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 Hongu
In this tour we will walk the 14km long Kumano Kodo Hongu Loop. We will visit Kumano Hongu Taisha and its former site Oyunohara as well.
We will walk the 7km long Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Akagi Route for three hours. This route was frequently used after the 14th century.
Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Akagi Route merges into the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Main Route near Hosshinmon Oji. Oji is a small shrine which enshrines Kumano Deities. There are ninety-nine Oji along the Kumano Kodo. Hosshinmon Oji is one of the five most important Oji. After praying at Hosshinmon Oji, we will continue pilgrimage to Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine for another three hours. It is the 7km long final part of the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route.
After walking 14km for six hours, we will arrive at Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine. This is one of the Three Shrines in Kumano and is the final destination of the Kumano Pilgrimage. The sacred atmosphere of the precincts will surround you.
At your hotel in Hongu
guide fee
Insurance
Food and beverages
As we will walk a lot, comfortable shoes are recommended.
Tours are NOT covered by insurance. Make sure to be covered by your own insurance.
Food and drinks are NOT included.
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).
Annette H.
Kyoto-WH-Golden Pavilion, Rock Garden and more - from Osaka
“Great day in Kyoto with Hiroyuki”
We had a really great day in Kyoto with Hiroyuki (it was a long day too and we walked over 22,000 steps!). Excellent communication prior to the day, Hiroyuki arranged to meet us at the cruise port in Osaka and customised the itinerary to suit our preferences (including the market and main temples/shrines). He very helpfully suggested we booked tickets in advance for the truly fabulous Miyako Odori Geiko & Maiko show & tea ceremony. I think what made a real difference for us was the excellent information he provided whilst travelling on the train/metro from Osaka Port into Kyoto and during the rest of the day at all the main sights. Basically we had a compact history of Japan, Buddhism, Shinto, wars etc and he answered all our questions very well throughout the day (& showed us how to get metro/train tickets!). Hiroyuki was very kind and patient with us, letting us stroll around the market and stop quite often for photos, taking us to a nice little tea shop for a break, getting taxis between sights where necessary and guiding us through the very busy Gion area. We changed our plans on the day so we could get the bullet train back to Osaka just for the experience and Hiroyuki again helped with getting the tickets and finding the right platform at the enormous station! And escorted us right back to the ship. I honestly don’t think we would have seen or understood nearly as much had we tried to do this independently or in a larger tour group. We would definitely recommend getting a personal guide in this area and would 100% recommend and use Hiroyuki’s services again. Arigato ありがとう
Sarah R.
Zen & Pure Land Gardens in Kyoto, Ryoanji, Kinkakuji & more
“An Excellent Mix of Popular Spots and Hidden Gems”
Hiroyuki-san was not only an excellent guide but did a great job teaching us information that gave great insight and understanding into details of all the locations. I felt like I learned a semester's worth of information in a short amount of time and I gained a greater appreciation for many of the details that are often missed at temples and shrines.
Hiroyuki T.
(92 reviews)Good morning. How are you this morning? Thank you very much for your kind message. It’s always nice to meet former JETs. They remind me of the days I spent in Tokyo. Tokyo orientation, Kobe orientation… I hope I could be a help for you to create a tour. If I could assist you in any ways, feel free to contact me. There are a lot of places that I want to show young Americans. Hiro
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.
(92 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