Minami Wakayama Medical Center, Tanabe (critical care and emergency centre)
国立病院機構 南和歌山医療センター
- 24/7 emergency
- Stages 1, 2, 3
27-1 Takinai-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama 646-8558
Kumano Kodo Nakahechi · Checked October 2026
Kumano Kodo Nakahechi emergency & health guide: hospitals, 119 and 110
The nearest hospital with a 24-hour emergency service for each of the 5 stages, clinics, how to call for help in Japan, the rules for walkers on the Kumano Kodo, and pharmacies and shops near the trail.
In an emergency call 119 from any phone for an ambulance, fire or rescue in the mountains, or 110 for the police. Both are free and answered 24 hours; if you do not speak Japanese, say "English" and stay on the line for an interpreter. Say which section you are on, the number on the nearest Kumano Kodo signpost and, if you can, your GPS coordinates, then stay where you are. The fire service can request the Wakayama doctor helicopter. For help that is not an emergency, the Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) answers 24 hours in English.
Emergency numbers
| Number | What it is |
|---|---|
| 119 | Fire, ambulance and rescue, free from any phone, 24 hours. Also the number for a lost or injured walker in the mountains. Interpreters in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese: say "English" and stay on the line. |
| 110 | Police, 24 hours: lost walkers, theft, accidents. There are police boxes (koban) near Kii-Tanabe Station and near the post office in Hongu. |
| 050-3816-2787 | Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO): 24-hour help for travellers in English, Chinese and Korean, including accidents and illness. Not an emergency service. |
| 0739-64-1470 | KUMANO KODO KAN Pilgrimage Center at Takijiri-oji (8:30-17:15): trail information and conditions |
| 0735-42-0735 | Kumano Hongu Heritage Center / Hongu Tourist Association (9:00-17:00): information in Hongu |
Give the number on the nearest Kumano Kodo signpost when you call. Mobile data works in the villages, but coverage can drop in deep valleys and on the Kumotori passes, so carry an offline map and tell your host which section you are walking.
Rules to know
- No permit or fee: the Nakahechi and the grand shrines are free. But you must book every night ahead; small villages have only a few beds and walk-ins are not normal in Japan.
- World Heritage Site: the Kumano Kodo is part of "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". Stay on the route, respect shrines and people praying, and do not take or bring plants or animals.
- Camping only at official campsites (Chikatsuyu, Kawayu Onsen, Wataze Onsen and Koguchi): the mountains are mostly private land full of sacred sites. No open fires.
- There are almost no public bins: carry all your rubbish to your next inn.
- KUMANO TRAVEL booking requests are accepted only from 7:00 to 9:30 and 19:00 to 22:00 Japan time (since February 2026). The daily luggage shuttle works only between inns booked through KUMANO TRAVEL and must be requested at least 20 days ahead.
- Typhoons and heavy rain cause landslides and closures, mostly from late summer into autumn. Check the detour notices on the Tourism Bureau website, ask your host each morning and do not walk in extreme weather.
- Wildlife: watch for mamushi pit vipers, giant hornets (most aggressive in autumn), leeches and ticks; check your shoes for centipedes. Bears are rare; if you see one, keep your distance and report it.
- Drones of 100 g or more must be registered in Japan, and flights over crowds, events or built-up areas need permission. Ask before flying near shrine grounds.
Carry cash in yen: many small inns and shops take no cards, and post-office ATMs are the most reliable for foreign cards. Buses link Kii-Tanabe with Takijiri, Chikatsuyu and Hongu, and Nachisan with Kii-Katsuura; from Koguchi the last bus leaves at 17:24. In autumn 2026 (19 September to 10 December) extra buses run daily to Hosshinmon-oji from Kii-Tanabe and Yunomine.
Nearest hospital for each stage
| # | Stage | Hospital (24/7 emergency) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Takijiri-oji → Takahara | Minami Wakayama Medical Center, Tanabe (critical care and emergency centre) |
| 2 | Takahara → Chikatsuyu | Minami Wakayama Medical Center, Tanabe (critical care and emergency centre) |
| 3 | Chikatsuyu → Hongu | Minami Wakayama Medical Center, Tanabe (critical care and emergency centre) |
| 4 | Hongu → Koguchi | Shingu Municipal Medical Center, Shingu |
| 5 | Koguchi → Nachisan | Shingu Municipal Medical Center, Shingu |
Hospitals
Kinan Hospital, Tanabe
紀南病院
- 24/7 emergency
- Stages 1, 2, 3
46-70 Shinjo-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama 646-8588
Shingu Municipal Medical Center, Shingu
新宮市立医療センター
- 24/7 emergency
- Stages 3, 4, 5
18-7 Hachibuse, Shingu, Wakayama 647-0072
Nachikatsuura Town Onsen Hospital, Nachi-Katsuura
那智勝浦町立温泉病院
- 24/7 emergency
- Stages 5
1185-4 Tenma, Nachi-Katsuura, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama 649-5331
Clinics
Small clinics treat blisters, sprains, cuts and fevers. There is a daytime clinic in Hongu (Hongu Sakura Clinic) and a small branch clinic in Koguchi that opens only on some days; there is none in Takahara or Chikatsuyu. They are not emergency departments: call before you go, or ask your host to call for you.
Hongu Sakura Clinic, Hongu
田辺市本宮さくら診療所
- Not 24 h
- Stages 3, 4
921-2 Hongu, Hongu-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama 647-1731
Koguchi Clinic (branch of Kumanogawa Clinic), Koguchi
熊野川診療所附属 小口診療所
- Not 24 h
- Stages 4, 5
435 Kaminagai, Kumanogawa-cho, Shingu, Wakayama 647-1201
Pharmacies, cash and supplies
- Pharmacies:
- ATMs: Chikatsuyu
- Shops: Chikatsuyu, Hongu, Koguchi
- Bus stops: Takijiri-oji, Takahara, Chikatsuyu, Hongu, Koguchi, Nachisan
There is no duty-pharmacy rota in this area and no pharmacy on the trail between Takijiri-oji and Nachisan; village shops in Chikatsuyu and Hongu sell only basic items. Pharmacies and drugstores are in Tanabe, Shingu and Kii-Katsuura, with shop hours. Carry a first-aid kit with blister care and painkillers, and bring any prescription medicine from home with a copy of the prescription.
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
Have the nearest help on your map, offline
Outest shows these hospitals, pharmacies, ATMs and stops on the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi map, offline, together with the route, water and places to sleep.