Kumano Kodo Guide Information
One of the best ways to get the most out of your pilgrimage to Kumano is to use the service of a local guide. There is no official licensing association for guides in the area but there are dozens of groups and a few companies that offer guiding services. Let these knowledgeable and friendly locals share their love and passion for Kumano with you. Meeting and interacting with the locals might well be the highlight of your visit to Kumano! Your use of a local guide helps us work towards our goal of creating a low impact, sustainable tourism destination. Please contact guides in advance to arrange tours.
Kumano Experience
Katsu Ueno is an English speaking professional outdoor guide. He has traveled across Japan and the world in his pursuit for outdoor adventure. He has redone an old farmhouse in Hongu into an outdoor center. He is one of Japan’s top kayakers and loves sharing his passion about Kumano with visitors. Another interesting fact about this guide is that his is also a Buddhist monk. He has scheduled tours but also arranges private, customized tours as well. www.kumano-experience.com
TIEGA (Tanabe International English Guide Association)
TIEGA (Tanabe International English Guide Association), a local group of volunteer guides, is dedicated to sharing the UNESCO World Heritage Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route with people from around the world. Experience the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes - through mountain villages, remote mountain passes, modern cities... the routes that have flourished more than a thousand years and have inspired hope and promised salvation. Learn firsthand of the generous spirit of people who live along the trails. Regular guided hikes are scheduled twice monthly, and customized tours of varying degrees of skill are available upon request. http://kumanokodoguides.blogspot.com/
Mi-Kumano
Mi-Kumano provides many programs in and around the World Heritage "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range" with English-speaking guides. Our guides will make your trip safer, more comfortable, more language barrier free, more time efficient, and thus more memorable. We are happy to offer you many heartwarming and culturally rich private tour opportunities, too. If you are not only looking for great hiking or trekking in the country, but also a unique experience in Japan, then you have found the right place! http://www.mi-kumano.com/
