Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle | 8 hours

9 Reviews | Wakayama Prefecture
From $758.42 per group Lowest Price Guarantee
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You can select up to 7 travelers in total.
Traveler (0-120) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 7
2
Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Van (for 7 PAX or less)
2 Adults x $827.58
$1,655.16
Approx Total
$1,655.16
Van (for 7 PAX or less): *Not including your guide
Pickup included
Regular(for 2 PAX or less)
2 Adults x $720.48
$1,440.96
Approx Total
$1,440.96
Regular(for 2 PAX or less): *Not including your guide
Pickup included

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Private vehicle
  • Customizable Walking Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list'
  • Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
  • Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
  • You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
  • Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Overview

This is the ideal pick for time-tight travelers wanting to discover lots of Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage highlights in a day. An ancient network of pilgrim trails dating back more than 1000 years connecting historic shrines and temples running through the river and deep mountains..all set to the backdrop of Kii Peninsula. The Kumano area has been considered a sacred site since prehistoric times. There are three major shrines in Kumano. Together, they are known as the Kumano Sanzan; each enshrines one of the area’s mountains, and under the influence of Buddhism came to be worshipped as the three deities of Kumano. Your guide and driver will fully support your Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage tour. We assure you will spend plenty of time with sacred breathtaking views. Note*: Tour details has a possibility of change depending on the traffic conditions. Please feel free to ask us if you have any special request for your itinerary. We will do our best to meet your request.

Pickup points

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Pickup details

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

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Meeting points

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End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

  • 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 minutes

  • 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 minutes

  • 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 minutes

  • 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 minutes

  • 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 minutes

  • 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 minutes

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • There are only a limited number of car seats and booster seats. Rear-facing car seats are not available. You must contact us directly if you need them.

Free Cancellation

February 06100% refund
February 07No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

5.0

9 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    9
  • 4 stars
    0
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 9 reviews with 5 stars

Tour was great, the guide was even better

Published on Sep, 2024

The experience was great. Our guide Kiyoko contacted us early and we worked out a tour based on our pickup point, what we wanted to see and her recommendations. We did about four iterations and she put a lot of thought and effort into each one. We saw all the main temples and Nachi Falls. Kiyoko recommended a walk along the traditional trail and that was an excellent suggestion. The walk gave you a feel for what the experience would be if you did the entire thing (but without some of the more difficult parts). Kiyoko is also very knowledgeable about the places visited and her English is good, We settled on taking a train back to Tanabe to make the most of our time and Kiyoko scouted out several places to eat after our tour that were close to the train station. Once we picked one, she set up the reservations, translated their whiteboard menu to English so we could pick our meal in advance due to the tight train schedule. On the day of the tour, our selected foods were waiting for us in a private room when we arrived. Overall very very happy with our guide and the whole experience. The amount of work she put in made us feel special.

Amazing day trip!

Published on Jun, 2024

Excellent in every way. Our driver braved a storm as we went to our destinations and our guide, Yuka, was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and wonderful. A great choice for anyone looking to see a lot in a limited time.

Great tour experience of Kumano Kodo

Published on Jun, 2024

We had an awesome experience at the various spots of the Kumano Kodo! Guide Yuka planned the day itinerary and the timings were great giving us time to explore as well as understanding the history and stories of the various shrines. for those who want to cover as many spots at Kumano Kodo, this guided tour with private car is highly recommended!

Great experience in Kumano

Published on Mar, 2024

We did our tour with Hira. Hira did a great amount of preparation in advance and provided us with detailed plans in advance. We really appreciated his responsiveness and planning here. During the trip, he was very kind and attentive. We really enjoyed our time in Kumano.

Great views

Published on Feb, 2024

Great day trip to see the area. Beautiful nature and structures on this tour. The guide was so sweet. Took care of us. We went to Nachi falls among other temples and shrines. Yuki Took us to lunch at a tasty place. Although it was pouring, we still saw amazing things.

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