The Japanese Alps

The Kumano Kodo are a series of ancient pilgrimage routes located in the Kii Hantō, the largest peninsula of Japan, and which date back over a millennium. Generations of Japan's imperial families have made this pilgrimage from Kyoto to Kumano, one of Japan’s most sacred sites. Today, you will make your way by express train and bus from Kyoto to Hongu, a small but holy place in the city of Tanabe, which will serve as your base for the following 5 days. After you arrive, enjoy dinner followed by a relaxing dip in a natural spring hot bath, called onsen, a treat that will become your morning and evening ritual. Spend the night in Hongu.

Your guide will meet you at your Ryokan in the morning, and you will travel along the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo passage. The first day of hiking you takes you through the northern mountains. Your route is filled with amazing views of the vast landscapes to the north and south, an awe-inspiring sight that takes you back in time to what the ancient pilgrims saw from the same spot while instilling a sense of serene solitude. In the afternoon, you will hike back to Hongu, where you will visit the Hongu Taisha, one of the most important shrines on the Kumano Kodo trail. You will also have time to explore this spiritual village and its picturesque riverside architecture before finishing your day with a soak in the famous Kawayu River Onsen.

Today, you will follow the Kumano River to Shingu, then travel to Nachi to visit one of Japan’s highest waterfalls. Your first stops will be visits to temples of the Kumano Sanzan, three Grand Shrines that define the region's founding mythology. From Kumano Sanzan, travel to Shingu and its most famous pilgrimage site, the Kamikura Shrine, a steep 500-step staircase ascent. After the rigorous climb, meditate upon the beautiful views of Shingu and the Pacific coast, as well as Gotobiki-iwa, a massive and sacred boulder near the summit of Mt. Kamikura and an object of worship. Next, follow the Oji, a series of subsidiary shrines to the Kumano Grand Shrines that line the Kumano Kodo to protect and guide pilgrims. The Oji lead to the coast and Fudaraku Sanji Temple. From here, climb to the Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine, Seigantoji Temple, and the stunning Nachi-no-taki Waterfall. Spend the night in the Katsuura hot spring area.

Today, enjoy the expansive Kumano coastline as you drive the scenic route through a string of towns and villages － Taiji, Koza, Kushimoto, Shionomisaki, Shirahama. Stop for a delicious meal at one of the village's family-run inns. Spend the night in the Shirahama hot spring area.

After a final hearty Japanese breakfast and Onsen soak, prepare to depart. Return to Kyoto by bus and train and stay the night in Kyoto.