It is the shortest route among Kumano-kodo, the distance from the starting point to Kumano Hongu-taisha Shrine is about 70 kilometers, and it goes over the geologically unique area from Okukoya to the Hatenashi Mountain Range which rises from the east to the west in the western part of the Kii Mountains.
熊野古道の中では、起点から熊野本宮大社までを最短距離（約70キロメートル）で結び、奥高野から果無山脈にかけての紀伊山地西部の東西方向に走向する地質構造を縦断してゆく。