Kumano: Getting there and around

Getting to Kumano

By train
  • 2.5 h
  • ¥6,000
Covered by: Japan Rail Pass

JR limited express trains connect Osaka (Shin-Osaka, Osaka and Tennoji stations) with the Kumano region. They serve Kii-Tanabe (2 hours, approx. 6000 yen one way), Shirahama (2 hours 15 minutes, about 6000 yen), Kushimoto (3 hours, about 7000 yen) and Kii-Katsuura (3.5 hours, about 8000 yen) before terminating at Shingu Station (4 hours, about 8000 yen). Seat reservations are mandatory.

Trains depart about once an hour, but some trains go only as far as Shirahama. The Japan Rail Pass, JR Kansai Wide Area Pass and Ise Kumano Wakayama Tourist Pass are valid on these trains. The Kansai Wide Area Pass is a particularly good offer for a side trip from Osaka to the Kumano Region, while the Ise Kumano Wakayama Tourist Pass is suited to those also visiting Ise and/or cotinuing to Nagoya.

By highway bus
  • 3.5 h
  • ¥3,300

Multiple daytime highway buses connect Osaka (JR Osaka Station, OCAT Namba) with Shirahama each day. The one day trip takes 3.5 hours and costs 3300 yen.

Above fees and schedules are subject to change. Be sure to check current yen exchange rates.

Getting around

The sights of Kumano are spread over a wide area around the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula. Distances and travel times in between them are considerable, not at last due to the absence of high speed trains and because many sections of the regional expressway are still in the construction or planning stages.

Trains run only along the coast and connect all coastal towns and cities with each other, including Tanabe, Shirahama, Kushimoto, Katsuura, Shingu and Kumano City. Buses complement the coastal train line by providing connections from the train stations to inland attractions, such as the Hongu and Nachi Shrines.

Despite the presence of a relatively convenient public transportation network, a rental car can be more convenient for getting around the Kumano area. Rental car outlets can be around Shirahama, Kii-Tanabe Station, Kushimoto Station, Kii-Katsuura Station and Shingu Station.

Questions? Ask in our forum.

Links and Resources

English

Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau

Very useful website with English timetables for all major bus lines.

Meiko Bus

Local bus operator.

Ryujin Bus

Local bus operator.

Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus

Local bus operator.

Nara Kotsu

Local bus operator.

Japanese

Meiko Bus

Local bus operator.

Ryujin Bus

Local bus operator.

Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus

Local bus operator.

Nara Kotsu

Local bus operator.

Nanki Shirahama Airport

Official website.

Hotels around Kumano

    •
      Kamenoi Hotel Kiitanabe
      Hotel with breathtaking ocean views from every room. Easy access to Adventure World amusement park and the crescent shore of Shirahama Beach. Rooms available for families with young children.
      View site
      Sponsored
    •
      Kamenoi Hotel Nachi Katsuura
      Enjoy open-air baths and freshly caught seafood at a traditional hot spring inn with ocean views. Only 30 minutes by bus from the UNESCO World Heritage Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes.
      View site
      Sponsored
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