ITINERARIES The Old Way of Shoryudo

A 40-minute shuttle bus from Komatsu Airport or 2.5 hour Hokuriku Shinkansen ride from Tokyo will take you to the city of Kanazawa – the perfect beginning to this journey of cultural immersion. Rivalling only Kyoto for its sense of tradition, Kanazawa offers many wonders both cultural and natural. The fantastic Kenrokuen Garden is one of Japan’s finest landscape gardens, and the serenity is palpable the moment you enter. You might also visit Nagamachi, the former samurai district, and Higashi Chaya-gai, the thriving Geisha centre with music and dance performances—to prime you for the week ahead.

A bullet train to Shin-Takaoka then a bus ride will take you to the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage listed sites of Shirakawago and Gokayama. This collection of villages was cut off from the rest of Japan for many years, known for their traditional way of life and their Gassho-zukuri (steeply pitched thatched roofed) style farmhouses. The next stop is Takayama, a remote city in the mountainous Hida region. Here, the old town provides a glimpse into Japan’s prosperous rural past. Come in spring or autumn for the Takayama Festival, with its spectacular floats and performances.

After enjoying the morning market in Takayama (where you can buy crafts, pickles and flowers), hop on a bus to Shinhotaka Ropeway, one of the highest ropeways in Japan; it ascends more than 1000 metres into the Northern Japan Alps with double-decker gondola cars. From this stunning experience, it’s on to Kamikochi, a high valley consisting of rocky hills, riverside forests and crystal-clear waters. Then, bus and electric rail will take you to Matsumoto, a city renowned for Matsumoto Castle, or ‘Crow Castle’ – one of the few mostly unscathed castles in Japan.

After Matsumoto, your base of operations for Day 4 will be Nagano, a temple city that once hosted the Winter Olympics. There’s plenty to do and see here, from the city-central Zenko-ji temple to the entertaining and historical Togakure Ninja Museum in Togakushi to the northwest. Another bus trip from Nagano can take you to the Shiga Highlands, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve full of natural wonders and varied topography. It is the location of the famous Jigokudani Monkey Park – a favourite for naturalists, photographers, tourists and, of course, monkeys.

Via train and bus, Nagano will lead you to Tsumago-juku and Magome-juku, two ancient post towns on the former Nakasendo, a route which connected Tokyo and Kyoto during the Edo period. In addition to the taste of old mountain life, travellers are treated to panoramic views of nearby Mount Ena. The walk from Magome to Tsumago is 8km long and takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete. En route to Nagoya in the diverse Aichi Prefecture, drop into Inuyama with its small but lovely castle and the gorgeous Kiso River. You can also enjoy the open air Meiji Mura museum before continuing by train to Nagoya for a rest stop.

Walking around Nagoya, you can visit the fascinating SCMAGLEV and Railway Park (Museum), Nagoya Castle and the serene Noritake Garden, as well as the TV Tower if you want a brief respite from past centuries! It’s less than an hour by bus to your next stop: Nagashima Resort. Here you can find the popular Nagashima Spa Yuami no Shima, a hot spring bath complex with recreated scenery from Kurobe Gorge and Oirase Stream. Neighbouring this complex is the Nabana no Sato flower park, which features festivals during the warmer months and a great observation deck.

From Nagashima Resort, day 7 begins with a few quick buses and trains that will take you to Uenoshi Station in Iga Ueno. Here, one of the best attractions is the Ninja Museum of Igaryu, located on the grounds of a feudal ninja school. Next, take a train down the Shima Peninsula to Ise, where you can visit the most sacred Shinto shrines in Japan, Ise Jingu, and their surrounding Edo and Meiji era neighbourhoods. Nearby, Meoto Iwa (‘the wedded rocks’ in Ise Bay) are a wonderful sight. In the evening, stay overnight in seaside Toba and get ready for a morning of activities.

Toba is a lovely city famous for its oysters and pearls. Toba Bay, meanwhile, is home to many intriguing and beautiful islands—not least of which is Mikimoto Pearl Island and its pearl diving demonstrations from ama (women of the sea), free-divers. You can also head to Shinmei-jinja Shrine, where the goddess of stones grants the wishes of women, and visit the diverse Toba Aquarium. In the afternoon, take the train to Owase Station and spend the night either in Kumano or Owase, each beautiful towns that can serve as the jumping-off point for the hiking of the final day.

Kumano is sometimes called The Land of the Dead, where Shinto spirits and ancestors are believed to dwell after death. Kodo means ‘The Ancient Road’, and these walking trails connect three major shrines of the region. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they’re so old that they’re referred to in the founding mythos of Japan. The ancient pilgrimage routes through the mystical Kii Mountains are varied and transcendent to walk. Stop off at any of the small Onsen towns for refreshment – and then, eventually, it’s back to Kansai Airport.