The Kumano Kodo Iseji is the road that links two of the most important sacred places in Japan. On this journey you walk a selection of passes chosen as the highlights of one of the finest hiking routes in the country, connecting Ise Jingu with the Kumano Sanzan, the three grand shrines of Kumano. Each day’s walk is 7 km or less, over gentle elevation change.

Several routes make up the Kumano Kodo, and the Iseji is loved for three things: it is a coastal route where you enjoy both the sea and the mountains, it has the most beautiful stone-paved paths in Japan, and it carries the stories of the ordinary people of the Edo period who walked it with their prayers. A cool sea breeze makes it comfortable to walk from spring through autumn, and the mild climate means that even in midwinter you can walk the whole route without special equipment.

Your journey starts at Shin-Osaka Station, heads south to Ise Jingu, the most revered shrine in Japan, and finishes at Kumano Nachi Taisha, where the tallest single-drop waterfall in the country roars. Over seven days this spiritual journey winds through the fishing and mountain villages of the Kii Peninsula, offering glimpses of the legends, the history and the daily life of one of the most sacred regions of Japan. Alongside the daily hiking there is a rich programme of cultural experiences: a sacred kagura ritual, mandala picture-telling, a boat cruise on a clear river and a taste of deep local nightlife.

The comfort of a private vehicle, the knowledge of passionate local guides and the warmth of the people you meet along the way all add to the pleasure of this walking journey.

HIGHLIGHTS

• A visit to Ise Jingu, the highest-ranking shrine in Japan, dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, ancestor of the imperial family and guardian deity of the Japanese people, and still the spiritual home of the nation
• Walking the chosen highlights of the pilgrimage route, including the beautiful stone-paved passes of Magose-toge and Matsumoto-toge and the vast terraced rice fields of Maruyama Senmaida
• Comfortable travel by private vehicle between the walks, so that you can enjoy the hiking without stress

Day 01

The Gateway to Sacred Traditions: Ise Jingu

The journey begins at Shin-Osaka Station and heads for Ise Jingu, the highest-ranking shrine in Japan, with a history of 2,000 years. Stroll the lively traditional streets of Oharai-machi and Okage-yokocho, and after lunch enter the Inner Shrine (Naiku). At this sanctuary, dedicated to the supreme deity Amaterasu Omikami, ancestor of the imperial family and guardian deity of the Japanese people, you will watch a kagura dance offered to the accompaniment of gagaku court music. After your visit there is free time to enjoy local crafts and street food before you check in for the night.

Accommodation: Sennomori
Meals: Lunch & dinner provided.
Distance: NA
Elevation gain: NA
Duration: NA

Day 02

Nisaka-toge Pass and the Tales of a Fishing Town

A hike of about 2.5 hours over Nisaka-toge Pass, known as the gateway to the sacred province. Tracing the footsteps of the travellers and monks who walked here 300 years ago, you will enjoy beautiful views over the Kumano Sea and the islands of Nagashima Bay. After a local lunch, the day continues in a traditional fishing village by the sea, where a walking tour led by a resident introduces you to a life lived with the ocean, and to its folklore.

Accommodation: Fairfield by Marriott Okuise Odai (Odai Town)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Distance: 6.4 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation gain: 241 m (790 ft)
Duration: 2.5 hours

Day 03

Magose-toge: The Most Beautiful Stone Path of the Kumano Kodo

Today you walk Magose-toge, said to be one of the most beautiful sections of the entire pilgrimage route. With your guide you spend about three hours on some 5.2 km of magnificent stone paving, polished to a black sheen. Those who wish can climb the nearby peak of Tengura-san (30 minutes each way from the pass) for a sweeping view of the Pacific, and your guide will tell you the legends of the mountain ascetics who trained here. Afterwards you will experience a prayer drum ritual performed by the priest of a historic shrine. In the evening, a kaiseki dinner at a quiet inn by the sea.

Accommodation: Owase Seaside View (Owase)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Distance: 5.2 km (3.3 miles)
Elevation gain: 413 m (1,354 ft)
Duration: 3 hours

Day 04

The Sea Cliffs of Onigajo and the Sacred Rock of Hana-no-Iwaya

A day of extraordinary coastal scenery and faith, walking Matsumoto-toge. Climbing the stone-paved path through a bamboo grove, you are met by a life-size Jizo statue. Beyond the pass the path opens onto the beach below, and on to the cliff walkway of Onigajo. This corridor of rock, carved by the waves of the Pacific, is the stage of a legend in which pirates, feared as demons who plundered the Kumano coast, were finally defeated. After lunch, visit Hana-no-Iwaya, the burial place of Izanami-no-Mikoto, mother of the gods who created Japan, where a rock 45 metres high is worshipped as the deity itself. The day ends in Mihama, a district famous for its mikan oranges, with a tasting of different mikan juices.

Accommodation: Fairfield by Marriott Mihama
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Distance: 4.1 km (2.6 miles)
Elevation gain: 135 m (442.9 ft)
Duration: 2 hours

Day 05

The Terraced Miracle of Maruyama Senmaida and the Great Torii of Oyunohara

The morning is spent at Maruyama Senmaida, walking a valley of breathtaking beauty where more than a thousand terraced rice paddies rise in layer upon layer. Afterwards you continue to Kumano Hongu Taisha, the head shrine of the Kumano Sanzan. After paying your respects at its magnificent wooden hall, look up at the largest torii gate in Japan at Oyunohara, the original site of the shrine. The evening is free to enjoy local flavours at a restaurant in town.

Accommodation: Fairfield by Marriott Mihama
Meals: Lunch & dinner provided.
Distance: 5 km (3.1 miles)
Elevation gain: 265 m (869.4 ft)
Duration: 2.5 hours

Day 06

A Pilgrim’s Cruise on the Kumano River and a Night in Shingu

A day of legend, climbing and river travel in the historic town of Shingu. It begins with etoki, in which a nun tells the world of the pilgrims through a mandala painting, just as in the Edo period. At Kamikura Shrine, a World Heritage site, you climb 538 stone steps to Gotobiki-iwa, a huge rock looking out over the sea. In the afternoon you travel gently down the Kumano River aboard a traditional wooden boat, and visit Kumano Hayatama Taisha, the second of the three grand shrines. In the evening, experience the deep night life of Shingu at a snack bar run by two sisters who were once geisha, full of karaoke and laughter.

Accommodation: Shingu New Palace
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Distance: NA
Elevation gain: NA
Duration: NA

Day 07

Where Gods and Buddhas Meet: The Great Falls of Nachi

Climbing the stone-paved Daimonzaka, lined with cedars 200 to 300 years old, the journey reaches its climax. You arrive at the sacred ground where Kumano Nachi Taisha and Seiganto-ji temple stand side by side, a place where Shinto and Buddhism have long been worshipped together. The highlight is the vermilion three-storey pagoda set against Nachi Falls, which at 133 metres has the greatest drop in Japan. After a celebratory lunch marking the end of your pilgrimage, a private vehicle returns you to Shin-Osaka, where the journey comes to a close.

Meals: Breakfast & lunch provided.
Distance: 2.5 km (1.6 miles)
Elevation gain: 350 m (1,142.3 ft)
Duration: 2 hours

7 Days Highlight Walk Kumano Kodo Iseji Route

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