a while and since it's not that far away from Tokyo, it is a must-see. Thank you for sharing! ♥
Glad you enjoyed it and I hope it helps in your future plans! We've never been to Hakone unfortunately, but we did visit Lake Kawaguchiko and the Fuji Five Lakes during our last trip to Japan. Was amazing for the autumn colours!
Excellent information, this will make the booking so much easier, thank you!
Thanks for watching Adrienne!
If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Thank you so much for that video! I've been to Japan twice by now, currently planning my third and I'm definitely planning on hiking.
great video!! super informative and helpful :D
Thanks Shalev 🙏
We've been to Japan twice as well! We're planning a third trip for a Spring visit, but not sure when we're going to be able to make it happen. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long!
We'd like to do one of the other Kumano Kodo routes
Nice video! I have just came back from Kumano kodo. We were doing the Nakahechi route for 5D4N, staying at Chikatsuyu, Yunomine Onsen, Koguchi and Nachisan before headed to Kii-Katsuura. We really enjoyed the walk, though some parts were quite challenging!
Sounds like a wonderful trip! We would have loved to spend that much time on the trail.
We're planning on going back and doing the Kohechi route from Mount Koyasan
Thanks for the info 👍 🤗
Thanks for watching Cindy! 😊
So helpful! Your efforts are appreciated… Thank you 🙏
Thanks for watching Ernst! 🙏
Thank you. A very helpful video.
Thanks Andrew! Let us know if you have any questions
Great video, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
thanls this helped alot
Let us know if you have any questions!
very helpful. thank you
Glad you found it useful! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask
Thank You ..For posting this up..Really helpful and well presented
Thanks for the feedback, it's greatly appreciated! 🙏
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask
many thanks for this video !
Thank you for watching! Hope you found it useful
This is really helpful! Thank you so much, I'm planning to go this July🙂
So jealous! You'll have an amazing time!
All great info, but the real question is - Where did Danya get that stick? That's a good stick!
At the rest stops/towns along the track they have bamboo hiking sticks you can borrow during your walk! Just return them at the end ☺
Just watched this. Magnificent job . Breathtaking cinematography. What camera were you using.?What stabilising device? Editing was also amazing ... thankyou.
Thank you Gary 🙏❤️
In this video we used a Panasonic G9, but we've since upgraded to the Panasonic GH6 which we use in our more recent videos.
No stabilization device was used; Panasonic has really good IBIS. I add some stabilization in POST as well
Thank you for your video! I also have a plan to go to Kumano Kodo :)
You will have a wonderful time!
We hope to return next year and do more traveling around Japan
so helpful! thank you :)
Any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!
@@ChrisandDanya did you use on of their suggested itineraries?
We used them as a starting point and kind of combined a few of them. It is very flexible since the bus runs along the majority of the trail so you can shorten or extend days as you'd like
The PDF booklet on their website is really useful for gauging distances, elevation and where the bus stops are
@@ChrisandDanya awesome, thanks.
@@ChrisandDanya There is so much information on there that it is quite overwhelming. Do you need the one page PDF map of the Nakahechi route that shows elevation and distances?
Thanks a lot for this video! My wife, I and my teenager son are planning to do this trail in the spring of 2024. One question regarding the booking. DO I need to have 3 separate bookings for three of us? Thanks! Your hiking videos are amazing to watch!
Thank you for your kind words! 😊❤️🙏
You don't need separate bookings for each family member, just do it all under one booking. You should be able to select how many people you require for each accommodation
Kumamoto Jodo group trip
Great info! Thanks :)
Thanks Dori! Hope you get the chance to do this trail someday
Thank you for posting your two videos on this route. there is lots of very useful info to look at.
Do you think you saved much organising your own trip as oposed to booking a self-guided walk through a tour company for, say $1,700 (Canadian dollars) each?
We would have spent quite a bit less than $1700 CAD for the both of us. Our two nights accommodation cost 45,180 yen at the time and that included dinner and breakfast both nights. Travel there/back from Osaka would have been a couple hundred CAD each I believe, then snacks, lunch and drink
Great information! I noted that at the split of the trails, there are a Mikoshi-toge Pass instead of taking a boat. That I read from Chris Rowthorn site. Anyway, may I know which part you took when you are at the split of the trails?
Thanks for the info Wang! Weve never heard of the Mikoshi-toge Pass, so we'll have to look into it!
At the split of the trails, we took abus to Yunomine Onsen and spent the night. We then took a bus to Koguchi and hiked ~15km to Nachi Taisha Shrine
(Manytimes visitor to Japan here, never been to Kumano Kodo.) Great video! Not surprised how organized it is given previous experience in this wonderful country. I have a question: did you encounter hikers with children? (I'm contemplating the hike with a 1 year old in the backpack/carrier and a 6 year old walking on his own.)
I don't think we encountered hikers with young children on this specific trail, but we definitely have on other trails. We were also hiking at a less popular time, so I wouldn't be surprised if more families are going on the warmer months of spring and summer.
There is a bus route that runs most of the trail. So you could always start to hike and if the kids or anyone is struggling, just grab a bus to your destination for the night
Full pack done
Hi, Thank you for your video. I have a question tough: when we have only 4 days to do the Kumano Kodo, it's better to do the Tajikiji - Hongu Taisha part or the Hongu Taisha -Shingu Station part? I believed the first was the better but when I see your description the most interesting part (aka the shrines) is after Hongu Taisha... What do you think? Thank you for your advice.
With 4 days I believe you should be able to do both those sections. We did it in 3 days/2 nights. We skipped a bit of the section from Chikatsuyu to Hongu Taisha which you could do as well, just to save some time as it's quite a long section. We also skipped the Ukegawa to Koguchi section and just bussed from Yunomine Onsen to Koguchi and hiked from there on our final day. But with 4 days you could do Ukegawa to Koguchi and spend a 3rd night in Noguchi. Alternatively, you could do the same as us, spend your 3rd night in Katsuura and take a train up to the 3rd shrine on your 4th day
That website is nuts
It's a bit of a headache to wrap your head around initially! Hope the video helped 😅
@@ChrisandDanya Oh definetly, thank you so much! we booked a 6 day plan yesterday, and your video's were invaluable in the process 🙏!
Ah that's so exciting!! You'll have such an awesome time 🙌
@@i_am_feensterWould like to hear how that goes. When? Two nights is too short for me.
Hello from Jasper, Alberta! We are planning a trip to Japan in fall 2021 ( if it’s safe! 🙂) and want to do a mix of cultural sightseeing/ experiences and some multi day hikes as well. This video was so helpful! What’s a good budget for this hike? Looking forward to your future videos.
Hello Philippa, greetings from Australia!
The cost of the trail really depends on how many nights you stay and the conversion rate. When we walked the trail in 2019, the Australian dollar was quite low.
Roughly, each night on the trail will be between 20-25,000 JPY for two adults and that will either include all meals, or just dinner + breakfast, or dinner + lunch; this was about $700 AUD at the time, but is closer to $600 now.
On top of that, there will be transport costs to get to the trail, on the trail and leaving the trail; in total this was about $200-300 AUD for two people. You'll also buy other food/drinks while on the trail and perhaps some other activities like Japanese Onsen.
For 3 days, 2 nights on the trail, I'd say we probably spent around $1200 AUD. You could definitely do it cheaper, or spend more and it's very dependent on the conversion rate of the Canadian dollar.
So happy you are considering visiting Japan during the autumn season! It is definitely one of the most beautiful times of the year and there is so much to see and do.
@@ChrisandDanya Thanks so much for this detailed response. So helpful! Have a Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you as well 😄
Nice video, I am planning to travel through the Nakahechi trail next year, but I will be on a limited budget and wanted to know how you planned how many days and to where would you be able to achieve each day?
I am having a hard time determining which cities I will get an accommodation and how long it will take from each point in the trail
We just combined a couple itineraries from the Kumano.jp website. We knew we wanted to walk quite a bit, so just factored that in to the days and looked at the itineraries that included the most walking.
You'll generally only spend one night in each town, although could spend more if you wanted
There is a bus route that runs the majority of the trail, so you can shorten days as you like
Thank you for this video, i went there few years ago and the region got hit by a big typhoon. Planning now for november. Hopefully the trails wont be too damaged 🙏
Also, the accommodations seems so expensive... or am I looking at the wrong things ?
Didn't know the area got hit by a typhoon, hopefully everything is alright!
Regardless, you'll have a fantastic time 😊
The accommodation can be very expensive, but you generally get a nice dinner & breakfast included, sometimes with lunch too. Some of the accommodation is very nice as well
Hello , i've never done a trips like that but i'm eager to try. All of these choices make all of these reservation daunting and i'm affraid of going on a trip too difficult for me or too easy than made me skip a big part of the walk for nothing . Ajusting the difficulty and especialy telling the ryokan/minshuku when we arrived seem impossible for me.
Any advices ? i'm planning to do the trips during febuary 2024 during 3 to 5 days (with a stop by kawayu onsen )
Thanks for the video!
Do you have a lot of experience walking 10+ KM a day? There is a bus route that runs pretty much the entire length of the track, so you can shorten days if they become too difficult. Plus, the towns are interesting enough that if you get there early, you can just walk around town checking stuff out. Since you are considering February, it's going to be the middle of winter, so the walking may be more difficult as it could be wet and slippery. I'm not sure what the chances of snow in that region are. Best to ask on the Kumano Travel website, they can answer any questions you might have. I'm not even sure if they accept bookings in winter to be honest! You have to arrive at the Ryokan/Minshuku before dark, so I would just advise you will arrive at least 1 hour before dark, or perhaps give yourself a bit of extra time if you're concerned. The days will be shorter in winter, so just get an early start by 830 AM at least
The walking is pretty easy and well marked, so I wouldn't fret too much! It seems daunting at first, but once you're out there, it's pretty simple :)
A fall or spring hike means shorter days. Please start early and be fast.
Agreed!
What about laundry? On the Camino, we wash clothes every night.
I don't see why you couldn't do laundry every night, but I suppose it depends on the accommodation you stay at
Hello Chris, thanks so much for this video. May I ask if it's safe for a solo woman hiking this trail? Thanks
I would say it's definitely safe as a solo female hiker! Japan is an extremely safe country and these people are so incredibly kind and helpful
Thanks so much for reply
@@ChrisandDanya
@ThuyNguyen-ef4nz if you have any questions, let us know 😊
You can email them and they will give you an itinerary.
Ohh thanks! I'm planning to go this year 🙂
If I want to do the whole hike you guys did, but skip the initial park of your hike where you had to climb through the tight rock space, where should I start my trip?
You don't actually have to crawl through the tight rock space, that is just if you want too!
You can really start wherever you'd like too, since the bus travels along a lot of the route. We started hiking from Takijiri-Oji, but lots of people take the bus to Takahara and start hiking from there
Good! I have watched your video and I love the first place where you spend the night. I have looked at the website but I can't find the name of the hotel or hostel, can you help me? Thanks!
Hi Sasa, the first town we stayed in on the trail is called Chikatsuyu and the accomodation is called "Happiness Chikatsuyu". You can find it here - www.kumano-travel.com/en/accommodations/happiness-chikatsuyu
@@ChrisandDanya Good morning, thank you very much for answering and the link! ^^
Could you just tell ‘em how long was your hike and where exactly did you stay? Thank you very much!
We spent the night in Kii-Tenabe before starting the trail, then took a bus to Takijiri-oji and hiked ~13KM to Chikatsuyu and stayed for one night.
We then woke up early, had breakfast at a cafe and took a bus to Kobiro-oji, to save us a several KM that day (our original plan was to walk ~25KM from Chikatsuyu to Hongu Taisha)
We then walked ~18KM from Kobiro-oji to Hongu Taisha Shrine where we spent about an hour and then took an afternoon bus to Yunomine Onsen and spent the night.
We woke early again, had breakfast at our Ryokan, caught an early bus to Koguchi and then walked ~15KM to Nachi Taisha Shrine. We spent a few hours around the grounds, before taking a bus to Kii-Katsuura train station and taking a train back to Osaka where we spent the night
We tend to move fast and cram as much a possible in our holidays, so this itinerary may be too fast for people. If we had more time, we would have spent the night in Kii-Katsuura and visited the third shrine the next day
Thank you!
No problem at all! Any other questions, just let us know
I’ve saved your reply as I’ll use it as my guide. You’ll be the first person I’ll contact when I fulfill this long time dream.
Thanks again for all the simple but detailed info
How busy is this trail? I don't like crowded trails like the Everest Basecamp Trail (mooooo!!!)
I suppose it depends what time of year you do it. We did it in autumn, and we barely saw anyone on the trail, so probably not the most popular time to do it. It could be busier during Spring & Summer.
The towns accommodation can get booked up pretty fast because the towns are quite small, so it is a good idea to book well in advance
Thank you for this video its a great start to plan the trail. However, I am confused with this statement while going through some of the accommodations:
"This Campaign in only for Japanese citizens or foreign residence of Japan."
I am a non-Japanese studying in Japan right now so does that mean that I cannot stay in such accommodations?
Thank you!
Hmmmm, I'm not quite sure to be honest; we didn't come across that during our booking. This could possibly be some sort of Covid restriction?
Because you are living and studying in Japan, I'm pretty sure that would make you a foreign resident of Japan. You can always email through the Kumano Travel website, they are very helpful
@@ChrisandDanya thank you for your quick response! keep safe!
Chris, which is the best time of the year to trail Komodo Kodo Trail?
I'd probably say if you prefer a bit cooler weather than Autumn, if you prefer a bit warmer, then probably Spring. Best to avoid Summer and Winter
Not too many Autumn colours along the trail; I'm not sure what the Cherry Blossoms are like during Spring
Can you camp anywhere?
This whole thing seems so confusing lol
Don't think you can camp anywhere; although I'm not sure of the Freedom Camping rules in Japan.
You should be able to stay in any of the town's you pass through, but booking accommodation can be a bit difficult and confusing. That is what the Kumano Travel website is for; booking accommodation. You can probably camp in some of the towns, but I'm not sure how that works
What Camera / equipment do you guys use ??
Hey Megan, we use a M4/3 mirrorless camera, specifically the Panasonic G9 with 3 different lenses: a super zoom, ultra wide and a fast prime for low light shots. We use a GoPro as a secondary camera and we also have a drone. We use a Rode Video Micro as our main mic while travelling/hiking and we do have a gimbal, but very rarely use it.
Which portion of the route did you hike? I am having a VERY hard time deciding between the itinerary between Takijiri and Hongu vs. the one between Hongu and Nachi. Thanks!
Day 1: We hiked from Takijiri to Chikatsuyu
Day 2: Caught a bus from Chikatsuyu to a bus stop around Kobiro-oji and then hiked to Hongu. Spent the night in Yunomine Onsen. We wanted to hike from Chikatsuyu to Hongu, but we wanted to make sure we had enough time to enjoy the shrine
Day 3: Caught a bus from Yunomine to Koguchi and then hiked to Nachi
@@ChrisandDanya Thank you so much!!!
No worries! Let us know if you have any other questions
how much did you guys spend on this trip? And how many days was your trip here?
I'd have to dig through some emails to find exact figures, but I'd estimate about $1000 AUD for 2 people and 2 nights/3 days specifically on the Kumano Kodo trail; about $700 of that is just for food and the 2 nights on the trail. That $1000 AUD includes transport to + accommodation in Tanabe the night before starting the trail and transport from Kii-Katsura to Osaka after finishing the trail
@@ChrisandDanya damn that’s a lot
@@ChrisandDanya thanks anyway
The Australian dollar was quite low when we did travel, so that is an important factor. We also didn't stay in the cheapest accommodation. You can definitely do it cheaper. Either way, it's definitely worth it!
What is your accent?? Sounds like Aussiemerican?
Originally from Canada, lived in Australia for 7 years and now living in New Zealand haha
@@ChrisandDanya 😂😂 with those credentials, definitely a traveller! When I was travelling around Europe I met a guy who said ‘there a three types of travellers - Canadians, Australians and me’ he was from South Africa, and he was the only South African I met 😊
Do you mind sharing your itinerary? Thanks.
We spent the night in Kii-Tenabe before starting the trail, then took a bus to Takijiri-oji and hiked ~13KM to Chikatsuyu and stayed for one night.
We then woke up early, had breakfast at a cafe and took a bus to Kobiro-oji, to save us a several KM that day (our original plan was to walk ~25KM from Chikatsuyu to Hongu Taisha).
We then walked ~18KM from Kobiro-oji to Hongu Taisha Shrine where we spent about an hour and then took an afternoon bus to Yunomine Onsen and spent the night.
We woke early again, had breakfast at our Ryokan, caught an early bus to Koguchi and then walked ~15KM to Nachi Taisha Shrine. We spent a few hours around the grounds, before taking a bus to Kii-Katsuura train station and taking a train back to Osaka where we spent the night
We tend to move fast and cram as much a possible in our holidays, so this itinerary may be too fast for people. If we had more time, we would have spent the night in Kii-Katsuura and visited the third shrine the next day
@@ChrisandDanya Thanks for the info! I saw you hike all the way to the Nachi Taisha after the stop at the onsen, wondering how long did that take? I'm planning to take the same route, but not sure how many days in total I need. Thanks.
Did you meet anyone along the way trying to reduce accommodation costs by camping? I'm wondering if it's possible (legal) to use a tent or hammock on any of the Japanese long distance trails.
Didn't meet anyone along the way that was camping, but I'm pretty sure you can, we just personally haven't looked into it. Sounds like a great way to do it though and something we'll definitely look into in the future
I checked out the campsites on the website. It looks like you have to stay at one of just a handful of designated campsites. None of them look like what we were hoping for. We are Americans who hike the Appalachian Trail in the summers and are used to being able to camp close to the trail, in the wilderness. These campsites are far off the trail, and are like big tent cities. So we’ve decided we will probably just stay at the nice and quiet guest houses and let them make us those tasty little meals to take on our hike. :-)
I do understand why they don’t want a lot of people camping right off the trail. They are trying to preserve the natural beauty of these ancient pilgrimage paths. I completely get it. But still, I was a little disappointed. It will be for the best, I’m sure, as the guest houses look super cool.