Kumano Backpackers — Hotel in Tanabe

This was a really incredible experience! Probably my favourite stay in Japan so far. I was hiking from Chikatsuyu and got my dates mixed up, so I arrived earlier than my reservation but the owners were very friendly and understanding, and had a room ready for me immediately. I was completely exhausted after the 25km hike that day and it felt so good to just be able to walk a few metres to where I would stay. The rooms were very clean, with tatami mats and SUCH a comfy futon. Since most people decide to bus to Yunomine I had the entire house to myself. I HIGHLY recommend staying here instead. Most restaurants close at 5pm but the owners will prepare you a very reasonably priced dinner if asked. There are public baths right in Hongu town if you need a hot soak, or a bathtub in the house if you are staying there alone! I did the short 2.2 km walk to Yunomine Onsen the next day and spent a lovely morning there before returning to Hongu to give myself more time to explore the shrines and the museum. A great day off in my Kumano Kodo pilgrimage! A word of warning: the cafe where you check in closes around 5pm, like every other restaurant in town. Be prepared to call the owners! There is a payphone immediately as you come out of Hongu Taisha if you don’t...

Had a great deal of fun staying at kumano backpackers when I was hiking the kumano kodo in April during the sakura season. Place was warm, friendly, clean and a place where good conversations and cheer can be found. Katsu who speaks great english, is very informative, friendly and I had no issues sending my bag over in advance to kumano backpackers, as I made my way from Kii-Tanabe.||||Location wise, it is close to Kumano Hongu and Taisha Kyushachi Oyunohara (large tori gate!) which is great for morning walks. The sakuras were blooming when I visited so I thought it was particularly beautiful.||||One of the days I took a river kayaking day trip with Katsu (he runs kumano experience besides kumano backpackers), and that was one of the highlights of my trip - simply simply awesome. There was a light drizzle, and it was simply the best weather as the entire river was shrouded in mist, and it feels like entering a watercolour or chinese painting as you paddle thru. Definitely if you have the opportunity and like the water, why not consider viewing the Kumano River from a...

We stayed here for one night and had an interesting experience… I’ll start off by saying the accommodations were what you would expect for a hostel, not the best but also not the worst. The location of the hostel is extremely convenient and they did provide some snacks and yogurt, bread and a banana for breakfast.

We did have an encounter with the host that left us feeling extremely uncomfortable. There were a couple of guests sitting in the kitchen, chatting with each other. One guest was sitting on a dining room chair near the stairs when the host entered the kitchen to show other guests the facilities. Before the guest in the chair had time to move out of the way, the host aggressively pushed the guest out of the way to the point where their chair hit the table. He then proceeded to cuss under his breath at the guest. It was very aggressive and not an appropriate way to treat anyone, especially people that are suppose to feel safe in your home.

He created a very uncomfortable and unwelcoming environment. For that reason I wouldn’t recommended...