Nagoya UNESCO Kumano Kodo & Nachi Falls Day Tour

A bit of a hike but with awesome rewards. In the 3h i even managed to go up the pilgrimage route behind the temple where it was quiet and just magical - probably one of my favorites so definitely recommend!

It was a great day. Transfer was seamless and English of the guides were excellent. Food and toilet stops were also accounted for and a extra stop could always be requested. I enjoyed my three hours exploring the Kumanokodo walking trail.

It's nearly perfect but heavy rain happened all day long, especially when we're in nachi waterfalls and pagoda. I think we don't really need to walk through the kumano kudo trail since vehicles can go through until the nachi waterfalls parking area. If I know there's another way to reach the waterfall and pagoda, I definitely will not go through the kumano kudo trail since I just want to see the beauty of the pagoda and nachi waterfalls. Overall it's a wonderful experience.

The meeting point was easy to locate with the clock landmark and the long drive of nearly 3 hours through the mountain tunnels towards Mie was smooth with our driver/ tour leader. we enjoyed the view of Nachi Falls, the highest waterfall in Japan as well as the breathtaking climb up to the pagoda, shrine and temple. The shops along the main road offered delicious lunch and tea options, together with great souvenir/ snacks shopping. On the way back, we stopped for photos at Lion Rock and traced a section of the rough coastal Kumano Kodo Walking Trail, doubling back after a distance, as the carpark was at Onigajo.

This activity only has drivers and no tour guides. The driver will hold an "Easy Go" sign on the road near Nakamura Police Station Nagoya Station Nishikouban at 6:55. There is a break at the halfway station on both the outbound and return journeys. Fortunately, my fellow tourists were all on time, so I returned to Nagoya Station around 6 p.m. Arrive at Daimonzaka at 10:30 and meet at the parking lot of Nachi no Taki 3 hours later. If you don’t stop to take pictures, eat and visit, 3 hours is enough to visit Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine, Aogishidoji Temple, Three-Storied Pagoda and Nachi No Taki. There are a lot of stairs to walk, so light clothing and sneakers are recommended. Arrive at Oniga Castle at 2:30 pm and have 1 hour of free time. 1. The time is not enough to walk around, and the ground is uneven and requires physical strength. You can only turn back along the road in the middle. However, the weather was very good that day and the scenery was beautiful, so it was worth a visit. The distance is long and the driver has worked hard too.

from nagoya to kumano kodo, it takes about 3 to 4 hours (depends on traffic conditions), there is a rest stop in between the journey. upon reaching kumano kodo area, there are many dining shops along the road and u just have to follow the signage for self guided tour.

The meeting place is easy to find, but because the driver did not arrive early (the meeting time is 7:00 in the morning), I couldn't find the "person holding the EasyGo sign mentioned in the itinerary" at first, but later I successfully participated in the activity~ The whole is great. Originally, the free time was reduced by one hour due to traffic jams. Later, we were given four hours~ enough to go the whole way (Daimonsaka-Kumano Nachi Taisha-Qingandu Temple-Three-storied Pagoda-Flying Taki) Shrine-Nazhi の滝) It is highly recommended for travelers who go to Nagoya on their own, and you can arrange a day to go there~ It will definitely surprise you and leave you unsatisfied!

The tour leader Kaku was very nice. He patiently explained the itinerary to the guests in Chinese, English and Japanese. He also helped me take a lot of photos. The plum ice cream and rock fish set meal recommended by the tour leader were also very delicious. It happened to rain on the Kumano Kodo today, and the water flow of Nachi Falls was very large. The overall itinerary was very good. I will try other day tours of Easy Go next time. BTW, many friends in this group booked tickets through klook. The Taiwanese aunt sitting next to me was very happy because I was a klook employee.

The cobblestone steps and view of the falls & pagoda were the highlights of the trip for me. The land travel was long but we did make reasonable stops at service stations.

Although the 3 storied pagoda is under renovation, the Nachi fall is still perfect. The trail is so tiring. So if you’re not into 4hr-bus-drive (one way) plus 40min trail, this is not for you