Monte Koya›Kawayu Onsen›Kumano Hongu Taisha›Kii Katsuura›Kumano Nachi Taisha›Osaka
Abstract
Departure point 4 days / 3 nights - from Mount Koya to Osaka
Recommended accommodation (or similar) 1 - Mount Koya: Fudo-in 2 - Kawayu Onsen: Minshuku Omuraya or Fujiya Ryokan 3 - Katsuura: Minshuku Kosakaya or Ryokan Nakanoshima
Services to be booked in Italy Koya Pass 2 days (to be used to reach the mountain and for local bus travel) >> clients are given a voucher which they must exchange for the pass itself at Osaka Namba or Shin-Imamiya station on the Nankai line overnight stay in a temple on Mount Koya (Japanese-style room with private toilet, shared baths) 2 nights in a minshuku or ryokan at Kawayu Onsen and Katsuura
Recommended services to be booked in Japan luggage forwarding from Kawayu Onsen to Katsuura (1 item of luggage per person) boat tour on the Kumano river taxi transfer from Mount Koya to Kawayu Onsen all necessary local travel by bus and train as per the itinerary: Bus from Kawayu to Hosshinmon-oji (third day) Bus from Hongu to Hitari (third day) Train/Bus from Shingu to Katsuura (third day) Bus from Kii-Katsuura station to Daimonzaka (fourth day) Bus from Nachisan to Kii-Katsuura (fourth day)
Itinerary
Giorno 1 — Monte Koya
Suggested itinerary:
Independent transfer to the Koya san monastic complex using the Koya Pass (valid 2 days). Traditional dinner and overnight stay at a shukubo (monastery).
Altro
Giorno 2 — Monte Koya → Kawayu Onsen
Suggested itinerary:
Morning prayer rituals and traditional breakfast. Departure at around 14:00 by taxi* for Kawayu Onsen, a hot spring set in the Oto river, a tributary of the Kumano-gawa. Dinner and overnight stay in a minshuku** or in a ryokan
**family-run guesthouses similar to B&Bs. The baths are shared and meals are taken in a communal dining room. *For those who do not wish to purchase the taxi transfer, public transport can be used, paid for locally.
PLEASE NOTE: the scheduled buses running directly from Koyasan to the Kumano Kodo area do not operate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Breakfast (luggage transfer to the minshuku in Katsuura). Early in the morning, departure by shuttle from the minshuku to Hosshinmon-oji (if a different minshuku has been booked, there may be the possibility of using a public bus connection; please check locally). Hosshinmon-oji is one of the most important historical sites along the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. You can then begin your 7 km pilgrimage walk (approximately 3 hours) from Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha, the first of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano. We also recommend a packed lunch break and a visit to the Kumano Hongu Heritage Center. Continue on to Oyunohara, a large sandbank at the confluence of the Kumano and Otonashi rivers, where the original Kumano Grand Shrine (Hongu Taisha) once stood. Afterwards, depart by public bus from Hongu Taisha to Hitari, where you will meet the staff for the traditional Kumano River boat ride in wooden boats (usually operating from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm). Historically, the pilgrimage between Kumano Hongu Taisha and Kumano Hayatama Taisha was made by boat. Visit Kumano Hayatama Taisha, the second of the three shrines of the Kumano route. Then take the bus from Shingu to Katsuura. Around 4:30 pm, make your way to the Gongen-mae bus stop, which will take you to Kii-Katsuura Station shortly after 5:00 pm (times to be checked locally and subject to change without notice). Dinner and overnight stay in a minshuku or ryokan.
At around 8:30 am, depart by public bus from Kii-Katsuura to Daimon-zaka (arrival at 9:14 am). Begin your pilgrimage walk (1.5 km, approximately 1 hour). You will walk along Daimon-zaka, an impressive cobblestone staircase connecting the valley to the Nachi Shrine (Kumano Nachi Taisha), the third Grand Shrine of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. Along the way, you will pass the Seiganto-ji Pagoda before reaching Nachi Falls, the tallest waterfall in Japan (133 m). Return by bus to Katsuura. Afterwards, continue independently to Osaka or another destination. Please note: the bus schedules mentioned above are approximate and subject to change without prior notice; always check locally for updated times.
