6 Places to Swim on the Kumano Kodo (That I Actually Swam)

I walked the Kumano Kodo in the middle of a Japanese summer, which meant every river began to look less like scenery and more like a very good idea. Fortunately, some of them actually were.

I swam at all six places in this guide. The best trail swims were beneath the bridge at Chikatsuyu, an unnamed pool about halfway through our second day, Kowaze just before Koguchi, and the swimming hole beside Koguchi Campground. Kawayu adds a hot-spring river to the route, while Blue Beach Nachi is the proper coastal finish.

This is not a list of every body of water within 100 kilometres of the Kii Peninsula. It is the useful version: where the swims sit in a normal Nakahechi itinerary, what each one is like, and the ones I would genuinely pack a towel for.

1. Chikatsuyu River, Under the Bridge

Chikatsuyu is the easiest swim to build into a standard Nakahechi itinerary. The trail drops into the village beside the Hidaka-gawa River and crosses the bridge near Chikatsuyu-oji. Walk down to the riverbank, find a calm entry, and get in. It was totally fine to swim at when I was there.

If you have walked from Takijiri-oji, your legs will have done enough by this point. Drop your pack at the accommodation, take a towel back to the bridge and sit in the water until you feel human again. There is no grand expedition involved, which is a large part of the appeal.

The river changes after rain, of course. Use the bridge pool only when the water is clear, calm and giving you absolutely no reason to debate it.

2. The Unnamed Swimming Hole on Day Two

This little forest pool was about halfway into our second walking day, between Chikatsuyu and Hongu. It sits beneath an old concrete bridge, with enough depth for a proper dip and enough shade to make the water feel genuinely cold after the exposed parts of the trail.

I cannot give you a confident Google Maps pin, and I would rather say that plainly than assign it a name it does not have. Keep an eye down into the streams as you walk. The pool was obvious from the route, and the bridge and mossy rock walls are more useful identifiers than a pin dropped somewhere in the forest.

It is a quick swim, not somewhere I would structure the whole day around. Shoes off, pack on a dry rock, ten minutes in the water… then back into the humidity. Very effective.

3. Kawayu Onsen and the Oto River

Kawayu is the clever one: swim in the cold river, then dig a hot bath into the stones beside it. Thermal water rises through the riverbank and mixes with the Oto River, so with a small shovel and a little patience you can adjust your own pool rather than sitting in one temperature and pretending it is comfortable.

It is not directly on the walking line through Hongu, but it is an easy place to stay or reach by local bus. In summer, swimming and playing in the river is a normal part of the Kawayu experience; bring swimwear and sandals. In winter the large Sennin-buro river bath takes over, and private digging is restricted while it is operating.

Tip: Staying in Kawayu turns this from a rushed detour into a very good recovery evening. If you are a guest, ask your lodging about river sandals and a shovel; day visitors should bring their own rather than buying one for a very specific afternoon.

4. Kowaze Bridge, Just Before Koguchi

Kowaze was probably my favourite stop because it became lunch as well as a swim. The Kogumotori-goe ends at the Akagi River here, around one kilometre before the centre of Koguchi. You cross the road bridge, but the river below is the bit worth making time for.

We climbed onto a broad rock in the middle of the river and ate our bento boxes there. It was heaven! After hours in the forest, the combination of cold water, lunch and knowing Koguchi was basically around the corner was hard to beat.

There is a public toilet across the bridge and the village is only another kilometre down the road, so this is the place to take a proper break. Do not hurry through simply because the hard walking is finished.

5. Koguchi Campground Swimming Hole

The Koguchi Campground pool is the best place for an actual, lingering swim. The Akagi River widens beside the campground into a deep green hole with rock shelves and a broad gravel bank. Compared with the quick trail dips, this is somewhere you can stay in long enough to properly cool down.

Koguchi is the overnight stop between Kogumotori-goe and the much tougher Ogumotori-goe climb to Nachi. Arrive early, check in, then take your towel to the river. The official Kumano tourism guidance even suggests enjoying the Akagi River when walkers reach Koguchi in the afternoon.

The swimming hole sits by a working campground, so be normal about it: follow any signs, ask if access is unclear, and do not spread wet gear across somebody else’s site. If you are staying at Koguchi Shizen-no-Ie, it is an easy walk through the village.

6. Blue Beach Nachi

Blue Beach Nachi is the sea-swim reward once the pilgrimage is done. It is beside JR Nachi Station, with a long sandy beach, showers and changing facilities during the official summer season. After days of rivers and forest, being able to walk straight into the Pacific feels like a fairly decisive full stop.

The patrolled bathing season is limited to summer – in 2026 it runs from 18 July to 23 August – so outside those dates you should expect fewer or no staffed facilities and make your own call on conditions. The beach is much more convenient than it looks on a map: Nachi Station is immediately behind it, and Kii-Katsuura is only a short train ride away.

I would finish the hike, give Nachi Falls and the shrines the time they deserve, then come down for the beach before continuing to Kii-Katsuura for tuna and an onsen. That is a very respectable final day.

Where You Should Not Swim

Heads up: Do not swim beneath Nachi Falls. It is a sacred waterfall and worship site, not a public swimming hole. See it from the viewing area, pay to approach the base if you want the full force of it, then save the swimming for Blue Beach Nachi.

I also would not tell somebody to jump into a random stretch of the main Kumano River or Dorokyo Gorge. Both can look inviting from the road; neither is a useful, specific trail-swimming recommendation without local knowledge and calm conditions. Yunomine and Katsuura are excellent for onsen, but an onsen is a bath, not a swimming hole.

A Few River Rules That Actually Matter

These rivers can change quickly after heavy rain. If the water is brown, fast, high on the banks or carrying debris, do not get in. The Kii Peninsula receives serious rain, and yesterday’s easy pool is not guaranteed to be today’s.

Do not dive into water you have not checked, and take care on the polished rocks around every entry. A small quick-dry towel and sandals are worth carrying. In summer, anything wet tends to sort itself out quickly enough.

Finally, these are villages, campgrounds and sacred landscapes rather than managed resort pools. Follow signs, keep the noise sensible, take everything with you and move on if access looks private. Nothing complicated.

Planning the Route Around the Swims

The swimming works best as part of the journey, not as a separate checklist. Stay in Chikatsuyu after day one, leave enough slack for the unnamed pool on day two, then add a Kawayu night around Hongu if you can. On the Hongu-to-Koguchi stage, keep your bento unopened until Kowaze.

For the two river stays, Kawayu Midoriya is the easy splurge on the water, while Koguchi Shizen-no-Ie is the practical pilgrim base before Ogumotori-goe. Accommodation is scarce along this route, so book those nights before getting emotionally attached to the itinerary.

Then read my complete Nakahechi route guide for the walking sequence, and the Kumano Kodo packing list for the less glamorous things you still need to carry. Add a towel. You will use it.