Hi there!
If you are looking to do Kumano Kodo on a budget, then you must stay in the Kumano Kodo town of Yunomine Onsen!
There is the backpacker’s hostel called J-Hoppers Yunomine Onsen, and they have a FREE outdoor private onsen mineral hot springs bath included in your stay!
Well, technically you are paying like 150 yen a day (a little more than US$1) for this “privilege” but this is a mandatory fee so you will be paying it anyway! So to me it is the same as being free!
So, let’s say you have arrived for your Kumano Kodo trip to gateway town of Tanabe. (You can arrive to Kii-Tanabe Station by train.)
Then, maybe you will take a bus from Tanabe to the Takijiri-oji bus stop to start your Kumano Kodo hike on the Nakahechi Route, and then you will get to Yunomine Onsen by foot in a few days.
Or, maybe through a combination of hiking and bus, or just the bus, you end up at Yunomine Onsen!
From Yunomine Onsen, the most popular spot to go to is Nachi Falls. (You can get a bus from Yunomine Onsen to Nachi. It might require a transfer.)
Another place you can go from Yunomine Onsen is Shingu! (You can go to Shingu on your way to Nachi Falls if you plan out your day well!)
So…
How to get from Yunomine Onsen to Shingu?!
The easiest way to get to Shingu from Yunomine Onsen is by bus.
👆 It’s a scenic bus ride from Yunomine Onsen to Shingu!
But bus timings are limited, so you will want to be sure to check the bus schedule for timings.
You can get a bus schedule at the information center located next to the Kii-Tanabe Station (be sure to ask for a schedule that includes Shingu and Nachi), and J-Hoppers will also have the bus schedule posted.
Google maps also seems to be reliable for planning purposes, although because this is rural Japan, it is best to confirm the timings locally when you arrive.
Bus schedule for Yunomine Onsen to Shingu
The official Kumano Kodo tourism website also has bus schedules, but again it’s best to verify locally to make sure you get the most up-to-date schedule.
For Yunomine Onsen to Shingu, look at the bus schedule for “Kii-Tanabe / Shirahama to Kumano Hongu Taisha”
If you are going from Shingu to Yunomine Onsen, look at the bus schedule for “Kumano Hongu Taisha to Kii-Tanabe & Shirahama”
Shingu bus station
The Shingu bus will drop you off at the Shingu bus terminal.
Across the street from the Shingu bus terminal is Shingu Station, which is the train station of Shingu.
There are coin lockers at Shingu Station to store your luggage while you are out and about in Shingu.
You can also take a Kumano River boat tour to get to Shingu!
A fun way to get to Shingu that I missed out on is by BOAT!
It was booked up when I called the day before I wanted to do it, so be sure to make reservations in advance!
There is the Kumano River boat tour with a final destination of Shingu.
You can get to the starting point of the Kumano River boat tour by bus, which is the Michi-no-eki Kumano-gawa bus stop.
👆 You can take a bus from Yunomine Onsen to the Michi-no-eki Kumano-gawa bus stop to catch a Kumano River boat to Shingu! You need to make reservations in advance!
The starting point of the Kumano River boat tour is west of Shingu.
Because of the flow of the Kumano River, the boat only goes in one direction.
So it’s ideal to get the boat if you were thinking about going by bus from Yunomine Onsen to Shingu!
But even if you don’t get the boat, you will see views of the Kumano River when you take the bus to Shingu from Yunomine Onsen!
HAPPY GETTING TO SHINGU FROM YUNOMINE ONSEN!
NEXT UP: THINGS TO DO IN YUNOMINE ONSEN
NEXT UP: THINGS TO DO IN SHINGU
NEXT UP: NACHI FALLS
NEXT UP: ISE