Japanese Small Group Tours

We start by enjoying a trail to the east of Nara, the Yagyukaido, which leads us through beautiful local landscape, past shrines and through local villages giving us a flavour of life in the Japanese countryside. We then travel further a field away from the large towns and into the surrounding mountains where we walk the Old Mountain Road which takes us to the well known 9th century Murouji Temple – also known as Nyonin Koya, which literally means ‘Mount Koya for women’. We then spend two nights in Akame where we have a full day spent enjoying walks along the beautiful Akame 48 Waterfalls before continuing to one of Japan’s best known ancient routes, the Nakesendo Way. Here we spend three days finest hiking sections of the Nakesendo Way passing through well preserved postal towns and following in the footsteps of merchants, samurai and other travellers of the Edo period who once traversed this famous ancient road between Edo and Kyoto.

Highlights	Trip Level	Availability
Village to village walking on enchanting sections of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail Bathe in the thermal waters at hot-spring inns on at least 5 nights Enjoy wonderful views over the valleys, mountains and the Pacific Ocean See the Grand Shrines at Hongu and Nachi, along with Nachi-taki waterfall Stay at an authentic Shukubo pilgrims lodging on Mount Koya Explore Kii-Katsuura's lively fishing port where you can join the tuna auction in the early morning	Challenging	Recommended from April to November