Links
Sightseeing Information
World Heritage
Japanese Religion
Tour Agents & Outdoor Professionals
Other Links
Japanese Links
Sightseeing Information
Kumano Hongu Tourism Association
Information for the Kumano Hongu area including accomodation, festivals and local history. Many pictures of the area in all seasons.
Wakayama Tourism Federation
Wakayama Prefecture‘s official tourism site. Basic overview of sightseeing possibilities in the region.
Japan National Tourist Organization
An amazing site with loads of useful information for travel throughout Japan.
Koyasan Tourist Association
Koyasan‘s official website. Includes a list of all of the Temples that offer accomodation.
Koyasan
Nankai Railways site about Koyasan. Has a map and detailed transportation information.
Koyasan Cross-cultural Communication Network
This is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing accurate and useful information for visitors wanting to learn more about Koyasan.
Shirahama
Shirahama is a resort town on the south side of Tanabe Bay famous for its white beach and onsen. It is popular for guests to stay in Tanabe to take advantage of cheaper accomodations and a wide variety of restaurants and pubs while making a day trip to Shirahama.
Nachi-Katsuura
A coastal town with hot springs and fishing port. It is also the site of Kumano Nachi Taisha and Nachi waterfall.
Kushimoto
Kushimoto is the most southern tip of the Kii peninsula and has some beautiful sites.
Wakayama City
Wakayama is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture located south of Osaka and the Kansai International Airport. Famous sites include Wakayama Castle and Kiimi-dera temple.
Higashi-Kishu IT Community
This website has information dealing with the Kumano Kodo Ise-ji route.
Japan-guide.com
Japan-guide.com has a basic overview of the area in their Kumano Travel Guide section.
OnsenJapan.net
Excellent resource for onsen (hot springs) throughout Japan, including the Kumano region.
World Heritage
Unesco World Heritage
The official site of UNESCO World Heritage. The Official Documents (Advisory Body Evaluation) PDF file at the bottom of the page offers an accurate historical and religious background on the area.
Wakayama Prefecture World Heritage Centre
Has most of the same information as the UNESCO page but is easier to navigate and also includes some pictures.
Wakayama Cultural Heritage Department
Outline of "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" World Heritage site with pictures.
Kumano Hongu Heritage Center
The Kumano Hongu Heritage Center is a new visitors' center in Hongu featuring detailed exhibitions (in English) on the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes of the Kii Mountain Range" UNESCO World Heritage Property.
Spiritual Pilgrimages
A joint website of the only two UNESCO World Heritage registered pilgrimage routes: Kumano Kodo and the Way of St.James.
Japanese Religion
Encyclopedia of Shinto
Kokugakuin University's detailed site that covers all aspects of Shinto.
A-to-Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhism
Descriptions and photos of an extensive array of Buddhist and Shinto dieties.
Jinja-Honcho The Association of Shinto Shrines
This is a religious organization which administrates about 80,000 Shinto Shrines throughout Japan. This site contains information about Shinto beliefs, rites and festivals.
Shugendo Now
This feature documentary is an experiential journey into the mystical practices of Japanese mountain asceticism.
Tour Agents & Outdoor Professionals
KUMANO TRAVEL
Kumano Travel is the official travel company of the Tanabe City/Kumano Region. It is a local, community-based initiative created to supply visitors with quality information, services, and products so they can fully experience travelling in the area. About Kumano Travel >>
Kumano Experience
Katsu Ueno is a local English speaking outdoor professional who runs tours including kayaking and hiking on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes.
Japan Holidays
This Australia based company offers a Kumano Pilgrimage Trail tour in their Authentic Japan Experience line-up.
HIS Experience Japan
Offer unique experiential tours across Japan including the Kumano area.
Hike Japan
Hike Japan specializes in guided walking holidays and offers tours in the Kumano area.
Other Links
Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau | News Blog
The official news blog of the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau, including scrapbooks of regional media coverage.
Tanabe International Exchange Center
The International Exchange Center is a place where foreign/Japanese residents and visitors can come to study, ask questions about life in Tanabe or Japan in general, read up on local and international travel destinations, surf the Internet, or just relax!
Kumano Field Museum
A site about the Kumano area including historical stories accompanied with pictures of mandalas and scrolls.
Kumano Streaming Video Digital Archive Site
This site hosts dozens of videos. This is an older site and some of the audio isn't the best, but it does offer a variety of videos for a good general overview of the area.
Kansai Window
A portal site for the Kansai area.
Hida Satoyama Cycling
Hida Satoyama Cycling is based in Hida, a rural area in Gifu Prefecture. This project is managed by the local Chura-boshi Company, which shares similar values and goals in regards to rural development with the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau.
