1-Day Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage by Car with Licensed Guide

Overview

This private one-day excursion is designed for travellers wishing to discover the highlights of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, a thousand-year-old network of trails connecting historic shrines and temples across the mountains and rivers of the Kii Peninsula. The Kumano region, sacred since prehistoric times, is home to the three major shrines of Kumano Sanzan. Each of these sites is dedicated to one of the local mountains and revered as one of the three deities of Kumano, influenced by Buddhism. Accompanied by a licensed local English-speaking guide and driver, you will benefit from a customisable itinerary. You may choose to visit 3 to 4 sites from the suggested list to admire the region's sacred landscapes. Transport is provided in a private vehicle depending on the chosen option: a standard car for 2 people or a van for 7 people. The departure and pick-up point is Shingu Port.

Itinerary

1. Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Michi-no-Eki

   Kumano Kodo (熊野古道, Kumano Kodō) refers to a network of pilgrimage trails through the southern Kansai region. The Kodo ("old ways") are a key part of the region's UNESCO designation, and have been in use for over 1000 years. They are the only pilgrimage routes besides the Camino de Santiago to be designated a world heritage site. The pilgrimage routes developed as a way for people to move between the sacred areas on the Kii Peninsula. At the center of this religious area are the three Kumano shrines: Hongu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha and Nachi Taisha, collectively known as Kumano Sanzan. By the 12th century, the Kumano Sanzan were well known shrines in Japan, drawing pilgrims from Kyoto, Osaka and beyond. More than just a means to reach the three shrines, the pilgrimage trails were designed to be a religious experience in themselves and often pass through difficult, even dangerous, mountain terrain.

   · 30 min

2. Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine

   Kumano Hongu Taisha (熊野本宮大社, Kumano Hongū Taisha) is one of the Kumano region's three famous shrines. As well as enshrining its own deity, Hongu Taisha also enshrines the deities of the other two Kumano shrines, Hayatama Taisha and Nachi Taisha, and the sun goddess Amaterasu. It serves as the head shrine of over 3000 Kumano shrines across Japan. Reference to Hongu Taisha was first documented in the 9th century, which the establishment of the shrine must have preceded substantially. Due to floods in 1889, the shrine was moved from its original location at Oyu no Hara to its present site one kilometer away. In front of Oyu no Hara stands the biggest torii gate in the world, which, at 33 meters tall, dwarfs visitors passing under it.

   · 30 min

3. Kumano Hongu Taisha Kyushachi Oyunohara

   This was the original site of Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, until a flood in 1889. Now, only two small stone shrines remain, guarded by the world's largest torii gate.

   · 30 min

4. Kumano Hayatama Taisha

   Kumano Hayatama Taisha (熊野速玉大社) is one of Kumano's three important shrines. It is located in Shingu City on the southeast coast of the Kii Peninsula. Together with the other two shrines, Hongu Taisha and Nachi Taisha, Hayatama Taisha holds an important place in Japanese mythology. While the buildings were rebuilt recently, Hayatama Taisha has occupied the same spot on the Kumano Riverbank since at least the 12th century. In addition, religious artifacts that date back to the 3rd century are evidence that the area has been a site of worship for much longer. In fact, a Shinto creation myth claims that three kami (Shinto deities) descended to earth on a rock not far from the shrine.

   · 30 min

5. Kumano Nachi Taisha

   Kumano Nachi Taisha (熊野那智大社) is one of the three Kumano shrines, situated a few kilometers inland from the coastal hot spring resort of Katsuura. The shrine is part of a large complex of neighboring religious sites that exemplify the fusion of Buddhist and Shinto influences that is particular to the Kumano region. The site also boasts the tallest waterfall in Japan. The veneration of the Kumano shrines as holy sites of Shintoism predates Buddhism's introduction to Japan in the mid 6th century. Once Buddhism arrived in Kumano it took root quickly, and rather than competing with the indigenous religion for religious authority, it began a long process of harmonious mixing.

   · 30 min

6. Nachi Mitaki Falls

   The Nachi Falls is the tallest waterfall in Japan as single uninterrupted drop of 133 meters, with a depth of 10 meters and one ton of water dropping down the cliff every second. The falls is counted as one of the Three Major Waterfalls in Japan and designated as the place of scenic beauty of Japan. The falls also forms a part of the "Sacred Site and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" UNESCO World Heritage Site.

   · 30 min

Pickup

Pickup or meet at the departure point.

Your driver pick you up at your hotel, the nearest station or your preferred location around Kumano Kodo.

Meeting point

What to know before you go

• Special needs child seats available.
• Assistance animals accepted.
• Public transport available nearby.
• Prams or pushchairs possible for babies and young children.
• Fully wheelchair accessible.
• Wheelchair accessible transport options available.
• Wheelchair access available.
• Suitable for all fitness levels.
• A limited number of car seats and booster seats are available, and rear-facing car seats are not provided; please contact the provider directly for requests.
• Confirmation is immediate upon booking.

Travelers

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation for a full refund at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure date.

• No refund possible for cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure.

Who is it for?

• Travellers with limited time to explore the region.
• People with reduced mobility thanks to adapted vehicles and access.
• Groups of 2 to 7 people seeking a private experience.
• English-speaking tourists wanting a licensed guide.

What makes it different

• Fully private tour with a licensed guide and driver.
• Flexible itinerary allowing the choice of 3 to 4 sites to visit.
• Pick-up service included from Shingu Port.

Frequently asked questions

Reviews

Product code: 92136P172

Activity offered by Japan Guide Agency via Viator.