How to See Nachi Falls in One Day Without a Car

Traveled in May 2026

Nachi Falls takes a little more effort to reach than Japan’s major tourist destinations. But I’ve found that venturing off the beaten path in Japan is usually where you’ll find the most spectacular scenery! The view of the bright red pagoda standing in front of Nachi Falls is one of Japan’s most iconic landscapes and one of my most memorable of our trip. And as the endpoint of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, you can really feel the spirituality in the whole area. While many travelers visit this region by car, we made the trip using only public transportation. If you want to see Nachi Falls without the hassle of driving in Japan, follow our guide for everything you need to know to see Nachi Falls in one day without a car.

When to Go

Late spring and late fall are the sweet spots for visiting Japan. During that time, there is a balance of mild weather and lighter crowds. That’s because early spring is packed for cherry blossom season. Summer is hot and humid. September brings a higher chance of heavy monsoon rains. And winter can be cold and snowy. Personally, I prefer visiting in mid-May, just after Golden Week, or October to November for the best mix of weather and crowd levels.

How to Get There

The gateway to Nachi Falls is the town of Kii-Katsuura. Kii-Katsuura Station is about 4 hours from Osaka on the Kuroshio Ltd Express or just shy of 4 hours from Nagoya on the Nanki Ltd Express. From Kii-Katsuura Station, it is about a 30 minute bus ride plus 10-15 minute walk up to the pagoda, and then a 15 minute walk to get down to Nachi Falls itself. Because of this long transit time, it would be hard to do Nachi Falls as a day trip. To fully do it justice, it’s better to spend the night in the area.

I’ve listed the exact route that we took to get from Kii-Katsuura Station to see the shrine, pagoda, and Nachi Falls itself. Although many people go straight to Nachi Falls first, we chose to see the shrine and pagoda first to minimize uphill walks. We only visited the shrine, pagoda, and Nachi Falls and it took us about 3 hours round trip from Kii-Katsuura Station. Budget more time if you’re planning on doing any hiking along the Kumano Kodo cedar trail.

Kii-Katsuura Station

• Luggage Lockers: luggage lockers in Kii-Katsuura Station are downstairs from the train platforms. Note that the luggage lockers take coins only. There are change machines upstairs by the train platform exit. We stored our luggage at the station to save time rather than detouring to our hotel to drop off our luggage.

The area around Kii-Katsuura Station has many restaurants and stores selling local products. Since we arrived around lunchtime, we stopped at Rio Ramen across the street from the train station for lunch. This tiny ramen restaurant seemed packed with locals. The menu was in Japanese but they did have some recommendations in English on a sign board. We used Google Translate to view the menu and order. It was a great bowl of ramen and our son also enjoyed the kara-age! The broth was flavorful without feeling too oily. Note that they are cash only!

Kumano Nachi Taisha and Seiganto-ji Pagoda

This vibrant red pagoda perfectly positioned in front of a waterfall is the highlight of this trip.

Kumano Nachi Taisha

Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine is one of the main destinations on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. When we visited Kumano Nachi Taisha, there was a hula troupe performing in front of the shrine. I think they were there for a ceremony, but it added another meaningful cultural element to the visit. From the shrine, we made our way to the main attraction, the pagoda. You really can’t get lost because everyone is walking in the same direction.

Seiganto-ji Pagoda

The Seiganto-ji Pagoda is actually a Buddhist temple. Inside, you’ll find Buddhist murals and statues of various deities. After taking our fill of photos from the outside, we went inside the pagoda for a closer view of the waterfall. What impressed me most was how beautifully maintained the pagoda was. The bright red paint was incredibly vibrant, making the structure look almost brand new. Combined with the waterfall in the background, it was easily one of the most photogenic spots we visited in Japan.

From the pagoda, we walked downhill to the waterfall itself.

Nachi Falls

The walk down to Nachi Falls feels a bit like a taste of the Kumano Kodo trail. The path is mostly stone steps zig-zagging down a peaceful forest until you reach the large torii gate that marks the start of the path down to the waterfall. There is another series of stone steps down to the waterfall itself. At the base of the steps there is a viewing platform for the waterfall. If you want to get closer to the waterfall (and actually drink from the waterfall water), you can pay a small fee at the store to enter another viewing platform closer to the waterfall. I thought this was worth it! We love seeing waterfalls up close (as evidenced by our Pacific Northwest waterfall road trip).

Right outside the Nachi Falls torii gate is a drag of stores, cafes, and restaurants catering to tourists if you want to pick up snacks or souvenirs before heading back to Kii-Katsuura. We grabbed a refreshing drink and ice cream to enjoy while waiting in line for the bus. The Nachi-no-Taki-Mae stop for Bus line 32 is here as well. Beware that the line for the bus can get long quickly here. So it’s best to get in line as soon as possible.

We were initially planning on hiking down the Kumano Kodo cedar tree trail to the Kumano Kodo bus stop on the way back to get a taste of the Kumano Kodo trail. But once we saw the line at the Nachi-no-Taki-Mae stop we decided to skip the hike and just get in line. The bus was completely packed when we got on, so we would not have been able to get on the bus at the Kumano Kodo bus stop.

Where to Stay in Kii-Katsuura

Since it takes so long to get to Kii-Katsuura, it makes the most sense to spend a night there rather than trying to visit Nachi Falls as a rushed day trip. Staying overnight gives you more time to explore the area at a relaxed pace and enjoy one of the region’s biggest draws: its onsen resorts.

Many of Kii-Katsuura’s best onsen hotels are located on small islands or along the bay and are reached by a short boat ride from Kii-Katsuura Station. If you’re looking for the full Japanese hot spring resort experience, these are the best places to stay.

• Hotel Urashima ($$$) – (where we stayed) A sprawling onsen hotel built into a mountain that is full of quirky charm. They are famous for onsens that are built into open caves with ocean views. And a super long escalator to their rooftop terrace that has sweeping views of the bay. The hotel definitely feels dated and past its prime, but if you go in with those expectations it can still be an enjoyable stay just because of the oddities. My husband said it felt like stepping into a James Bond villain’s lair. I would have loved to see it in its heyday.
• Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima ($$$$) – An onsen hotel located on a private island. Very luxurious, and all rooms have ocean views. Some rooms even have private in-room onsens.

Show Me the Money

The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen. Unlike many other countries, cash is still very widely used (and preferred) in Japan. While we usually rely mostly on our credit cards when traveling and only withdraw a small amount of cash, that was not the case in Japan. Many of the restaurants and smaller stores prefer cash and may not even accept credit cards. Especially in Kii-Katsuura, many restaurants, taxis, and stores only accepted cash.

The easiest way to withdraw cash in Japan is to look for a local 7-Eleven or the 7 Bank atm in train stations. The ATMs in the 7-Elevens accept international debit cards and are open all the time. (7-Elevens in Japan are magical and deserve a tribute post of their own. We went into one at least once a day – for breakfast, a snack, or cash, and it never disappoints.) Always choose to withdraw cash in Yen for the best exchange rate!

Saving tip: to avoid ATM fees (from the foreign bank and your bank), look for a checking account that offers ATM fee reimbursements. I can personally recommend the Schwab investors checking account and the Betterment checking account for this purpose.

How to Stay Connected

You absolutely need internet when you are in Japan. We were on our phones all day looking things up, from following Google Maps to figuring out transit or where to eat. There are three main options for staying connected in Japan. You can use a pocket wifi, an e-sim, or a physical sim card. My recommendation is the E-sim because it’s the easiest and cheapest option.

E-Sim

• Good For: people with unlocked phones who only need internet data
• Pros:
  • Easiest and cheapest option to have internet data available on the phone right after landing. You can install the e-sim while back at home, and just toggle it on once you get to Japan.
  • The data packages are surprisingly cheap, and it’s easy to top up more data as you go. Airalo is our favorite e-sim company and we have used it in Canada and Europe without problems. You can buy a Japan only e-sim or a regional Asia e-sim if traveling to multiple Asian countries.
    • Use my referral code ATEASP4988 for $3 off your first Airalo e-sim!
• Cons:
  • Must have an unlocked phone to install an e-sim.
  • The e-sim only provides data and has no cellular service for making or receiving calls.

Pocket Wifi

• Good For: groups that are traveling together who will not be splitting up.
• Pros:
  • Good for phones that are still locked because you can’t change sim cards.
  • If you’re planning on going to Tokyo Disney, then having a pocket wifi might come in handy to ensure you have fast internet to book the passes since cell service might be slow.
• Cons:
  • It is an extra device to keep charged and carry around during the day.
  • Must arrange for delivery to receive it and send it back at the end of the trip.

Combine Nachi Falls with our Shirahama 2 day Itinerary for the perfect coastal escape from Japan’s crowded cities!