Visit mountaintop villages, soothing hot springs and Japanese temples along the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kumano Kodo during this 3- or 4-day self-guided tour. Part of a series of old pilgrimage roads, the strenuous but well-maintained route originally connected the former imperial capital with three Grand Shrines of Kumano (Kumano Sanzan). Traveling round-trip by train to the Nakahechi portion of the route from either Kyoto or Osaka, you’ll journey on foot and by bus along village paths and forested mountain trails in the remote Kii Peninsula. Stay at family-run inns and guesthouses where you’ll enjoy traditional Japanese breakfasts and dinners.
