sacred seasides tour
sacred seasides tour:
a pilgrimage of bathing from kinosaki & kyoto to the sacred kumano kodo
the “sacred seasides” tour features a new-to-us onsen called kinosaki, high on the northern edge of hyogo’s rugged seacoast. known as japan’s only “tattoo friendly” onsen, this ancient bathing town has a gorgeous temple dedicated to the onsen gods and is aptly where we begin our pilgrimage. this village is famous for its seven ancient public baths, and the atmosphere is old school romantic: canals, everyone wandering in their yukatas, gorgeous architecture––you’ll feel as if you time-traveled back to a more leisurely era.
from kinosaki we move to the ancient capital of kyoto, featuring all that this amazing town had to offer with its temples, architecture & culture. most of the time spent in kyoto is independent: you can visit what you choose and fill your days as you like. we will take you to meet our favorite chef in japan one evening for dinner, though!
following 3 days in kyoto we travel south along wakayama prefecture’s rugged coastline. home of the famous kumano kodo pilgrimage route, this part of the tour features rare seaside bathing and small fishing villages as well as sacred forests and pilgrimage paths. truly a delight. we’ll spend 6 days in this area before returning to narita.
sacred seasides tour 2025
17 days: october 22 – november 7th, 2025
$11,300 USD (pricing based per person/double occupancy)
day one 10/22: leave US
day two 10/23: arrive NRT (generally 3-5 pm for US flights) we will greet you after customs and get you to the hotel for the night. nothing planned so you have time to unwind.
day three 10/24: visit our favorite onsen in narita in the AM for your first bath. time in the afternoon to wander the streets & temple of this ancient town. welcome dinner at our favorite local izakaya. (B, D)
day four 10/25: a long day of trains (bullet and local) all the way to the rugged coast of hyogo prefecture, to the ancient kinosaki onsen. a quick visit to onsenji temple, dedicated to the bathing gods, before settling into our gorgeous inn & welcome dinner. (B, D)
day five 10/26: a free day to explore kinosaki’s seven public baths using your hot springs bathing pass. each bath has a different personality! feel free to wander the village in your yukata & geta. dinner in the inn. (B, D)
day six 10/27: another beautiful day to explore kinosaki village. hike to the top of the mountain or visit the local aquarium to see the gorgeous japan sea coast. (B, D)
day seven 10/28: after lunch we’ll take a local train back south to kyoto, most magical city on the planet. brief orientation & then off to our fave chef’s place for a welcome dinner. (B, D)
day eight: a full day to fill as you wish in magical kyoto (B)
day nine 10/30: more kyoto or venture further afield to a local onsen (TBA) (B)
day ten 10/31: happy halloween! another romantic train south along wakayama’s rugged seacoast to the rural fishing/onsen village of katsuura & our amazing inn. local very fresh seafood feast in the remarkable inn. (B, D)
day eleven 11/1: private charter in the afternoon will take us along the unesco world heritage kumano kodo pilgrimage route through the mountains to the sacred shrines & waterfalls. outstanding dinner at a local slow food member restaurant this evening. (B, D)
day twelve 11/12: free day to explore the village: early AM seafood auction or sushi breakfast at the docks, gorgeous seaside baths, a swimming beach. afternoon optional bay cruise tour (weather permitting). dinner on your own in town. (B)
day thirteen 11/2: after lunch, a short train ride along the coastline, ending at the seaside beach town shirahama, known for its gorgeous white sands. join us for a gorgeous happy hour “on the rocks” at sunset. local izakaya pub dinner (B, D)
day fourteen 11/4: free day to explore shirahama bay & town by foot or bike, the many seaside baths, small shops, bay cruises, aquariums, zoos, etc… dinner at an phenomenal french spot. (B, D)
day fifteen 11/5: another free day at the beach! dinner on your own, but we organize a trip to the local fish market then rent some BBQ grills on the rooftop of the market for a true beach vibe send off. (B)
day sixteen 11/6: brief taxi to the local airport to fly back to narita for our farewell dinner. (B, D)
day seventeen 11/7: enjoy a last morning visit to the temple or onsen before your safe journey home!