Kumano is an important part of the World Heritage site “the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountains”. Kumano is in Wakayama Prefecture and I worked for Wakayama Prefectural Government as a general manager of Cultural Heritage Division and I was also in charge of the World Heritage Project. I know this sacred site very well.
At your hotel in Osaka
In this tour, we will make a pilgrimage on Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route Daimon-zaka to Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine, Nachi-san Seigantoji Temple and Nachi Waterfalls.
Shintoism, a religion unique to Japan, is rooted in nature worship. People feared and worshiped nature, which brings both blessings and calamities to them as gods and goddesses. The mountainous Kumano is full of natural wonders. Nachi waterfalls which is 133m high was a wonder for ancient people, people worshipped the waterfall itself as a goddess. As Shinto was organized, people built a shrine here. It is the origin of Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine.
We will take the 7:40am JR train from Osaka and arrives at 11:40am JR Kii Katsuura (Kumano).
This tour will be finished at JR Kii-katsuura station.
You will be able to explore Kumano more or you can go back to Osaka by the 18:04 train which arrives at Osaka at 22:02pm.
At your hotel or JR stations, or other places (ask for details)
guide fee, hotel pick up in Down Town Osaka
Insurance
Transportation approx JPY16,000 per person for round trip plus the same amount for guide
Lunch for guests and guide
Tours are NOT covered by insurance. Make sure to be covered by your own insurance.
Please be NOTED that the price does NOT include transportation cost for both clients and GUIDE.
Transportation fare; approx JPY16,000; JPY14,200 FOR GUIDE
Lunch and dinner are also NOT included in the guiding fee.
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
As this is a walking tour, comfortable shores are recommended. In this tour we will make a pilgrimage to Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine for 1.3km for 1 hour. The Daimon-zaka is a short (600m long and 267 steps) but scenic cobblestone staircase that runs from the valley bottom to the Nachisan Shrine-Temple complex. And we will walk on another 467 steps approach to Kumano Nachi Grand Shrine.
I am based in Wakayama and Osaka, but I will guide you around the country upon your requests. However, I will have to ask you to bear my transportation (and accommodation cost, if necessary).
Matt M.
Kyoto-WH-Golden Pavilion, Rock Garden and more - from Osaka
“Fantastic day around Kyoto with a great guide”
This was my and my wife's 3rd time in Kyoto, and we brought my 81 year old mother this time - it's her first time in Kyoto, first time in Japan, and first time anywhere in Asia. We did a full day tour with Hiroyuki and felt the pace of it was excellent. I learned so much about Kyoto I hadn't picked up on previous trips. He was extremely knowledgeable and informative. For instance, I asked him about the contrast between Buddhism and Shintoism and he delivered a full-blown history lesson with lots of fascinating detail about the history of those two religions in Japan. He's also just a very pleasant and easy gentleman to spend time with. If you're looking for a highly-experienced and pleasant guide, I can't recommend Hiroyuki enough.
Hiroyuki T.
(90 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind message. It was so nice spending time with such nice people like you. You were all very kind, gentle and eager to learn. It is always nice to spend time with people who show a lot of interest and respect to our culture. Please come back to Japan, I will be looking forward to meeting you again. Hiro
Soraya C.
Zen & Pure Land Gardens in Kyoto, Ryoanji, Kinkakuji & more
“Excellent tour of Kyoto”
We are a family from South Africa with 2 boys aged 13 and 10. We have just completed our tour with Hiroyuki. He was punctual, very professional , knowledgeable and flexible to our needs. We saw all the sites we wanted to and more including the Tori gates , Arashiyama, the market and we ended the tour with a Tea ceremony with a Meiko. He explained the significance and history of all the sites very well and was patient with the boys.Highly recommended
Hiroyuki T.
(90 reviews)It was really nice meeting such a wonderful family like you today in Kyoto. I hope that you enjoyed the history and culture of Kyoto. As I explained, Japan is very beautiful in autumn. Please come back to Japan in autumn next time. There are a lot more that I want to show you. Thank you very much and have a nice trip.
Sharon L.
Historic Monuments of Ancient Capital of Kyoto - from Osaka
“Great day in Kyoto!”
We had a great day trip going from Osaka to Kyoto on our 12-hour cruise stopover. Hiroyuki met us at Osaka port early in the morning, guided us through all the public transportation transfers, and showed us around Kyoto seamlessly on a very busy day in the city. I don’t know how we would’ve done this ourselves without his expertise. Thank you for a great time!
Hiroyuki T.
(90 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind words. It was really nice meeting you the other day at Kobe Port. It was a little hustle but it was really nice to see Kyoto with pink and white cherry blossoms. I am very happy to hear that you liked it. Thank you.