KU-1 Two-Day Excursion “Sacred Paths of Kumano” (from Osaka)

Price per person: On request

English-speaking guide

Start time: 9:00

Duration: 7–8 hours per day

Transfer time from Osaka: approx. 3–3.5 hours

Day 1 – Kumano Nachi Taisha, Nachi Waterfalls & Kii-Katsuura Coast

• Visit Kumano Nachi Taisha, beautifully set among the mountains.
• See Nachi Falls, Japan’s tallest waterfall, together with its upper sections Ninotaki and Sannotaki - designated national treasures and an iconic landscape of breathtaking beauty.
• (Optional) Try on a traditional court noble costume for a unique and memorable experience (additional fee: ¥3,500 / USD 35 per person).
• Explore Kumano Hayatama Taisha, a sacred shrine site since the 12th century, central to Japanese mythology alongside the other two Kumano Grand Shrines.
• Explore the sacred rock where the gods are said to have descended and admire the venerable 800-year-old tree that still stands within the shrine grounds.
• Stay overnight at a seaside hot spring hotel in Kii-Katsuura (accommodation not included in tour price).
• Dinner and hot spring bath available at the hotel (extra charge).

Day 2 – Oyunohara, Kumano Hongu Taisha & Pilgrimage Walk

• Travel along the scenic mountain road following the Kumano River.
• See the imposing Oyunohara Gate, once the entrance to the original shrine grounds. Standing 33 meters tall and 42 meters wide, it rises dramatically among rice fields, marking the threshold between the sacred and the everyday.
• Walk part of the Sacred Kumano Kodo trail (approx. 2 km, about 40 minutes) leading to the shrine.
• Visit Kumano Hongu Taisha, considered the head shrine among the 3,000 Kumano shrines across Japan, built by Emperor Sujin-tenno for the deity Susanoo.
• Hear the legend of the three-legged crow Yata-garasu, symbol of the sun and guide on the sacred path.

Important Notes

• Your guide will meet you at the lobby of your Osaka hotel and accompany you back at the end of the excursion (surcharge applies for hotels outside Osaka) or to Shin-Osaka Station.
• Accommodation is not included in the tour price. Hotels for both guests and the guide are booked separately.
• On Day 2, lunch will be a light meal or packed lunch en route.
• The tour involves extended walking; comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended.
• Optional extension: transfer to Mount Koya (2–3 hours) for an overnight stay at a Koyasan monastery, followed by the excursion “Sacred Secrets of Koyasan and Kongobuji Temple.”
• Children’s discounts: Ages 0–5 free; ages 6–11 receive a discount of ¥600 / USD 6 on private transport plans.