Hi there!

 

So you want to go from Wakayama to Nachi Falls!

To go to Nachi Falls from Wakayama City, you might want it to be an overnight trip.

 

wakayama to nachi falls itinerary. wakayama to nachisan itinerary. nachi waterfalls, nachi shrine

 

It will depend on your timing and exact route, but you can expect the train from Wakayama to Nachi Falls area to be around 3 hours.

This means that if you really want to, you could make it a day trip to Nachi Falls, but it will be a long day with a lot of your time on the train.

 

wakayama to nachi falls train map. how to get to nachi falls from wakayama city. wakayama station to kii-katsuura station






👆 Wakayama to Nachi Falls train route: Sample train route from Wakayama Station to Kii-Katsuura Station, the train station near Nachi Falls. Explore the map. Adjust the departure time if necessary!

 

If you’re going to Nachi Falls, then that means that you’ll be going to the Kumano Kodo area.

The Kumano Kodo is a UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage route.

While there are many Kumano Kodo routes, a popular way to do the Kumando Kodo is to do the Nakahechi Route and ending at Nachi Falls.

Nachi Falls is often a final stop on one’s Kumano Kodo itinerary, whether you are doing the classic Kumano Kodo hike or you are doing the Kumano Kodo area by bus.

Nachi Falls is where you will find one of the most famous views of Japan!

 

wakayama to nachi falls pagoda. wakayama to nachisan.

 

The classic way to do the Kumano Kodo is to hike it over several days, staying at inns and guesthouses along the way. (So it’s like an inn-to-inn hike.)

If you are not interested in doing full-day hikes for several days, you can also experience a bit of the Kumano Kodo by getting to various spots along the way by bus. You can do some short or long day hikes too.

But if your main (only) interest is Nachi Falls, then you can also make it a trip to just Nachi Falls, without going to other parts of the Kumano Kodo.

 

wakayama to nachi falls itinerary. wakayama to nachisan itinerary. nachi waterfalls, nachi shrine

 

If you want to see it all around Nachi Falls by walking it all, you could do it quickly in 2 hours of time in Nachisan.

It would be much better if you have at least 3 to 4 hours however, as 2 hours is really rushing it!

But I can tell you that you can do it all in 2 hours, because that is how much time I had!

Of course, the more time you have, the more you can take it all in!

You should also know that a trip to Nachi Falls can mean a lot of stairs!

 

Where is Nachi Falls?

Nachi Falls is located on the Kii Peninsula in the prefecture of Wakayama (Wakayama-ken).

Wakayama City (Wakayama-shi) is on the western side of the prefecture, and Nachi Falls is on the eastern side.

 

wakayama to nachi falls map japan
👆 Where is Nachi Falls: Explore the map.

 

 

How to get to Nachi Falls from Wakayama Station by train and bus

Important stops to know about when you want to go from Wakayama Station to Nachi Falls:

  • Wakayama Station (start here in Wakayama City!)
  • Kii-Katsuura Station (your train destination: train station “near” Nachi Falls. also where you will take the local bus to Nachi Falls)
  • Nachi-no-taki-mae bus stop (bus stop to go straight to Nachi Falls)
  • Daimonzaka bus stop (take the bus to this bus stop instead to make it a walk to Nachi Falls, and walk to see all of the Nachisan area! recommended stop if you don’t mind walking for a couple of hours!)

 

Google maps makes travel around Japan super easy, and that includes getting from Wakayama to Nachi Falls!

You just need to know the “destination” you need to enter in google maps!

In this case, for the first part of your journey to get to the general Nachi Falls area, your destination can be Kii-Katsuura Station. (This is if you will not be doing other parts of the Kumano Kodo first!)

On google maps, after you’ve entered these train stations, select the public transportation icon!

It is also helpful to change the departure time to a time that you might be leaving. (Try the morning for the best results.)

If the current time is at night, the suggested route may be unhelpful!

If you are traveling with a JR pass, the local buses around Nachi Falls do not accept the JR pass, but there is a JR train from Wakayama Station to Kii-Katsuura Station.

Google maps also gives approximate cost.

You can buy train tickets when you get to the train station. The ticket machine has an English option you can select.

Or if you see a manned ticket booth, it can be easiest to buy your ticket from a person. But it will still be helpful to know exactly which train you want to take. (Thanks, google maps!)

 

How long does the Wakayama to Nachi Falls train take?

The train will only go to Kii-Katsuura Station.

From there, you will take a local bus to Nachi Falls.

But there is a direct train from Wakayama Station to the train station near Nachi Falls (Kii-Katsuura Station), and this is less than 3 hours.

 

wakayama to nachi falls train map. how to get to nachi falls from wakayama city. wakayama station to kii-katsuura station
👆 Wakayama to Nachi Falls train route: Sample train route from Wakayama Station to Kii-Katsuura Station, the train station near Nachi Falls. Explore the map. Adjust the departure time if necessary!

 

The cost of the direct train route is around 5,700 yen (less than US$50) one-way without a JR pass. Since this is a JR train, it means that with a JR pass, it’s FREE!

 

👇 Wakayama to Nachi Falls train route: Sample train route from Wakayama Station to Kii-Katsuura Station, the train station near Nachi Falls.
wakayama to nachi falls train route. how to get to nachi falls from wakayama city. wakayama station to kii-katsuura station

 

Then, once you get to Kii-Katsuura Station, if you want to go straight to Nachi Falls, then you can take the local bus.

 

Day trip to Nachi Falls from Wakayama City

It will be a long day with most of your time on the train, but if you really want to make it a day trip to Nachi Falls from Wakayama, you can.

For example, as of October 2022, there is a direct train from Wakayama Station to Kii-Katsuura Station that leaves a little before 9am, arriving at Kii-Katsuura by 12pm.

For the trip back to Wakayama, there is a direct train from Kii-Katsuura Station to Wakayama Station around 6pm, arriving back in Wakayama around 9pm.

 

How to get to Nachi Falls: Local bus from Kii-Katsuura Station

You will not be in the direct Nachi Falls area at Kii-Katsuura Station.

You need to take a local bus from Kii-Katsuura Station to get to Nachi Falls.

The local bus from Kii-Katsuura Station to Nachi Falls is around a 30 minute bus ride. And then you will also have waiting time as you wait for the next bus. The cost of this bus ride is 420 yen to 620 yen, depending on where you get off.

Similar to most major train stations in Japan, you can expect the Kii-Katsuura Station to have coin lockers for luggage storage so you can immediately go from the train to the local bus without your luggage.

 

Nachi Falls bus: General tips for taking the local bus to Nachi Falls (and most local buses in Japan)

Once again, consult google maps to guide your way! It makes knowing where to get on the bus and where to get off the bus super easy!

You pay for the bus as you get off the bus. You don’t need to buy a ticket ahead of time.

You will get on the bus from the back door, not the front. As you get on the bus, you need to look for a little ticket to grab. This will have a number on it, and it will allow you to determine how much you need to pay when you get off the bus.

If you get on the bus where the bus route starts, then there likely won’t be a ticket. In this case, for purposes of figuring out your bus fare later, your “ticket” is number 1.

Once your bus stop is the next bus stop, you will press a little button to signify to the bus driver to get off next. There will be an announcement, and there is a display sign at the front of the bus that will tell you the next bus stop.

Then, you will also look at the front of the bus to find out how much the bus fare costs. You will look for the number that’s on the ticket that you grabbed as you got on the bus, and that is how much you need to pay for the bus fare.

Once the bus arrives at your bus stop, you’ll go to the front of the bus. You’ll put exact change into the fare box. There will be no change given to you.

If you need smaller change, it is also possible to break a 1,000 yen bill in the coin machine at the front of the bus. You can do this as you get off the bus. You cannot break a 5,000 yen bill, so be sure to have coins and/or 1,000 yen bills for the bus to Nachi Falls.

 

More about how to take the local bus to Nachi-san

For the visual: here is how to take the local bus in Kyoto, which is similar to how to take the local bus to Nachi Falls and other local buses in Japan.

 

How to get around Nachi Falls area to the waterfalls, pagoda, and grand shrine: WALK!

wakayama to nachi falls itinerary. wakayama to nachisan itinerary. nachi waterfalls, nachi shrine

 

So you’ve arrived in the Nachi Falls area from Wakayama! Now what?!

The best way to see Nachi is to walk!

If you are up for walking all of the Nachi Falls area, then you can get the bus from Kii-Katsuura Station to the Daimonzaka bus stop.

 

wakayama to nachi falls bus.

 

Then, you can start your walk!

There are lots of signs along the way, so you will basically just be following the signs.

Once you get off at the Daimonzaka bus stop, then you will go to Daimonzaka, then Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, then finally Nachi Falls.

There is a bus stop near Nachi Falls to get back to Kii-Katsuura Station.

If you prefer (a little) less walking, then the bus stops in the Nachi-san area are at Daimonzaka (daimonzaka bus stop), Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine (nachisan bus stop), and Nachi Falls (nachi-no-taki bus stop).

If you decide to get off at the Nachi Falls bus stop, you will also want to take the stairs UP near the bus stop so you can get the famous views of the Nachi Falls and pagoda. Going down will get you closer to the waterfalls, but no pagoda view!

 

What to see near Nachi Falls

This is your walking route from Daimonzaka to Nachi Falls.

 

1. Kumano Kodo Daimonzaka Slope

Japanese: kumano kodo daimonzaka / 熊野古道大門坂 / くまのこどうだいもんざか
wakayama to nachi falls to daimonzaka. wakayama to daimonzaka

wakayama to nachi falls to daimonzaka. wakayama to daimonzaka

 

2. 800-year-old Meoto Sugi trees (Daimonzaka)

Japanese: meotosugi / 夫婦杉 / めおとすぎ
wakayama to nachi falls to meoto sugi trees, daimonzaka. wakayama to meoto sugi trees

 

3. Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine

Japanese: kumano nachi taisha / 熊野那智大社 / くまのなちたいしゃ
wakayama to nachi falls to kumano nachi taisha grand shrine. wakayama to kumano nachi taisha grand shrine

 

4. Nachisan Seiganto-ji Temple

Japanese: nachisan seigantoji / 那智山青岸渡寺 / なちさんせいがんとじ
wakayama to nachi falls to nachisan seigantoji temple. wakayama to nachisan seigantonji temple

 

5. Nachisan overlook of pagoda and waterfalls

wakayama to nachi falls pagoda. wakayama to nachi falls pagoda

wakayama to nachi falls pagoda. wakayama to nachi falls pagoda

 

6. Nachisan laughing Buddha

wakayama to nachi falls to nachisan laughing buddha. wakayama to nachisan laughing buddha

wakayama to nachi falls to nachisan laughing buddha. wakayama to nachisan laughing buddha

 

7. Nachisan Pagoda

Japanese: nachisan seigantoji sanjyunoto / 那智山青岸渡寺三重塔 / なちさんせいがんとじさんじゅうのとう
wakayama to nachi falls to nachisan pagoda. wakayama to nachisan pagoda

 

8. Hiro-jinja Shrine

Japanese: hirojinja / 飛瀧神社 / ひろうじんじゃ
wakayama to nachi falls to hiro jinja shrine

wakayama to nachi falls to hiro jinja shrine

wakayama to nachi falls to hiro jinja shrine

 

9. Nachi Falls (Hiro-jinja Shrine)

Japanese: nachi no taki / 那智の滝 / なちのたき
wakayama to nachi falls trip

wakayama to nachi falls trip

 

 

Nachi Falls itinerary: One day around Nachi Falls

Of course, your day can vary based on how much time you decide to spend in different places.

I was rushed in Nachi!

But, to give you an idea, this was how a couple of hours in Nachi was for me!

  • 2:10pm: Arrive at Daimonzaka bus stop
  • Walk to Daimonzaka start (5 minutes)
  • Walk up the Daimonzaka steps! (20 minutes if you’re fast!)
  • Continue walking to Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine (up, up, up!)
  • 2:45pm: Walk around Kumano Nachi Taisha
  • Continue walking, following signs to Nachi Falls
  • 3pm: See the famous view of Nachi-san pagoda and Nachi Falls!
  • Walk down the steps to see the laughing Buddha
  • Get a closer look of the Nachi-san pagoda (Walk up the pagoda for 300 yen)
  • Continue walking and following signs to Nachi Falls to get closer views of the waterfalls
  • 3:20pm: Arrive at Nachi Falls! (Enter the waterfall worship stage for 300 yen for the closest views of the waterfalls)
  • Walk to Nachi Falls bus stop (nachi-no-taki-mae bus stop)
  • 3:45pm: Bus to Kii-Katsuura!

 

wakayama to nachi falls map
👆 Nachi Falls map: Stop by a tourism information center in the Kumano Kodo area to get a Nachi Falls area map!

 

I went to Nachi Falls in October 2022. Your experience may vary!

 

HAPPY TRAVELING FROM WAKAYAMA TO NACHI FALLS!

 

NEXT UP: HONGU?

NEXT UP: YUNOMINE ONSEN? (private onsen hot springs!)

NEXT UP: ISE?!

 

Traveling around Japan and can't read Japanese? No problem! Just use the camera on the google translate app!




Is a JR pass worth it?!

  • Google maps can make it easy to figure out whether or not you should get a JR pass!
  • In google maps, type in your departure and arrival city, and choose the transit icon. The route will come up, and so will the estimated cost at the bottom!
  • Here is an example of a train route with cost on google maps.
  • So do that for all of your long distance routes to figure out how much it might cost.
  • Next, go here to see how much a JR pass costs from an official JR pass vendor (and partner of this website).
  • And compare!
  • Not all forms of public transportation are JR, but long distance shinkansen bullet trains are, and that's where the most cost savings will come.




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