Since before the early-modern period, Kohechi had been a community road for the residents in the Kii Mountains, and even after a new roadway was constructed through the mountain in the 20th century, it had been still used as a local road until about the 30's of the Showa era.
近世以前の小辺路は紀伊山地山中の住人の生活道路であり、20世紀になって山中に自動車の通行できる道路が開通してからも、おおよそ昭和30年代までは使用され続けていた。