Kumano Kodo Nakahechi, solo

Day by day

1. Day 1Wakayama City· KIX → Wakayama by JR, 46 min, ¥880
   • 20:55 land at Kansai (KIX) from Shanghai
   • Before the gates: collect the Kuroshio 22 paper tickets for the 6th at the JR ticket machine or office, with the card that paid
   • 23:09 JR to Wakayama, arrives 23:55 (last train 23:43, arrives 00:31)
   • Hotel Granvia is in the station building, central exit, 2 min
   • Konbini for tomorrow's breakfast
2. Day 2Chikatsuyu· Train Wakayama → Kii-Tanabe, bus to Takijiri; walk Takijiri → Takahara → Chikatsuyu, ≈12.5 km, 5–6 h (the Takahara night was dropped — beds were full)
   • 06:03 local train Wakayama → Kii-Tanabe, arrives 07:49; konbini at the station
   • 08:30 bus → Takijiri-oji 09:08 (Kurisugawa 09:14 for the shorter day)
   • 09:15 walk: Takijiri → Takahara (steep first hour) → Daimon-oji → Chikatsuyu, ≈12.5 km, 5–6 h
   • By 18:00 A-Coop Chikatsuyu: dinner, plus breakfast and lunch for the 3rd
   • 15:00–20:00 check in at Hostel Kumano Kodo; sleeping bag and padlock; quiet from 21:00
3. Day 3Kawayu Onsen· Bus Chikatsuyu-oji → Doyukawa-bashi; walk Doyukawa-bashi → Hosshinmon-oji → Kumano Hongu Taisha, ≈15 km, 5–6 h; bus Hongu → Kawayu
   • 07:23 bus Chikatsuyu-oji → Doyukawa-bashi 07:33; 2.5 L water; nothing to buy until Hongu
   • 07:40 walk Doyukawa-bashi → Mikoshi-toge → Hosshinmon-oji → Kumano Hongu Taisha, ≈15 km
   • 12:00 checkpoint at Hosshinmon-oji: on time → Hongu by 14:15, shrine, bus 15:05; late → bus 14:48 and the shrine tomorrow
   • Before 17:00 Hongu supermarket / Yamazaki: all food for the 4th and 5th (the Ukegawa shop is closed Wednesdays)
   • Afternoon bus Hongu → Kawayu (15:05 → 15:16 or 16:40 → 16:51)
   • Check in at Sansuikan Kawayu Matsuya (until 23:00): ¥5,239 booked, bathing tax ≈¥150 cash at the desk; onsen 5 min on foot
4. Day 4Koguchi (tent on the lawn)· Bus Kawayu → Ukegawa; walk Kogumotori-goe → Hyakken-gura → Koguchi, 13 km, +670/−690 m, 5–6 h
   • 06:00–08:00 leave Kawayu; 2 L water
   • 08:07 bus Kawayu → Ukegawa 08:12
   • 08:15 walk Kogumotori-goe: Ukegawa → Hyakken-gura viewpoint → Koguchi, 13 km, 5–6 h
   • 13:00–18:00 check in on the Shizen-no-Ie lawn, ¥1,600 cash; bath to 21:00
   • Evening: fill 3 L at the lodge tap for the Nachi day; no outlet — power bank only
5. Day 5Kii-Katsuura· Walk Ogumotori-goe: Koguchi → Dogiri-zaka → Echizen-toge → Nachi Taisha and the falls, ≈14.5 km, +830/−1,050 m, 7 h; bus down to Kii-Katsuura
   • 06:00 leave Koguchi; Dogiri-zaka is the big climb of the route
   • 13:00–15:00 Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji and the falls; pagoda last entry 15:40
   • 15:42 / 16:27 / 17:12 bus down to Kii-Katsuura
   • Check in at Business Hotel Blue Harbor (confirm the cut-off); tuna dinner in town
6. Day 6Osaka, Shin-Imamiya· Kuroshio 22, Kii-Katsuura 11:49 → Tennoji 15:33 (¥5,200 class)
   • ≈07:00 tuna auction at the Katsuura fish market; breakfast at the hotel
   • 11:49 Kuroshio 22 → Tennoji 15:33
   • 15:40 JR loop line one stop to Shin-Imamiya; Hotel Chuo Oasis, Dobutsuen-mae exit 2, 2 min
   • Evening: laundry; yakiniku at Tsuruhashi (JR loop, ≈4 stops)
7. Day 7Osaka, Shin-Imamiya· No transfer
   • Free day in Osaka from Hotel Chuo Oasis
   • Laundry; Shinsekai next door; Tsuruhashi yakiniku if not done on the 6th
   • No transfer tonight — same room
8. Day 8Bangkok· Nankai Airport Express Shin-Imamiya 11:40 → KIX 12:22, ¥970; SC8086 KIX 16:10 → Bangkok
   • 10:00 check out; 5 min walk to Nankai Shin-Imamiya
   • 11:40 Nankai Airport Express → KIX 12:22 (¥970, direct, every 15 min); backup 12:40 → 13:22; 12:55 is the last that makes a 13:40 arrival
   • Counter closes ≈15:10
   • 16:10 SC8086 KIX → Bangkok

What I looked at vs what I booked

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