Mt. Koya is a sacred site for Buddhism which was founded in India and brought to Japan in the 6th Century. Kumano is a sacred site for Shintoism which is rooted in the nature worship in Japan. And Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes connect these sacred sites. On this tour, we will visit Mt. Koya(Danjo Garan, Honzan, Okuno-in) and Kumano (Hongu, Hayatama and Nachi Grand Shrines, and Nachi Waterfalls), and we will walk on Kumano Kodo Daimon-zaka Pilgrimage Route.
JR Wakayama station
Everybody stays in a temple in Mt. Koya
Tuna is very special in this area
JR Wakayama station
On the first day, I will meet you at your hotel in Downtown Osaka or Wakayama around 9: 00am.Then, we will move to Koyasan by train. We will visit Danjo Garan Temple Complex where Kukai, the founder of Koyasan tried to express the world of Mandala by arranging temples and halls on the ground, Kongobuji Honzan which is the headquarters of the 3,000 Shingo Buddhism temples around the world and Okuno-in Inner Sanctuary where Kukai continue meditating surrounded by 400,000 grave stones. Feel sacredness and holiness of Koyasan.
You will stay in Shukubo Temple. Koyasan vegetarian food will be served for dinner at Shukubo Temples.
On the morning of the second day, you will take part in a Buddhism fire service and/or ritual at your shukubo. After Koyasan vegetarian breakfast, we will move to Kumano by bus.
After arriving at Kumano Hongu, will visit Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine and its former site Oyunohara. Then, we will move to Kumano Shingu. We will stay overnight in Shingu on this day.
On the third day, we visit Kumano Hayatama Grand Shrine and/or Kamikura Shrine before moving to Kumano Nachi. Please be noted that we will walk on 538 irregular stone-step stairs to Kamikura Shrine. After arriving at Kumano Nachi, we will walk on the Kumano Kodo Daimonzaka.The Daimon-zaka is a short (600m long and 267 steps) but scenic cobblestone staircase that runs from the valley bottom, to the Nachisan Shrine-Temple complex.
And we will walk on another 467 steps approach to Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine and Nachisan Seigantoji Temple. Then, we will visit Nachi Waterfalls. The Waterfalls itself is a manifestation of a Shintoism deity.
We will take a train to Osaka, we will be back in Osaka around 8:00pm
Kumano is located in Wakayama Prefecture, I used to work for Wakayama Prefectural Government as director of Cultural Heritage Management Division, and I was in charge of the Kumano World Heritage Project.
I have a lot of knowledge and information on Kumano. I know why and how Kumano had become so sacred and why Kumano and pilgrimage to Kumano have been so popular. You can learn a lot about Kumano on the spot.
guiding fee
Insurance,
Accommodation (you and guide) ; price varies depending on the day of stay and booking. Ask for details.
Lunch, dinner (you and guide),
Entrance fee (you and guide) approx JPY1,500 per person
Tranportation cost
Only available April 1 - November 30 Ask for availability BEFORE booking
Tours are NOT covered by insurance. Make sure to be covered by your own insurance.
Entrance fees, lunch, dinner and accomodations (YOU and GUIDE) are NOT included in the guide fee.(shukubo temples are available in Koyasan and hotels with hot springs are available at Katsuura, ask for details)
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
ONLY available April 1- November 30
Ask for availability BEFORE booking
Hiro was a fantastic tour guide, showing us all the sites of Osaka. He was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with all of our questions. We cannot say enough good things about our experience with him. Thank you!
Thank you very much for your kind words. I hope you had a good time in Osaka yesterday. By the way, how is your knee? Are you okay? Have you heard that JR had made a cancellation announcement? I hope that everything will go well with you.
Hiroyuki was a superb guide! We had already spent 2 weeks in the Kansai region, but our day with Hiro on Mt Koya was certainly one of the highlights, due to the detail of his plans and knowledge. Calm and easy to chat to, Hiro provided us with many insights into Japanese culture, beyond the fascinating insights into Kukai, esoteric Buddhism and Koya San. He patiently answered our many questions and gave us some very useful tips for our trip to Nachi the following day! We had an amazing lunch in a restaurant recommended by him and it was fascinating to learn so much about many varied topics. We will always remember this amazing experience and would highly recommend him as a guide! Thanks again, Hiro!
He was very attentive to what the kids might loke and he took them to all the right places!!! Thank you for a memorable day!
Thank you very much for your kind message. I am glad kids liked the tour. See you later for Nara tour.
Hiro was the most gracious guide/host for our family. He is incredibly kind and thoughtful of our time. He made sure we knew how to navigate through the crowds and find the the best spots for photos. He is well educated and easy to understand and does a lot to make sure we have a good grasp of the history. Hiro is a must guide to have!
Thank you very much for your kind message and pictures. It was really nice visiting Nara and Osaka Castle with you and your wonderful family yesterday. It was very hot and a little hurry, but we had a wonderful day, didn't we? It's sometimes very difficult to do a tour with teenagers. But your family was different. You were all smiling all the time. There's a saying in Japan, "fortune goes to a smiling family". May fortune goes to you. Have a safe trip, bon voyage!