Overview
This is a fully guided, small group, walking holiday along highlights of two iconic, ancient trails: the Kumano Kodo and the Nakasendo. Over 11 days, you spend time in both Kyoto and Tokyo, exploring some of the highlights of both trails. These include pilgrimages to the Grand Shrines of the Kumano Kodo, and the bamboo forests and ancient post towns of the Nakasendo Trail. With accommodation in both hotels and traditional ryokans or minshukus, and expert insight throughout, this is as much a cultural as a natural immersion into Japan’s history. The maximum number of people for this trip is thirteen.
- Kyoto
- Tokyo
- Outdoor hot springs or onsens
- Fishing port of Kii-Katsuura
- Grand Shrines of Kumano
- Traditional boat ride on Kumano River
- Post towns of Villages of Magome, Tsumago and Narai
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kyoto
Meet with your guide and fellow tour participants at the hotel in central Kyoto. If you arrive early we recommend a visit to the following sights: Gnkakuji Temple, Kinkakuji Temple and the Gion District, or take a short train ride to Fushimi Inari and stroll through the bamboo forest. The day comes to a close with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
- Accommodation: Noku Hotel or similar in Kyoto
- Meals included: dinner
Day 2: Kyoto | 6.6km
Head to the Kiyotaki area with your guide, and explore the northern parts of Arashiyama, home to many temples and shrines. Visit Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, known for its 8,000 commemorative stone statues. The day continues with a visit to Arashiyama’s famous bamboo grove, with a beautiful end to the walk at Tenryu-ji Temple, where you can stroll around its gardens and prayer halls.
In the afternoon, return to Kyoto for lunch and a performance with a geisha or maiko (apprentice geisha) to learn about their rigorous training in traditional Japanese arts. End the day with a walking tour of the Gion district, known for its wooden machiya restaurants and tea houses where maiko and geisha perform traditional dances and music.
- Accommodation: Noku Hotel or similar in Kyoto
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch
- Walking for the day: 6.6km, 2.5h, ↑130m, ↓130m
Day 3: Kyoto – Takahara | 4.5km
With your guide, take the train from Kyoto (3h) to Tanabe on the Kii Peninsula, then travel by local bus from Kii-Tanabe station to Takijiri (40mins), where the Nakahechi Route of the Kumano Kodo begins. From Takijiri, the path climbs steadily to the ridge-top village of Takahara, your last stop for today. Spend the night in a traditional Japanese ryokan with hot spring baths and views over the mountains. Relax at Yunomine Onsen, one of the oldest hot springs in Japan, or Kawayu Onsen, famous for its thermal water bubbling to the surface of the crystal-clear river.
- Accommodation: Yunominesou or similar in Tanabe or Wakayama
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 4.5km, 2h, ↑ 370m ↓175m
Day 4: Yagyu Village – Wakayama | 7km
Take a 40mins walk to Kurisugawa where you take a local bus to Hosshinmon-oji and then descend to the Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, on the Kumano Kodo Trail. The symbol of the shrine is a three-legged crow, representing Hongu, Nachi and Hayatama Shrines. In mythology, the three-legged crow was sent to guide Emperor Jimmu on his journey from Kumano to the Yamato Plain, now named Nara Prefecture. After visiting the shrine, take a local bus back to Yunomine Onsen.
- Accommodation: Yunominesou or similar in Tanabe or Wakayama
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 7km, 3h, ↑120m, ↓360m
Day 5: Boat ride on the Kumano River and Nachi Grand Shrine | 4.3km
Today your luggage is sent ahead to meet you on day seven due to the rural location of this evening’s accommodation, so you need to carry overnight essentials in your daypack. Transfer by local bus to the Kumano River to take a trip on a traditional wooden boat to Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, as Imperial pilgrims once did. Afterwards, continue on to the Daimonzaka slope, a sacred approach which follows an ancient stone staircase leading to Nachi Falls, Japan’s largest vertical drop waterfall. As well as to Seiganto-ji Temple and finally Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine. Arrive at the port town of Kii-Katsuura with wonderful views over the island-studded bay.
- Accommodation: Hotel Urashima Resort & Spa or similar in Kii-Katsuura
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 4.3km, 2h, ↑232m, ↓202m
Day 6: Kii-Katsuura – Nakatsugawa | 6.5km
Take a train along the coast before heading inland to the Japanese Alps to begin walking the Nakasendo Trail in the Kiso Valley region. Along the way, we recommend trying an ekiben (train station bento box), a beloved tradition in Japan that offers a taste of local dishes whilst on the go. The guided walk takes you as far as the post town of Nakatsugawa in the early afternoon, so you have plenty of free time to explore once you arrive. You can also continue the walk along a paved portion of the Nakasendo Trail with traditional ishidatami paving stones, en route to the post town of Ochiai. Return to Nakatsugawa or nearby Magome, depending on your accommodation, for your overnight stay.
- Accommodation: Nakatsugawa Onsen Hotel Hanasarasa or similar in Nakatsugawa or Magome
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Walking for the day: 6.5km, 1.5h, ↑45m, ↓275m
Day 7: Magome – Kiso-Fukushima | 8.3km
Walk to Magome and explore the inns, residences and woodworkers’ shops that line its streets. Known as the birthplace of the Japanese author Shimazaki Toson, this post town offers a glimpse into traditional life. We recommend you try gohei mochi, skewered sticky rice covered in a sweet paste of miso, sesame and walnuts. Continue on to the Magome-toge Pass and, from here, descend through forests and bamboo groves to the post town of Tsumago. Take some time to explore the town on your own before walking a short distance to Nagiso to be collected by your hosts for the night at a local ryokan.
- Accommodation: Onyado Tsutaya or similar in Kiso-Fukushima
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 8.3km, 3h, ↑326m, ↓430m
Day 8: Kiso-Fukushima – Narai | 6.2km
Today your luggage is sent ahead to Tokyo due to the rural location of this evening’s accommodation, so you need to carry overnight essentials in your daypack. Take a shuttle bus to the regional hub of Kiso-Fukushima and explore the historic post town with your guide. See the remains of the Fukushima checkpoint, one of four checkpoints on the Nakasendo trail, and the fascinating Fukushima Seskisho Museum which contains original documents and other Edo-period artefacts. Travel by train to Yabuhara to begin the hike over the Torii-toge Pass to Narai. The Pass is linked to a local samurai who prayed here for victory in battle in the 15th century. After his success, he built Torii Gate and Ontake Shrine in gratitude to the mountain spirit. End the day in Narai, one of the most prosperous post towns on the trail.
- Accommodation: Oyado Iseya or similar in Narai
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 6.2km, 3h, ↑344m, ↓270m
Day 9: Matsumoto – Tokyo | 8km
Take a train to Matsumoto and visit Matsumoto Castle, known as the crow castle for its dark, imposing presence. Visit a traditional miso maker, a sixth-generation producer who creates small-batch artisanal miso, which is aged for three years to achieve a mellow smoothness. Take another train to Tokyo where you spend the last two nights of your tour.
- Accommodation: Shiba Park Hotel or similar in Tokyo
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch
- Walking for the day: 8km, 2h
Day 10: Explore Tokyo | 8km
Today, discover the two sides of Japan’s capital – old Edo and modern Tokyo. Accompanied by your guide, begin by exploring the traditional Hama-Rikyū Gardens, located on Tokyo Bay that were once popular duck-hunting grounds for local lords. Asakusa is home to Senso-ji Temple and the traditional shops and arcades of Nakamise-dori. Finally, transition into the modern era with a visit to Omotesando and Harajuku, home to contemporary fashion trends as well as pioneering architecture. Finish the day with a walk to the bright lights of Shibuya, and see the famed Shibuya Scramble square before a farewell dinner this evening.
- Accommodation: Shiba Park Hotel or similar in Tokyo
- Meals included: breakfast, dinner
- Walking for the day: 8km
Day 11: Depart from Tokyo
Departure after breakfast.
- Meals included: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
The following types of accommodation are used on this tour. Please note that, in Japan, it is common for accommodations to have twin rooms rather than double. If you prefer a double bed, we will happily request this at time of booking, however it can’t always be guaranteed.
- Hotels (Kyoto, Tokyo): modern, western-style hotels are used in Kyoto and Tokyo. The rooms are generally smaller than equivalent hotels in the west. All have en-suite facilities, air-conditioning and TV and most have fridges in rooms.
- Ryokans : ryokans are traditional Japanese-style inns. They may be in modern concrete or older wooden buildings, but the rooms are always in the Japanese style with tatami (straw) matting and futon bedding. At a ryokan, the futons are laid out for you in the evening. In a minshuku, you may need to arrange your own futon with the provided bedding. Dinners are served together, usually in the dining room, and are exquisitely prepared multi-course meals. Some ryokans have en-suite bathrooms, although older buildings generally offer shared facilities. Smaller inns offer normal baths used privately in turn by guests; larger inns offer communal spa-style baths, segregated by gender. Read more in our blog on Japanese baths.
Click to view example accommodations
- Noku Hotel (Kyoto)
- Yunominesou (Wakayama)
- Hotel Urashima Resort & Spa (Kii-Katsuura)
- Nakatsugawa Onsen Hotel Hanasarasa (Nakatsugawa)
- Onyado Tsutaya (Kiso-Fukushima)
- Oyado Iseya (Narai)
- Shiba Park Hotel (Tokyo)
In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days, as well as four lunches and eight dinners. Most meals are Japanese cuisine and vegetarian options are available but limited. Strict vegetarian diets, vegan diets, or gluten-free diets will be difficult to accommodate due to the pervasiveness of the fish-based stock dashi and the use of soy sauce and miso in Japanese cuisine.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is graded easy, with daily walking distances varying from 4-9km. The routes follow a mixture of paved roads and forest trails with some moderate ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades). You will walk mostly on hiking trails and paths. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain, whilst always following the directions of your guide.
When to go
This small group tour (4-13 people) can start on any of the pre-scheduled dates:
- 29 September 2026
- 26 March 2027
- 27 May 2027
- 27 September 2027
- 30 October 2027
- 08 November 2027
This trip needs a minimum of four people to operate. Therefore, if you are booking has fewer than four travellers, please note that confirmation is dependent on the group size coming up to at least four. The maximum number of people for this trip is thirteen.
Please note that travel during Golden Week or other public holidays may incur supplements of up to 20%. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Japan.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this tour is Kansai Airport (KIX) in Osaka and the recommend departure airport for this tour is Haneda Airport (HND) or Narita Airport (NRT) in Tokyo.
By train or bus
- There are regular trains from Kansai Airport to Osaka and Kyoto. For timetables and further information, visit Navitime or use the Omio planner above.
- For departure from Tokyo, there are regular trains to Haneda Airport and Narita Airport. For timetables and further information, visit Navitime or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- Qualified English-speaking local guide
- Accommodation for 10 nights
- 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 8 dinners
- All transportation between tour locations
- Entrance to temples, museums and other sights on the itinerary
- Traditional boat ride on the Kumano River
- Lunch with a geisha or apprentice geisha and accompanying performance
- Visit to a traditional miso-maker
- Luggage transfers (one item of luggage) on three occasions. From day three to four (from Kyoto to Nara), day five to seven (from Nara to Kiso-Fukushima) and day eight to nine (from Kiso-Fukushima to Tokyo)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare to and from Japan
- Airport transfers
- Drinks and meals not included or mentioned in itinerary
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included or mentioned in the itinerary
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers. At the Japanese inns on the tour, tatami-mat rooms are culturally less intimate spaces than western bedrooms and Japanese guests travelling with acquaintances are accustomed to sharing. We follow this Japanese custom and will ask our solo travellers to share a tatami-mat room with another group member of the same gender.
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