⛩ Wakayama · 2–3 days
Kii Peninsula Coast: Kumano Kodo by Car
Drive the Kumano coast: Shirahama’s beaches, Hashigui-iwa rock spires, Nachi Falls and the grand shrines of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage — 8 michi-no-eki stops on Japan’s spiritual south coast.
The Kii Peninsula is Japan’s spiritual deep south: the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails, the tallest waterfall in the country at Nachi, and a subtropical coastline of rock spires and fishing villages. Trains are slow and buses rare — this is a region built for driving.
The route follows the coast from Shirahama’s white-sand beach around the peninsula’s tip at Kushimoto — where the Hashigui-iwa rock pillars line up like a procession of monks — then turns inland along the Kumano River to Hongu, home of the great shrine and Japan’s oldest onsen village at Yunomine. Several michi-no-eki double as trailheads for short, walkable Kumano Kodo sections.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Kokorozashi Hara Kaigan 道の駅 志原海岸 · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Kokorozashi Hara Kaigan (道の駅 志原海岸) is a government-designated roadside station in 西牟婁郡白浜町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 1995 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi, a tourist-information desk and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 27 cars and 7 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Tsubaki Hanano Yu, Inobuutanrando・ Susami and Kuchikumano.
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Inobuutanrando・ Susami 道の駅 イノブータンランド・すさみ · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Inobuutanrando・ Susami (道の駅 イノブータンランド・すさみ) is a government-designated roadside station in 西牟婁郡すさみ町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 1995 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find free Wi-Fi, a tourist-information desk, an observation deck and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 10 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 土日祝8:30–17:00 休館日 平日. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Susami, Kokorozashi Hara Kaigan and Ichimaiiwa.
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Susami 道の駅 すさみ · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Susami (道の駅 すさみ) is a government-designated roadside station in 西牟婁郡すさみ町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 2015 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and free Wi-Fi. There is free parking for about 52 cars and 9 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 利用時間 9:00–18:00 年中無休 （10月–3月は17:00までの営業）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Inobuutanrando・ Susami, Ichimaiiwa and Kokorozashi Hara Kaigan.
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Kushimoto Hashigui Iwa 道の駅 くしもと橋杭岩 · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Kushimoto Hashigui Iwa (道の駅 くしもと橋杭岩) is a government-designated roadside station in 東牟婁郡串本町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 2013 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 49 cars and 6 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00 （営業時間を変更する場合がございます）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Mushikui Iwa, Ichimaiiwa and Takiyuki Hai Tarou.
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Mushikui Iwa 道の駅 虫喰岩 · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Mushikui Iwa (道の駅 虫喰岩) is a government-designated roadside station in 東牟婁郡古座川町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 2014 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a cafe, a local-products shop, a park and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 32 cars and 1 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 10:00–17:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kushimoto Hashigui Iwa, Takiyuki Hai Tarou and Ichimaiiwa.
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Taiji 道の駅 たいじ · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Taiji (道の駅 たいじ) is a government-designated roadside station in 東牟婁郡太地町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 2015 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and free Wi-Fi. There is free parking for about 41 cars and 5 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00〔施設により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Nachi, Mushikui Iwa and Takiyuki Hai Tarou.
- 7 Michi-no-Eki Nachi 道の駅 なち · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Nachi (道の駅 なち) is a government-designated roadside station in 東牟婁郡那智勝浦町, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 2010 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a hot-spring (onsen) bath, a local-products shop, EV charging, showers and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 50 cars and 7 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–22:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Taiji, Mushikui Iwa and Kihou Machi Umigame Kouen.
- 8 Michi-no-Eki Dorokyou Kaidou Kumanogawa 道の駅 瀞峡街道熊野川 · Wakayama
Michi-no-Eki Dorokyou Kaidou Kumanogawa (道の駅 瀞峡街道熊野川) is a government-designated roadside station in 新宮市, Wakayama, Japan, registered in 1998 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 13 cars and 2 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Kansai road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Kumano ・ Itaya Kurobee No Sato, Kihou Machi Umigame Kouen and Paaku Shichiri Mihama.
Make this route yours — load all 8 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- Park at Michi-no-Eki Nachi and combine Nachi Falls, the pagoda and Daimon-zaka’s stone stairway in one stop.
- Yunomine Onsen near Hongu has a UNESCO-listed bath (Tsuboyu) you can rent for 30 minutes.
- The coast road is slow — budget a full day from Shirahama to Shingu with stops.
- Kushimoto Hashigui-iwa is best at sunrise, when the rock spires silhouette against the light.
Before you drive
- Can you drive in Japan? License rules by country
- Renting a car in Japan: the complete guide
- Can you sleep overnight at a michi-no-eki?