The Kii Peninsula is a remote and mountainous region in Kansai, home to one of the most important Buddhist centres in Japan and the ancient pilgrimage trails and onsen of the Kumano Kodō. Some might say it is Japan’s spiritual heartland. 

Your journey can begin directly at Nara. Home to eight Unesco World Heritage Sites, Nara, also known as Japan’s ancient capital, is where we visit Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of Japan’s most impressive sights. 

The journey continues to the town of Sakurai, to visit, among other places, the rich and unspoilt nature in Yoshinoyama.

From Sakurai, we venture deeper into the Kii Peninsula towards Nabari, where we might visit some of the most sacred and less visited temples in Japan en-route before arriving in the mountain village of Fukano for a unique ryokan experience.

The journey concludes at the coastal area of Ise Shima at Ago Bay, to indulge in a stay at Amanemu and a delightful meeting with the Ama, the Japanese women of the sea who continue the centuries-old practice of free-diving in the ocean to gather shellfish and seaweed.