One of Japan’s most remote and rewarding journeys, the Kumano Kodo hiking route weaves through the mountainous Kii Peninsula south of Osaka. Once a sacred pilgrimage reserved for emperors and samurai, the Kumano Kodo is today open to everybody. It is actually not one route but a network of trails through the deeply forested mountains, with no official start and end point. There are moderate to strenuous hiking options lasting a few hours to several days. On the way are several Unesco World Heritage Sites such as some of Japan’s top “power spots” – temples, forests and waterfalls.
AloJapan.com