6 recommended inns in Kumano Kodo. Hotels and guest houses where you can enjoy hot springs or BBQ!
Kumano Kodo, a World Heritage Site, has many accommodations along the way. The type of accommodations varies by hotels, guest houses, hot spring inns, etc.
Do you want to enjoy hot springs? Do you want to relax? Do you want to have local food?
In this article, we will introduce you to accommodations based on your purpose and destination. We’ve also picked up newly opened hotels that are attracting attention, so if you like new things, check them out!
What kind of place is Kumano Kodo, a World Heritage Site in Wakayama Prefecture?
Kumano Kodo, which spans several places including Wakayama Prefecture, has long been a pilgrimage route for many people. During the Heian period, aristocrats took a round trip of one month from Kyoto to aim for a shrine called Kumano Sanzan. Many people, regardless of their social status, passed Kumano Kodo and visited the Kumano Sanzan, and since that appeared similar to ants, it is called “Ari-no Kumano-mode” (Ant’s pilgrimages to the Kumano Sanzan).
Even today, it is attracting attention as a power spot and is loved by many people because it is a perfect mountain path for trekking.
As you can see in the picture, there are many places where the old roads remain intact even today, so just walking makes you feel refreshed.
【By purpose】Hot springs? BBQ? Trekking? 3recommended Kumano Kodo hotels and inns
First, we will introduce you to some accommodations that suit your purpose of visit. There are many ways to enjoy trekking Kumano Kodo.
We will divide the section into three: Hot springs, Retreat, and Delicious Kumano Food.
If you want to enjoy the hot springs | Watarase Onsen Hotel Sayuri/ Yamayuri/ Himeyuri
There are many hot spring inns along Kumano Kodo. Kumano Hongu Onsen Village, which consists of Yunomine Onsen, Kawayu Onsen, and Watarase Onsen, is famous. Among them, Yunomine Onsen is well known as the oldest hot spring in Japan which opened 1800 years ago.
In this article, we will introduce “Hotel Sayuri, Yamayuri and Himeyuri” from the Watase Onsen area, a popular outdoor area where you can enjoy fishing and playing in the river. It takes about 10 minutes by car to Kumano Hongu Taisha, and there is even a free transfer service which is a fit for those who want to walk Kumano Kodo.
Especially for those who plan to walk Kumano Kodo in winter, we recommend staying at a hot spring inn. The hot spring soothes the cold body.
Yukata are available for rent, so it is recommended that you wear a gorgeous yukata and go around the hot spring. You can enjoy 9 hot springs in this hotel. Not only the large public bath that flows directly from the natural hot spring source, but there are also private open-air baths exclusively for family members and private baths exclusively for guests, so it is a perfect place for families to relax.
It is a sodium hydrogen carbonate spring effective for skin beautification, gastrointestinal disease, neuralgia, diabetes, and skin diseases.
Address
〒647-1733 45-1 Hongucho Wataze, Tanabe, Wakayama
Access
About 120 minutes by bus from JR Kii-Tanabe Station, about 60 minutes by bus from JR Shinguu Station
Accommodation Fee
Around 20,000 yen
Official Website
https://www.watarase-onsen.jp/
If you want to trek & retreat｜SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA
Are you aware of what “Retreat” is?
Retreat is to get away from where you always live, forget about your daily life, and heal your mind and body. In fact, in a town called “Takahara” along the Kumano Kodo, an inn suitable for retreat opened in 2022. If you walk the Kumano Kodo, surrounded by greenery and with a sense of history, you can calmly face your inner self. A little bit of exercise refreshes your body and mind.
“SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA” is a perfect place to walk along Kumano Kodo. It is two and a half hours walk from Takijiri-oji, the main spot of Kumano Kodo, and an hour and a half by bus from Kumano Hongu Taisha.
You can have a good time in the spacious living room filled with the warmth of wood and have a deep talk near the bonfire at night. It is an unmanned inn, so you can spend your time without worrying about people’s eyes. If you plan to travel to Kumano Kodo, we highly recommend this inn.
If you walk along Kumano Kodo early in the morning, if you are lucky, you may be able to see the sea of clouds. Since it is located at an altitude of 300 meters, you can look down on the vast rice fields from Takahara with a good view. And at night, the stars are full. Takahara is a small village with a population of 70, so you can see stars that you can’t see in the city.
This is a one-building inn renovated from an old private house, and the all-inclusive is the specialty. All the ingredients and equipment for BBQ are prepared, so after walking Kumano Kodo, you can enjoy the local ingredients.
BBQ ingredients are very special. Fresh wild game meat from local dismantler “Hinata no Mori,” fresh vegetables such as “Ryujin Shiitake” from JA Kinan, sausages made by “Kishu Umebuta (plum pig)” that grew up eating Kishu plums, jam and bread rich in Kishu plums, Wakayama fruit juice, craft beer and plum wine… All local ingredients are included in the accommodation fee. You can also take the portion that you couldn’t finish.
Address
〒646-1416 1966 Takahara Nakahechicho, Tanabe, Wakayama
Access
About 45 minutes by taxi or car from JR Kii-Tanabe Station, about 80 minutes by bus or trekking
Accommodation Fee
11,400 yen〜
Official Website
If you want to taste the delicious Kumano specialty | Kirino-no-Sato Takahara
Kumano’s specialties come from both the ocean and the mountain. Tuna from Nachi Katsuura, pacific saury from Kumano citrus fruits such as tangerines, mehari sushi (onigiri wrapped in salted vegetables), and game meat such as wild boar meat…
We will introduce you to an inn where you can fully enjoy these delicious specialties.
Located on the Nakahechi of Kumano Kodo, Takahara is a place where you can taste dishes made by local mothers using vegetables and fish delivered directly from local producers. Not only Japanese cuisine but also Spanish-style creative dishes are one of the attractions of this inn. Please try the dishes that are made with seasonal ingredients in each season.
The room is a space rich in wood, which comes from Kishu, also known as the “Tree Country”. Not only English but also Chinese and Spanish-speaking staff are available, making it a perfect place for guests from overseas.
Moreover, hot water from “Watarase Onsen” in Hongu Onsen Village is prepared, and firewood using local thinning wood is burned to boil water. Yes. It is a very popular inn as a hot spring good for your skin. The view of Takahara from the open-air bath is a must-see.
Address
826 Takahara Nakahechicho, Tanabe, Wakayama
Access
＜From Osaka＞About an hour from Hanwa Expressway “Tanabe IC”
＜From Nagoya＞About 3 hours from Higashi-Meihan/ Ise Expressway “Seiwa-Taki IC”
About 45 minutes by bus from JR Kii-Tanabe Station
Accommodation Fee
About 11,500 yen〜20,000 yen
Official Website
https://kirinosato-takahara.com/
【By location】3 guest houses/ hotels that match your destination such as Hongu and Nachi Taisha
I want to choose a hotel according to the destination I visit! I want to take a walk along Kumano Kodo, so I want to stay near the main spot! If this is what you are thinking, some inns suit your destination.
We picked up three inns: near the “Nakahechi” where the largest number of people walked among the 5 routes in Kumano Kodo, near Kumano Hongu Taisha, and near Kumano Nachi Taisha, which is recommended for beginners of Kumano Kodo.
If you want to enjoy Kumano Kodo！An inn along the Nakahechi｜SEN.RETREAT CHIKATSUYU
“SEN.RETREAT CHIKATSUYU” is an inn located along “Nakahechi” of Kumano Kodo. This guest house is located 9 9-hour walk from Kumano Hongu Taisha, one of Kumano Sanzans, and 4 hours walk from “SEN RETREAT TAKAHARA” that was introduced above. The location is perfect for walking along Kumano Kodo for 2~3 days and 1~2 nights. It is a new inn that just opened on April 28, 2022.
Built with used containers, this inn has a private garden and rooftop terrace, so it is perfect for having a good time with your family including pets, and gathering with your friends. Of course, it is also recommended as a place to re-examine yourself.
Since all rooms are equipped with fully automatic washing machines, minimizing luggage is a great point for trekking people.
Address
〒646-1402 1806 Chikatsuyu, Nakahechi, Tanabe, Wakayama
Access
About 60 minutes by bus or 45 minutes by car or taxi from JR Kii-Tanabe Station
Accommodation Fee
12,000 yen per person〜
Official Website
If you are visiting Kumano Hongu Taisha! An inn near Hongu｜Guest House Asyl
“Guest House Asyl” is a private guest house located next to Fushiogami-Oji, which is close to Kumano Hongu Taisha. It is an inn run by “Yamabushi Soba Haian” listed in “Michelin Guide Wakayama 2022”, so you can enjoy delicious soba for dinner when you stay here. The wild vegetables are grown locally, and soy sauce, mirin, umeboshi, and pickles are all homemade. There is also a plan with a lunch box for those who walk on Kumano Kodo the day after their stay. Kumano Hongu Taisha is located just over an hour’s walk.
Many people look forward to spending time away from the usual in Kumano Kodo. Since this inn doesn’t have Wi-Fi, it is possible to take a break from digitals. You can also experience making buckwheat noodles if you wish, so it’s a great guest house to experience “extraordinary.”
This hotel is particular about environmental considerations such as reducing food loss, reducing plastic waste, and tackling local production consumption.
Address
〒647-1743 170 Fushiogami, Hongucho, Tanabe, Wakayama
Access
About 10 minutes by car from Kumano Hongu Taisha
About 15 minutes by bus bound for “Hosshinmon” in front of Hongu Taisha and 15 minutes by walk from the bus stop “Fushiogami-guchi”
Accommodation Fee
9,400円／per person（when 3 people stay）〜
Official Website
Excellent access to Daimon-saka and Kumano Nachi Taisha! Ann inn near Nachi｜Hotel Urashima
Hotel Urashima, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, is located about a two-hour walk to Kumano Nachi Taisha. “Daimon-saka” which is the recommended location for beginners among Kumano Kodo, is a 20-minute drive away. Thus, it is convenient for those who want to enjoy Kumano Kodo casually by combining cars and walking. You can see “Nachi Falls” at Kumano Nachi Taisha. This is a recommended spot for those who want to enjoy the dynamic nature.
A private boat for Hotel Urashima runs from Katsuura Port and Tourist Pier, about a six-minute walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station, and you can reach the hotel across the sea. It recalls the story of Taro Urashima.
Among them, the hot spring called “Kibo-tou” gushes out in a large cave and offers a panoramic view of the sea from the entrance. The scenery is impressive as the lord of the Kishu domain, Yorimichi Tokugawa, even mentioned it “so much that it makes you forget to go home.” You can hear the sound of rough waves in the Pacific Ocean up close and take a bath while feeling the sea.
And speaking of Nachi Katsuura, “Tuna” cannot be missed!
Hotel Urashima even offers all-you-can-eat tuna. What a luxury to be able to enjoy tuna with Kishu’s plum wine and Japanese sake until you are full…! There is also a plan to stay overnight without meals, but we strongly recommend you to enjoy the tuna of Nachi.
This is the perfect place to stay for those who plan to visit Kumano Nachi Taisha.
Address
〒649-5334 1165-2 Katsuura, Nachikatsuura, Higashimuro District, Wakayama
Access
About 6 minutes by walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station and 5 minutes by private boat from the pier
Accommodation Fee
10,450 yen per person〜
Official Website
http://www.hotelurashima.co.jp/
Walk the Kumano Kodo
The following article introduces how to walk Kumano Kodo. Choose the course that suits you the best and enjoy trekking!
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