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Kumano Kodo

Kumano Kodo

A UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage through the sacred mountain forests of Japan's Kii Peninsula, where ancient trails connect three grand Shinto shrines that have drawn emperors, monks and wanderers for more than a thousand years.


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Overview

The Kumano Kodo is a network of ancient pilgrimage routes threading through the mountains of the Kii Peninsula, passing three grand Shinto shrines collectively known as the Kumano Sanzan. One of only two UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage routes in the world, alongside the Camino de Santiago, it has been walked by everyone from peasants to emperors for over a millennium. Our route, the Nakahechi, winds through forested hills and quiet villages before descending to the great shrine at Hongu. Evenings are spent in traditional inns, soaking in onsen hot springs after a day on the trail.

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The Kumano Kodo Experience

Wonder
Stroll along the 1200-year-old UNESCO-listed pilgrimage through Kumano’s sacred mountains and forests
Marvel at Hongu Taisha and Nachi Taisha, grand shrines on the Nakahechi
Arrive beneath Seiganto-ji Temple and sacred Nachi waterfall, Japan’s tallest.
Wellness
Forest bathe as you walk soaking up the positive energy of this ancient pilgrimage
Stay in family-run minshuku and ryokan, savouring traditional multi-course dinners and take a riverside onsen dip
Choose shorter or longer stages to match your energy and pace taking the time to breath and benefit from this ancient pilgrimage
Nature
Walk beneath the distinctive Japanese forest canopy past Oji shrines and rivers
Cross the sacred Kii Mountains beside cascading streams and thick green forest
Take in Hyakken-gura views across Kumano’s remarkable sweep of 3600 peaks

What you'll eat


Kaiseki
Multi-course dinners that unfold slowly, course by course, after long walking days
Home-cooked suppers
Regional cooking served by your hosts, intimate and deeply tied to place
Mountain dishes
Mushrooms, miso broth, sesame-dressed beef and rustic mountain flavours appear inland

Where you'll stay


Ryokan
Tatami rooms, shoji screens and futons make the evenings feel distinctly Japanese
Minshuku
Family-run guesthouses with shared spaces and a more intimate, home-like rhythm
Onsen stays
Some lodgings have in-house baths, perfect for easing tired legs quietly

How you'll travel


Mountain buses
Short public bus rides link trailheads and villages through the Kii hills
Coastal trains
The rail journey from Osaka follows the coast with sea views en route
Pilgrim footpaths
Most travel is still by foot, through forest, shrines, valleys and old mura or hamlets

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