After your Japanese guide meets you at Nagoya station, you will travel by train and local bus to the Grand Shrine of Ise, the most important shrine in Japan. After enjoying lunch in the historic districts of Oharaimachi and Okage Yokocho that lead up to the shrine, you will visit the shrine itself, a solemn and sacred destination for pilgrims with more than 2,000 years of history. There, you can witness a kagura, a dance dedicated to the gods. Next, let’s get you checked into your accommodations for the night, one that dates back over 200 years. Here, you will have some time to learn more from your guide about the Iseji route, which is one of the many ancient traditional pilgrimage routes of the Kumano Kodo that weave through the sacred Kii Peninsula. For a special treat following the multi-course Japanese dinner, locals will teach you the Ise Ondo, perhaps the most famous folk song and dance in Japan, which generations of pilgrims returning home from Ise Shrine have called the easiest souvenir to carry.

After breakfast, we will drive to a picturesque shrine overlooking the sea in Futamigaura. Here, you can undergo a purification ritual in the sea, called a misogi, before embarking on your own Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, just as people did in the Edo period. Now you are ready for the first trail, Magose-toge Pass. This trail is breathtakingly beautiful, famous for its ancient moss-covered cobblestones and spectacular views. History, nature, and spirit share the walk through pristine forest with you on your way to the quaint fishing town of Owase. Here, there is a yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurant run by a local guide, so you can hear tales about the Kumano Kodo over a delicious and well-earned dinner.

Magose-toge Pass

Distance: 5.2 km (3.2 mi)
Time: 3 hr
Elevation Gain: 325 m (1066 ft)

On this day, an early breakfast greets you before your hike to the Yakiyama-toge Pass, which is considered to be the most challenging section of the Iseji route. The stunning view from the top, however, makes the climb well worth it. While you’re up here, replenish your energy with a bento lunch while you soak in the scenery. The beautiful green waters of Mikisato Beach await you after you have made your way down from the trail. You will find your hotel for the night within walking distance of Onigajo Cliff, a coastal cliff face like no other. You can enjoy a walk among the otherworldly natural architecture here in the evening or early morning.

Lunch （boxed meal)

Yakiyama-toge Pass

Distance: 13.5 km (8.4 mi)
Time: 5.5 to 7 hr
Elevation Gain: 705 m (2313 ft)

After hiking the beautiful Matsumoto-toge Pass, visit sacred sites in reverence to the spirits of nature. First, there is Hana no Iwaya Shrine, considered by some to be the oldest shrine in Japan. Here, encounter one overwhelming natural formation after the next, delighting every one of your senses. After lunch, we’ll head down the coast to Shingu and climb the 538 stone steps to Kamikura Shrine where spectacular views await. This sanctuary is where the deity enshrined at Hayatama-taisha Shrine is said to have descended. After a delicious dinner at a Japanese izakaya-style restaurant, experience what locals do for fun by heading to a Japanese snack bar in Shingu and meeting the sisters here who have long been active in the area as geisha.

Matsumoto-toge Pass

Distance: 6.7 km (4.2 mi)
Time: 2 to 3 hr
Elevation Gain: 150 m (492 ft)

A private vehicle will take you to Fudarakusanji Temple to listen to the fascinating stories of the monks’ attempts to reach a land of paradise they believed was to the south and hear about a mandala painting by a Buddhist nun. After that, the final trail of the Iseji route will take you to Nachi Falls. By now, your journey from Ise will have allowed you to immerse yourself in the rich and varied spiritual beliefs of this magical land. Perhaps you are now even able to clearly sense the presence of invisible beings. Take a step further into nature here to where the gods dwell. You can offer them your prayers at Nachi Falls, Seigantoji Temple and Nachi Taisha Shrine. This brings the Kumano Kodo Iseji to an end. Next, you will be transferring to a beautiful resort in Shirahama, where you can enjoy soaking in an onsen (natural hot spring)!

Day 5 Walking

Distance: 6.4 km (4 mi)
Time: 3.5 hr
Elevation Gain: 390 m (1280 ft)

Finally, it is the last day! Today you can make your way back to Osaka with your spirit full and many fond new memories of your adventure through Kumano!