We first heard about this pilgrim trail while we did a campervan trip around Shikoku island (highly recommend too! And cycling at Shimanami Kaido might be up your alley too)
This makes us really want to try it! Do you guys have rough cost estimates for such a DIY trip?
Happy to share some ballpark costs. We spent about $3,000 CAD on our accommodations, but this included four nights in luxury onsen hotels. The rest of our lodgings averaged $170 CAD per night. The other expensive item was transportation; we spent about $350 CAD on trains, buses, and taxis. For meals, breakfast was always included in the hotel stay, lunch was often from convenience stores (very inexpensive), and the luxury onsens also included dinner. Hope that helps!
Have an amazing time on the Kumano Kodo! It's a really special hike. We were sort of trying to replicate the experience with the Shikoku hike but it turned out to be an entirely different style of trip. 😂
I appreciated the honesty that “the Japan most tourists never see” also means patchy transit, booking friction, and a massive planning spreadsheet. Comparing Shikoku with the Kumano Kodo makes the tradeoff unusually clear: remoteness is not only scenery, but extra decisions at both ends of every hike. That is much more useful than simply calling a place a hidden gem.
Glad you found it to be a useful take. We always like to be very honest about our travel experiences and not gloss over the points of friction. It was still an incredible time but one that came with some unique challenges.
That’s some serious planning! I am impressed! The hike sounds amazing. I’m off for our first trip to Japan in March so it’s always fun to hear about potential future adventures there, though I will take your advice and maybe not hike that for our first trip ;)
Save it for the second trip! 😂 In the meantime, enjoy your Japan planning! It's such a beautiful, interesting country and always an adventure to navigate.
I really enjoyed this. What stayed with me was the way Shikoku appeared as a Japan that required more effort to reach, but also seemed to reward that effort with a different kind of experience.
The logistics sounded intense: trailheads far from transit, trains and buses after long hikes, taxis, spreadsheets, Google Translate, and hotels that were not always easy to book from outside Japan. But those difficulties also made the trip feel more alive. It was not just a polished itinerary. It was a real pilgrimage through temples, mountain trails, convenience store lunches, business hotels, onsen baths, and moments of quiet reflection.
I especially liked the final point that some memorable adventures require a little more effort. The Kumano Kodo may be smoother, but Shikoku sounded like it gave you something less predictable and more deeply earned.
Thanks so much - I really appreciate your thoughtful feedback. We had a lot of challenges and even frustrations in the planning process but it ultimately paid off with a trip that was really memorable. That said, I'm very happy that we didn't attempt this on our very first visit to Japan.😅
That makes complete sense. It sounds like the kind of trip that becomes meaningful partly because you already have enough comfort with Japan to handle the uncertainty.
I liked that the challenges did not disappear from the story. They were part of what made the trip feel earned: the planning, the transportation gaps, the translation moments, the small problem-solving along the way.
Definitely not a first-visit itinerary, but probably unforgettable because of that.
I appreciate the comparison to the KK. As yiu may remembered, we did the KK in 2022. i've been eyeing tge 88 temples and wondered about its difficulty in comparison to the Kk. Thanks for the insight. What's up for you two next? We're headed to Dolomites in September.
We’ll give you a wave from the TMB - we’re heading there in September. Yes, I do recall when you did the Kumano Kodo the other year - following your trip brought back good memories. The 88 temples might be an interesting option if you do a return trip to Japan. If you plan for it, let us know and we’ll be happy to pass along our tips and custom maps.
Have you done the West Highland Way? We’re thinking about it for September 2027…!
Thanks for the offer! I havent done the West Higjland Way but I have done the Great Glen Way which I adored. We stayed on a canal boat each night. It was fantastic. LMK if you want info. TMD has been on the list so many times. But this year: Dolomites. Looking at the new Greek Pelopenesse Trail in Niv.
You're neverending intrepid travels always inspire me (even after being a Luxury Travel Designer for over 30 years) as some of the places you venture to I haven't ever heard off! Just brillant you're both still living the dream. Never stop walking the roads less ventured as it is there, one really find the magic of this spectacular world we live in.
Always nice to get such great feedback from an industry expert! We do try our best to sleuth out new and interesting destinations. Sometimes that leads to an experience that is a little more rough around the edges but, as you say, that’s where you find the magic.
We still do but just on our longer trips. If we’re traveling for less than a month, we now leave with a house sitter. They just spent three months in the Canary Islands with us and are looking forward to see what winter 2026 brings! 😂
Sounds wonderful!
It was a pretty incredible trip. Even all the train rides were pretty interesting. 😅
We first heard about this pilgrim trail while we did a campervan trip around Shikoku island (highly recommend too! And cycling at Shimanami Kaido might be up your alley too)
This makes us really want to try it! Do you guys have rough cost estimates for such a DIY trip?
Happy to share some ballpark costs. We spent about $3,000 CAD on our accommodations, but this included four nights in luxury onsen hotels. The rest of our lodgings averaged $170 CAD per night. The other expensive item was transportation; we spent about $350 CAD on trains, buses, and taxis. For meals, breakfast was always included in the hotel stay, lunch was often from convenience stores (very inexpensive), and the luxury onsens also included dinner. Hope that helps!
Sounds like money very well spent :) Thanks for the breakdown, it definitely helps with our planning!
Feeling inspired to start our trip later this year with the Kumano Kodo. Thanks for the tips!
Have an amazing time on the Kumano Kodo! It's a really special hike. We were sort of trying to replicate the experience with the Shikoku hike but it turned out to be an entirely different style of trip. 😂
I appreciated the honesty that “the Japan most tourists never see” also means patchy transit, booking friction, and a massive planning spreadsheet. Comparing Shikoku with the Kumano Kodo makes the tradeoff unusually clear: remoteness is not only scenery, but extra decisions at both ends of every hike. That is much more useful than simply calling a place a hidden gem.
Glad you found it to be a useful take. We always like to be very honest about our travel experiences and not gloss over the points of friction. It was still an incredible time but one that came with some unique challenges.
That’s some serious planning! I am impressed! The hike sounds amazing. I’m off for our first trip to Japan in March so it’s always fun to hear about potential future adventures there, though I will take your advice and maybe not hike that for our first trip ;)
Save it for the second trip! 😂 In the meantime, enjoy your Japan planning! It's such a beautiful, interesting country and always an adventure to navigate.
Terrific stories and great photos as always. 💚
So glad you enjoyed it! 😊 This was certainly one of my favourite trips from the past few years.
I really enjoyed this. What stayed with me was the way Shikoku appeared as a Japan that required more effort to reach, but also seemed to reward that effort with a different kind of experience.
The logistics sounded intense: trailheads far from transit, trains and buses after long hikes, taxis, spreadsheets, Google Translate, and hotels that were not always easy to book from outside Japan. But those difficulties also made the trip feel more alive. It was not just a polished itinerary. It was a real pilgrimage through temples, mountain trails, convenience store lunches, business hotels, onsen baths, and moments of quiet reflection.
I especially liked the final point that some memorable adventures require a little more effort. The Kumano Kodo may be smoother, but Shikoku sounded like it gave you something less predictable and more deeply earned.
Thanks so much - I really appreciate your thoughtful feedback. We had a lot of challenges and even frustrations in the planning process but it ultimately paid off with a trip that was really memorable. That said, I'm very happy that we didn't attempt this on our very first visit to Japan.😅
That makes complete sense. It sounds like the kind of trip that becomes meaningful partly because you already have enough comfort with Japan to handle the uncertainty.
I liked that the challenges did not disappear from the story. They were part of what made the trip feel earned: the planning, the transportation gaps, the translation moments, the small problem-solving along the way.
Definitely not a first-visit itinerary, but probably unforgettable because of that.
I appreciate the comparison to the KK. As yiu may remembered, we did the KK in 2022. i've been eyeing tge 88 temples and wondered about its difficulty in comparison to the Kk. Thanks for the insight. What's up for you two next? We're headed to Dolomites in September.
We’ll give you a wave from the TMB - we’re heading there in September. Yes, I do recall when you did the Kumano Kodo the other year - following your trip brought back good memories. The 88 temples might be an interesting option if you do a return trip to Japan. If you plan for it, let us know and we’ll be happy to pass along our tips and custom maps.
Have you done the West Highland Way? We’re thinking about it for September 2027…!
Thanks for the offer! I havent done the West Higjland Way but I have done the Great Glen Way which I adored. We stayed on a canal boat each night. It was fantastic. LMK if you want info. TMD has been on the list so many times. But this year: Dolomites. Looking at the new Greek Pelopenesse Trail in Niv.
You're neverending intrepid travels always inspire me (even after being a Luxury Travel Designer for over 30 years) as some of the places you venture to I haven't ever heard off! Just brillant you're both still living the dream. Never stop walking the roads less ventured as it is there, one really find the magic of this spectacular world we live in.
Always nice to get such great feedback from an industry expert! We do try our best to sleuth out new and interesting destinations. Sometimes that leads to an experience that is a little more rough around the edges but, as you say, that’s where you find the magic.
Do you leave your dogs at home? I remember when you used to travel with them!
We still do but just on our longer trips. If we’re traveling for less than a month, we now leave with a house sitter. They just spent three months in the Canary Islands with us and are looking forward to see what winter 2026 brings! 😂