Walk Japan - Kumano Kodo Trail

Our tour starts today in Tokyo, Japan's ultra-modern capital. A sprawling metropolis, Tokyo is one of the world's most populous cities and a dazzling blend of traditional culture and all things new. For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6.30pm for a welcome meeting. If some of the group are arriving on later flights, the main introductory briefing will take place on the morning of Day 2 with everybody present. After the welcome meeting, we'll head out to dinner (included) at a nearby local restaurant where you'll have the chance to sample various types of 'izakaya' style Japanese cuisine. There are no other activities planned today. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) or Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT). The city centre is around an hour away from Haneda Airport and one hour and 30 minutes from Narita. For your arrival transfer, you'll be met in the arrivals hall at Tokyo Airport. Please look out for your name on a signboard and/or an Explore signboard. You'll be transferred to the start hotel by public shuttle bus, which may stop at up to two other hotels, before dropping you at the joining hotel where you'll meet the rest of the group. Please note, while our itinerary gives us one full day in Japan's capital, there's a lot to pack in. If you really want to get to grips with Tokyo's sites, we recommend adding additional nights to your trip pre-tour. Japanese hotels have strict rules regarding check in and all customers are required to wait until 3 PM for room access. You will be able to store your luggage while waiting but if you require an early check in, then you should request this at the time of booking. We do not guarantee this will be possible and depending on availability an extra fee will be charged.

This morning, we'll head out to explore this thriving metropolis on a walking tour that will take in some of the residential and more traditional neighbourhoods of the city - Nippori, Yanesen and Nezu, for a glimpse of life in Tokyo far away from the neon lights of the business district. We'll end up in Ueno with time spare to explore the market and pick up some lunch. The afternoon is left free to explore further. You'll be provided with an IC transport card which gives you unlimited travel on public transport around the city. Possible destinations include the Meiji Shrine and Shinjuku area, where the latest electronic gadgets dazzle from glowing shopfronts, or a boat ride along the Sumida River for a more relaxing experience. Today's walking tour will cover approximately 8 kilometres/5 miles and will take around four hours.

We'll depart from Shinjuku train station (reputedly the world's busiest) on a scenic journey through the Japanese Alps to Matsumoto this morning. Flanked on each side by mountains, Matsumoto is best known for its 500-year-old castle - the oldest castle in Japan. Known as 'Crow Castle' due to its black, sombre appearance, it has retained its original wooden interior. The fascinating design includes a moon-viewing pavilion, a hidden floor for the castle's protecting samurai and various booby traps to aid its defence. After exploring the castle and its grounds, we'll have time to stroll through the town's historic quarter. For art lovers, there's also the option to visit the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, which includes collections from local Yayoi Kusama. To make today's journey by train easier, we'll make use of Japan's excellent luggage forwarding services and send our main luggage to Kyoto. You'll need to pack your overnight things in your daypack.

We'll have an early start this morning as we catch a train to Nakatsugawa. From here, it's a journey of around 30 minutes by public bus to Magome in the tranquil Kiso Valley, running alongside the Central Alps. We'll hike from here along a section of the Nakasendo Way, a historical trail that connected Kyoto to Edo (now modern-day Tokyo). The Nakasendo's origins date back to the Edo Period (1603-1868) when the Japanese Shogun created a comprehensive communications network of roads to help stabilise and rule the country. Towns like Magome and Tsumago, which we'll also pass through on the hike, were post towns, providing accommodation and supplies for travellers on the route, an eclectic mix of soldiers, merchants, and monks among them. These towns have been lovingly preserved to retain their Edo-period details and the streets are lined with traditional wooden buildings. Our hike today takes us on a mainly stone-paved, undulating path through beautiful countryside and small hamlets to Nagiso. We'll catch an express train from Nagiso to Nagoya, then change to the super-fast shinkansen (a.k.a. the bullet train) that speeds us on to our base for the next three nights, the one-time historic capital of Japan - Kyoto. Today's 12-kilometre/7.5-mile walk is expected to take around four hours and 30 minutes with a total ascent of 450 metres/1,476 feet and descent of 610 metres/2,001 feet.

At the heart of Japanese culture and influence for over 1,000 years, Kyoto was the epicentre of events that shaped the history of Japan. One of the only major cities to survive the extensive bombing of WWII, the Imperial city boasts more than 2,000 temples and shrines, many set in landscaped gardens, making this captivating city the cradle of all things uniquely Japanese. Today, we'll head to the north of the city to spend a full day walking and sightseeing in the Higashiyama District along the lower slopes of Kyoto's eastern mountains. This is one of the city's best-preserved historic districts. Walking among the narrow lanes, wooden buildings, and traditional merchant shops, we can catch a glimpse of what the old capital city must have been like. In the morning, we'll follow the Philosophers Path, along a cherry tree-lined canal, stopping to visit some of the city's most important temples including the Silver Pavilion and the Eikando and Nanzenji temples. The route is named after the influential 20th-century philosopher Nishida Kitaro who walked here in his daily meditation. In the afternoon, we'll continue to the Heian Shrine, a reconstruction of part of the Imperial Palace as it would have looked 1,200 years ago. The shrine is known for its beautiful traditional Japanese garden which contains multiple ponds in which tortoises, egrets, koi carp and other wildlife can be spotted. From here, we'll pass through the cobbled streets to Kodaiji where you can see a perfectly groomed towering bamboo grove, a Zen rock garden, and a pair of historic tea houses. Today's 12-kilometre/7.5-mile walking tour is expected to take around seven hours including time spent sightseeing.

We'll spend today in Japan's first capital Nara, travelling there by train (in around 50 minutes) and exploring on foot. Perhaps one of Japan's friendliest and greenest cities, Nara sits on the edge of a sprawling park that provides a picture-perfect backdrop for the city's magnificent temples and shrines. Nara is known for the 1,200 deer that roam free in the streets and parks. Believed to be messengers of the gods, the deer are protected by city law. We'll take in the best of the town's sights including the world's largest Bronze Buddha at the magnificent Todaiji temple and the shrine of Kasuga Taisha before returning to Kyoto for the night. Today's 10 to 12 kilometre/6.2 to 7.5-mile walking tour is expected to take around six to seven hours including time spent sightseeing.

Today, we'll head into rural Japan and the mountains of the Kii Peninsula, much of which is covered by dense rainforest. Travelling first by train and then by bus, we'll arrive at the small village of Takijiri-Oji, the starting point for our hike on the Kumano Kodo. Kumano Kodo is the name given to a network of pilgrimage routes that connect three great Buddhist shrines: Hongu Taisha, Nachi Taisha, and Hayatama Taisha - known collectively as the Kumano Sanzan. Emanating from these three shrines, various pilgrimage trails trace their way through dense forest and across high mountain passes and stunning valleys, linking the various sacred sites of the area. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2004, the Kumano Kodo remain in use as pilgrimage routes to this day. Our hike this afternoon takes us through an ancient forest filled with giant camphor trees and sacred caves to Takahara, a ridge-top settlement at around 300 metres/984 feet known locally as 'Kiri-no-Sato' (village in the mist) thanks to the blankets of mist that create a sea of clouds over the valleys below. After the walk, it's a short drive to our base for the next three nights in Tanabe, a hot spring town located along a river. The Yunomineso is a ryokan where we'll stay in Japanese-style rooms (twin-share or single rooms). The futon beds are rolled out each night on the traditional tatami mat (woven soft igusa straw) flooring. Generally, the rooms are simply decorated with a low table to sit around, a scroll or picture in an alcove and a Japanese tea set. Shoes are taken off in the entranceway to the room. All of the rooms have an en-suite toilet and washbasin. In true Japanese style, bathing is in traditional same-sex communal baths or onsen that are used after washing yourself by hand-held shower in the same communal area. Two private baths can be used if available but cannot be pre-booked. We'll include luggage forwarding today to ship our main luggage to Tanabe. Our bags won't arrive until tomorrow, so you'll need to pack your overnight things in your daypack for the first night in Tanabe. Today's 5 kilometre/3 mile walk is expected to take around two-and-a-half hours with a total ascent of 430 metres and descent of 200 metres.

This morning, we'll return to Takahara by minibus. We have a longer hike ahead of us to Chikatsuyu, a route that takes us past the ruins of the Uwada-jaya Teahouse and across the Hashiori-toge Pass, with its iconic Gyubadoji statue of one of the first pilgrim emperors. We'll be treated to stunning views of the surrounding countryside from various points along the way and enjoy an included lunch at a rest station en route. Today's 10-kilometre/6.2-mile walk is expected to take around six hours with a total ascent of 590 metres/1,936 feet and descent of 640 metres/2,100 feet.

Today's hike takes us over the mountains from Hosshinmon to the Hongu Taisha, at the very heart of the Kumano Kodo and the region's most important shrine, serving as the head shrine for over 3,000 Kumano shrines across Japan. It's also known for its huge torii gate, the largest in Japan, dwarfing the pilgrims passing under it. After completing today's hike, we'll have the chance to pay a visit to the Hongu World Heritage Centre next to the shrine, an information centre for all things Kumano related which also houses an exhibition on the area. Returning to Kawayu Onsen by bus, we'll have a final chance for a rejuvenating dip in the hot spring waters this evening. Today's 7-kilometre/4.4-mile walk is expected to take around three hours and 30 minutes with a total ascent of approximately 600 metres/1,969 feet and descent of 950 metres/3,117 feet. Please note, it's possible to take a public bus for part of today's route if you'd like to shorten the length of the walk.

We'll take a break from walking today and start the day with a leisurely boat trip along the Kumano River to Hatayama Taisha, the second of the three great Kumano shrines. This is how pilgrims traditionally approached the shrine, which is located near the river mouth. The nature in and around the shrine is an integral part of this grand shrine's precincts and annual rituals. We'll have time to explore here before continuing a short distance by train to our destination for the night, the coastal town of Kii-Katsuura. Once a quiet fishing port, the town's fortunes changed when an abundance of hot springs were discovered here. Kii-Katsuura's other attraction is the early-morning fish market, which you might like to visit tomorrow. Again, our main luggage will be forwarded, this time to Osaka and we'll travel with our day bags today and you'll need to pack your things for an overnight stay.

This morning, we'll take a bus to Daimonzaka Chushajo, from where it's around a one-hour walk to the Kumano Nachi Taisha, the last of the Kumano Kodo's three great shrines. This walk takes you part of the way along the Daimonzaka, an impressive 600 metre/1,969 feet cobbled stairway with a total of 267 stairs, lined with towering Japanese cedar and bamboo groves. Nachi Taisha, the culmination of today's walk, boasts a magnificent red pagoda and stands against the striking backdrop of Nachi-no-Otaki, Japan's tallest waterfall. We'll take some time to marvel at this amazing sight before taking the bus back to Kii-Katsuura Station. At the station, we'll hop on the train for a four-hour journey to our final destination, Osaka - Japan's second city. The food capital of Japan, Osaka is one of the best places to get a taste of local cuisine - whether it's octopus balls from a street-side stand, okonomiyaki savoury pancakes (a regional speciality), or some of the best sushi in the world. Today's 3-kilometre/1.9-mile walk is expected to take around one hour with a total ascent of 50 metres/164 feet and descent of 200 metres/656 feet. Please note, our itinerary allows for limited time in Osaka, if you'd like to explore more of the city, we recommend adding additional nights to your trip.

The trip ends after breakfast this morning at our hotel in Osaka. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Osaka at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from either Kansai International Airport (KIX) which is approximately one hour by train or Osaka International Airport (ITM) which takes around an hour by shuttle bus. The transfer will be unescorted and on public transport (metro and train or airport limousine shared shuttle bus) - your tour leader will give you your tickets and all of the information you need. If you have time to spend here, Osaka has all the galleries and museums you'd expect of a large city including the unusual Instant Ramen Museum where visitors can have a go at creating their own cup noodles! It's also worth taking a walk around the Namba area, one of Osaka's most vibrant and interesting districts where kilometres of covered arcades, crisscrossed by canals and rivers, open up to back streets filled with history and small shops.