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 JR Kii-Tanabe station (or at your hotel in Osaka, JR Osaka station, JR Tennoji station or JR Wakayama Station, ask for details)
I will meet you at JR Kii-Tanabe station ( I can meet you at your hotel in Osaka, JR Tennoji station, JR Osaka station or JR Wakayama station early in the morning. Ask for detail).
Kumano is a sacred site for both Japanese indigenous religion Shintoism and Buddhism. Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes connect ancient capital Kyoto and Kumano. People make a pilgrimage to Kumano from all over Japan. In this tour, we will walk on Kumano Kodo to make a pilgrimage to Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine from Hossinmon Oji.
Why is Kumano so sacred? Why Kumano is a sacred site for two different religions? How had it become so? I will answer to these interesting questions on the spot.
Hossinmon Oji marks the entrance to the most sacred area of Kumano.
Pilgrims who walked through Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route renewed their spirit here and continued their pilgrimage to Kumano. We also walk on the pilgrimage route for 4 km from here to Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine.
On the way, you will be able to have a distant view of the former site of Kumano Hongu Grand Shrine from Fushiogami Oji.
After following the same route as the ancient pilgrims, we will arrive at Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine which is one of the Three Shrines In Kumano (Kumano Sanzan). It was once simply called the Deity of Kumano. It is said that it enshrines the spirit of the sun, water, or trees. Legend has it that it was founded 2,000 years ago, and it had been strongly influenced by Buddhism after the 7th century.
Kumano Hongu Taisha was on the sandbank of a river until the shrine was washed out by a flood in 1889. After the flood, the survived four shrines buildings were relocated to the current location. Remaining here are the foundation of the shrine buildings which has a dignified atmosphere. Also, standing at the entrance to this place is the highest torii gate in Japan.
At the starting ponit
guiding fee
Insurance
Bus ride 5,000JPY round trip plus the same amount for guide
Food and drinks
As we will walk for about three hours, comfortable shoes are recommended.
Tours are NOT covered by insurance. Make sure to be covered by your own insurance.
Transportation fare, entrance fees and lunch are NOT included in the guide fee.
Direct payment will be occurred in CASH on the spot on the day of the tour.
Bus ride Kii-Tanabe-Kumano (round trip) 5,000JPY per person plus same amount for guide.
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.