Nakahechi, Ancient pilgrimage route in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Nakahechi is a pilgrims' path on the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture that winds through dense mountain forests and connects the three grand Kumano shrines. The trail follows stone-paved sections and mountain ridges, passing wooded valleys marked by wooden signs along the way.
The path has existed since the late 700s, when members of the imperial family and nobility crossed the mountains of the Kii Peninsula to reach the Kumano shrines. Over the centuries, merchants, farmers, and ordinary people also began using the route, giving it a broad social reach beyond the court.
Small shrine stations called Oji line the path and serve as traditional rest points where pilgrims carry out short rituals and collect stamps in their notebooks. Walking the route means encountering these stations at a steady rhythm, which gives the journey a clear sense of structure and direction.
The route can be walked in sections, and traditional inns along the way offer places to rest and sleep overnight. The main starting area near Tanabe is reachable by bus, which makes it easier to plan a walk that fits available time and physical condition.
Yunomine Onsen, a hot spring found along the route, is the only thermal bath in the world that holds UNESCO World Heritage status on its own. Pilgrims traditionally used it for ritual purification before entering the Kumano shrines, and visitors can still bathe there today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
