After I had to cancel my 2019 plans to hike the Arctic Circle Trail because I was diagnosed Cytomegalovirus, I quickly had to settle on a new plan. As I had an amazing experience in Japan in June 2015, I decided to settle for the ‘safe’ choice of re-doing the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi and adding the Kohechi part to finish in Koya San.
Also, check my packing list for my 2015 Nakahechi part of the Kumano Kodo and my other packing lists.
My Kumano Kodo Nakahechi and Kohechi solo hike packing list
I total approximately 8 kilograms of gear, outside of water.
Essentials
- Gregory Z30 Iron Gray
- Backpack rain cover
- Walking stick (Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork)
- Sea-to-summit eVent Waterproof bag 4x (for waterproof packing of my gear – also see my separate post)
- Sea-to-summit trash bag
- IKEA liner bags
Camping
- None, as I am planning to spend the night in ryokan and minshuku.
Clothing
- 4* Underwear (Icebreaker) – I use two black ones for hiking and a red one for the evenings/nights
- 4* Coollite shirt (Icebreaker) – I use two black/blue ones for hiking and a red one for the evenings/nights
- 3* Hiking pants (The North Face)
- 1* Softshell (Icebreaker)
- Rain jacket
- Rain pants
- Sun glasses Julbo Aero Zebra Light Fire
- Footwear
- 4* Walking socks
- Hiking boots (Meindl Sento GTX I first used on the Jordan Trail)
Electronics
- Mobile Phone (iPhone 8) for pictures and communications + cable
- Battery pack Xtorm Power bank + micro USB cable (also used for Garmin InReach Mini)
- Garmin InReach Mini (with monthly subscription) – not strictly necesssary, but wanted at least one
- Watch/route tracker (Garmin 935) + dedicated cable
Toiletries
- 1* Towel
- Toilet articles for personal use
- Plaster for blisters and medicine for personal use
- 1* Wet toilet paper towels
- Hygiene hand gel
- Biodegradable soap (for washing, cleaning)
- 3* lenses + lensfluid
- glasses + box for glasses
Cooking/Food
- No cooking gear and hardly any meals, as I am planning to eat breakfast and dinner in ryokan/minshuku
- Pocket knife
- 10* Powerbar gel
- 10* Powerbar Gelshots
- 2*5-pack Bifi
- Medicine
- Pain killers
- Extra vitamins
Other
- Japanese Yen, mainly to
- Sharpie
- Duct tape (around my trekking poles)
- Route maps: you can find routemaps on the site of the local tourism office in Tanabe and can get printed ones at many different points before and during your hike (tourism offices, trailheads, ryokans). I personally downloaded pdfs of the routes on my phone (and used them actually quite often);
- A list of key Japanese words.
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