Kumano Kodo & Kumano Sanzan Full-Day Pilgrimage Tour

Excellent 1 day trip to Kumano Kodo. Great way to experience from Osaka on a 13 hour trip, out of which there is 8 hours of driving from and back Osaka. No problem at all as the driving was safe and comfortable. The trip is fulfilling and well planned with sufficient time to visit but don't take your own sweet time taking photos. Yan Lei is an excellent guide and a great driver. Good communication on timing and plans. Made it back on time to Osaka despite it being the Mountain day and Obon week. Highly recommended. Good for solo, couples and family. Suitable for all with a wide coverage of languages.

The price of the tour is really reasonable and worth it. I don't think I would have been able to get to these locations easily by train, and it would have taken so much time. The guide is helpful and friendly. You need to manage your time nicely to grab a quick lunch before leaving the Nachi Waterfall. There's also a coupon where you can get ice cream if you buy/eat something for ¥1000 (at the shop near the waterfall). However, the tour itself provides you with some snacks, water, and even a new pair of socks after the foot onsen. It really surprised me 😂. The itinerary was well planned too. I thought I might not be able to climb up to the top of the shrine, but I managed to get there! Nice tour!

The tour is very well coordinated, which I liked. One thing I want to emphasize is that you get a 2-hour block to see the main sites and make sure to eat during that time. I got a little confused by the written itinerary and didn’t grab food in time since I thought it was after the sightseeing. Taiyuan is very kind, and there are emails ahead of time to remind you where to go. The bus is roomy and comfy, and he provided some neck pillows too, which were super helpful to sleep on the long ride. If you’re looking for a self-paced and do-whatever-you-want kind of tour, which is more of my vibe, I would definitely say go for this one. I highly recommend it. I liked that I could trust our driver and all the other passengers. Lunch is not included, but there are shops you can buy food from. Try to eat breakfast beforehand since it is a very long ride.

This tour was amazing with the sightseeing! That view with the temple and Nachi falls in the background is the highlight. However, you should take a few things into account. First, you will be spending a lot of time on the bus. The roads are in the mountains, meaning a lot of turns. If you suffer from motion sickness, take your meds with you and email the guide in advance if you would like to sit at the front. Second, take your favorite snacks with you. Third, take your headphones with you. I recommend eating a meal at the Nachi stop since that is the only chance for a proper meal. The good thing is that the guide gave neck pillows and also water, which was really nice. Also, I really appreciated that he had a Finnish audio guide! That is super rare. The guide spends all his time driving, so he plays the guides for everyone. He gave enough guidance to see the sights by ourselves. Lastly, check the weather forecast before going. With these in mind, you will have an amazing trip and incredible photos!

Today, I joined an international small group tour to Wakayama, and I really want to give this company a thumbs-up. The car was clean and tidy, making me feel relaxed as soon as I got in. The service was also very thoughtful and meticulous, making me feel at ease from boarding to the itinerary arrangements. What was most considerate was that this was an international group, with detailed explanations provided for different languages, so everyone could easily understand the itinerary. There were also small gifts and snacks, which showed great attention to detail. Especially thoughtful were the towels and socks provided after the foot bath. We followed classic routes all the way, and the arrangements were just right. We even encountered cute deer along the way, which made the mood exceptionally pleasant. The recommended restaurant for food even gave us a black sesame ice cream, which was incredibly delicious 😋. This trip to Wakayama, which I had been looking forward to, was truly perfect this time. 🌿

I had an incredible experience on the Kumano Kodo & Kumano Sanzan Full-Day Pilgrimage Tour, made even more memorable by our guide, Mr. Hanazawa. From the very beginning, his attention to detail and genuine care for everyone in the group stood out. He thoughtfully provided neck pillows at the start of the tour, which made the early journey so much more comfortable—such a rather than just a sightseeing trip. What truly impressed me was how accommodating he was until the very end. After a long day of walking, he even prepared free snacks and offered fresh socks so we could dry our feet—an incredibly kind and thoughtful gesture that everyone appreciated. Mr. Hanazawa goes above and beyond to make sure his guests are comfortable, informed, and well taken care of. If you’re considering this tour, I highly recommend it—not just for the beautiful pilgrimage route, but for the exceptional hospitality that makes the whole experience unforgettable.

This was an absolute stunning experience and tour. If you want something a little off the main path of popular Japanese tours, this is definitely a hidden gem that not a lot of people know about! Our tour guide Tai An was so thoughtful and took excellent care of us. The audio guide was interesting and explained the significance of each section. We were also handed pamphlets to read more information. The historic sites themselves were gorgeous and full of spiritual meaning. It was a rainy day, but this added more misty ambience and atmosphere to photos. By the end of the rainy day my shoes were a bit soaked, thank goodness our tour guide gave us a nice onsen foot bath to enjoy AND snacks AND tissues to dry off AND new socks to wear. I was so worried I would be so cold, but the tour guide saved the day. I ended warm and cozy and full of new impressions. Thank you so much for making a meaningful day!!

Amazing experience. If you don't have the time and energy to do the actual pilgrimage, this is the solution. We were able to visit the 3 Kumano Kodo grand shrines in 1 day, plus ending the trip in a relaxing footbath. The guides were very helpful in giving us directions and information about the places through prerecorded explanations. The trip was super worth it.

I bought the Kumano Kodo Mountain Day Tour and felt incredibly lucky to have met Mr. Hanazawa, a very thoughtful and dedicated driver and guide. Since the journey was long and involved a lot of driving, it was very convenient for international travelers that motion sickness medication was thoughtfully provided. Additionally, his explanations of the tourist attractions were very detailed. The last attraction even offered an unexpectedly thoughtful service. If you want to know what kind of thoughtful service it was, you'll find out by joining this tour – it's truly wonderful. By the way, my guide's name is Mr. Hanazawa. I want to say thank you to Mr. Hanazawa. Because of you, my trip was even more perfect. Mr. Hanazawa's driving skills were excellent, and the entire mountain road journey was very smooth.

J'ai participé à BEAUCOUP de visites dans BEAUCOUP de pays différents et celle-ci était l'une des meilleures !! Et la majeure partie était grâce à Hanazawa-san. C'est un chauffeur-guide très attentionné et professionnel. Étant donné que la visite implique de longues heures de conduite pour atteindre des endroits absolument époustouflants, il nous a donné des oreillers de voyage gonflables dès le début. De plus, à divers moments de la visite, il nous a offert de l'eau, des dorayakis, des chips et du thé. Je n'aurais vraiment pas pu demander un meilleur guide, et un meilleur chauffeur ! Il a si bien géré ces routes de montagne sinueuses !! Même s'il ne parle pas beaucoup anglais lui-même, j'ai TELLEMENT appris grâce à des enregistrements traduits qu'il diffuse dans le bus entre les arrêts. C'est une façon si intelligente de surmonter les barrières linguistiques. Maintenant, concernant les lieux… il n'y a pas de mots pour décrire leur magnificence ! Il faut y aller pour vivre cette grandeur !