The last day of our hike along the Kumano Kodo was from the remote village of Koguchi to Nachi Taisha, one of the three Grand Shrines of the Kumano Kodo and the most stunning. It ended up being a grueling hike, taking 6 long hours with the first two hours being straight uphill. (Total hike: 9.2 miles/14.8 kilometers).
The hike ended with a bang and was much harder than I anticipated.
For some reason, this was harder than the 8.5-hour hike two days before. The weather was becoming a bit more humid (thank goodness it was only early June), and the incline up was much more difficult than it looked.
While I struggled through the tough, humid uphill grind (periodically wiping the sweat dripping off my face with my shirt), wy kids and husband whisked by me, not one bit bothered. I confess I was a bit grumpy, but decided to give myself some grace. I was 53 years old and had just had not one but two major surgeries in the past two years. My last surgery – my second hip replacement – was only six months ago, and I was still not back up to my prior fitness levels before. Continue reading →
The fourth day hiking the Kumano Kodo trail was a recovery day and only 13.2 km/8.2 miles. Our legs were sore but our souls were refreshed after a night at the Yunomine Onsen, where we dipped in the calming hot waters of the hotel’s onsen and enjoyed a traditional 12-course Japanese meal.
The hike today involved a short bus ride to the Kogumotori-goe section of the trail, where we had perhaps one of the best views of the velvety green forested mountains. The look out area is called Hyakken-gura looks out onto the “Kumano Sanzen Roppyaku-ho” – a local expression which literally translates as the “3,600 peaks of Kumano” per our guidebook.
A small Jizo statue guards a stunning backdrop of the Kumano mountains
Since much of the hike is through thick forests, we did not have many views of the mountains except on this day. The word “gura” means “high cliff,” and from the Hyakken-gura we could see velvet green-covered peaks as far as the eye could see. It certainly was magical. Continue reading →
Day three of the Kumano Kodo trail – from Chikatsuyo to Hongu Grand Shrine – was by far the hardest day of all in terms of distance. For this section of the trail, there are three options: Easy, moderate at 6-7 hours, and strenuous at 8.5 hours (24 km/14.9 miles). Of course, we all chose the hardest option! It was a long day, but worth it.
We began our hike, leaving our inn at 7 am, hiking through villages along the side of the road. This was actually fun as we met lots of the locals and had some fun conversations, such as learning how to say a few Japanese words like Ohayou gozaimasu which means good morning.
The outskirts of the village were lovely with lots of flowers and beautiful views of the velvet, green-covered mountains. It all felt so peaceful, too, with no noise pollution or crowds. A rarity in today’s modern world.
The hike climbed steadily through the outlying community and countryside until we reached the forest again. It was day three and I was still amazed by the size and majestic beauty of the trees that towered over our heads like a cathedral. We hiked to the melodic birdsong yet never saw the birds because they were too high up in the canopy of cypress, camphor and pine trees.
There were lots of marvelous ancient oji shrines along the way for us to stop at. While the hike was long, it was rewarding and only a few fellow hikers were taking the long route.
By the time we reached the incredible Hongu Grand Shrine, we were so exhausted that we only grabbed a few photos. Nevertheless, it was stunning and got us even more excited for the rest of the journey.
The Hongu Grand Shrine, or Kumano Hongu Taisha, holds a deep historical and spiritual significance as one of Japan’s most sacred Shinto sites and is a central destination on the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. Located in Wakayama Prefecture, the shrine dates back over a thousand years and was once the head shrine of more than 3,000 Kumano shrines across Japan.
For centuries, emperors, aristocrats, and commoners alike made the arduous journey through the Kii Mountains to worship here, seeking spiritual rebirth and purification. Originally situated at Oyunohara—the confluence of the Kumano, Otonashi, and Iwata Rivers—the shrine was relocated to its current site in the late 19th century after a devastating flood. Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of Japan’s enduring traditions of nature reverence, pilgrimage, and spiritual renewal, linking the past and present through its timeless rituals and sacred atmosphere.
As we left the shrine, it was late afternoon and we still had to catch a local bus to reach our accommodation for the night. We were staying at our first onsen, natural hot springs that are an integral part of Japanese culture. The onsen experience is unique as you bathe with a bunch of same gender strangers completely in the buff. Apparently, onsens are valued not only for their soothing warmth and mineral-rich waters but also for their role in promoting relaxation, purification, and social connection. For centuries, people have visited onsens to heal both body and spirit, believing that the geothermal waters possess restorative powers.
I must confess that I chickened out and only tested the single-person onsen. But it was indeed amazingly lovely and soothing. I can see why the onsen is a beloved centuries-old tradition of Japanese culture.
We spent the next two nights at the Yunomine Onsen, which is one of the most historic hot springs in Japan. Nestled in the mountains of the Wakayama Prefecture, it is located in one of Japan’s oldest and most historic hot spring villages, with a history stretching back over a thousand years. Deeply intertwined with the sacred Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, it is said that pilgrims once bathed here to purify their bodies before worshiping at the nearby Kumano Hongu Taisha.
Our dinner at Yunomine Onsen was an experience in itself. We were served a traditional multi-course (I counted at least 14 courses each!) showcasing beautifully presented, locally sourced ingredients. Some of the regional specialties included grilled river fish, mountain vegetables, tofu, seasonal pickles, lots of sushi and miso soup.
Since Yunomine is a hot spring village, a unique culinary tradition is onsen tamago—eggs gently boiled in the natural hot spring waters, resulting in a delicate, silky texture. Rice, fresh sashimi, and small plates of simmered or tempura vegetables rounded out the meal, all served with meticulous attention to detail. Together, these dishes offer visitors a taste of Japan’s deep connection between food, place, and nature, mirroring the onsen’s tranquil and spiritual atmosphere.
After such an epic day with a long hike, soaking in the onsen, and indulging in an enormous dinner, we were looking forward to the rest of the journey along the Kumano Kodo trail. The hike got even better as the trip went on.
Check out this reel of the adventurous day on Instagram.
Day 2 on the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi Trail takes you from the mountain village of Takahara to Chikatsuyu, covering about 10.1 km (6.5 miles). The route winds through dense forests along an undulating path, with climbs and descents that lead past several Oji shrines. The walk takes an estimated 4 hours and is roughly 6.5 miles (10.1 kilometers).
After a delightful breakfast at our accommodations, a local family-owned inn, called Hatago Masara, owned by a Japanese-French couple, Masa and Sara, we set off for our second day of hiking the Kumano Kodo. The morning was lovely with perfect temperatures and slight cloud cover keeping us relatively cool for this time of year (while the humidity was still at bay).
From Takahara, we passed through the outskirts of the village and continued on an undulating trail past several oji shrines along the way. Once again, we hardly saw anyone, and the trail was relatively quiet save for a few hikers. We had timed our trip right.
The Kumano is a sacred mountainous region located on the Kii Peninsula of Japan, stretching south of Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto, and home to the ancient spiritual Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage. There are several routes however, the most popular one is the Nakahechi Imperial Route that traverses the rugged mountainous trail winding through deep forests of cypress, pine, and camphor trees starting in Takahara and ending in Nachi at the Nachi Tasha Grand Shrine.
The pilgrimage began 1,000 years ago, taking the Imperial family and fellow pilgrims an average of 30-40 days from Kyoto. Several Oji shrines and teahouses were established along the way for pilgrims to rest, relax, and pray during this arduous trek. Today, the Nakahechi route can be completed in 5 days and covers over 46 miles (70 km) of mountainous terrain.
This past May, our family of four visited Japan for two weeks and the highlight of our trip was our time spent together doing the Kumado Kodo hike. Although the hike can be navigated and booked on your own, we opted to hire Oku Japan. Oku Japan operates guided, self-guided, and custom tours around Japan. Their trips combine the simple pleasures of enjoying the hospitality of close-knit communities deep in the countryside that preserve the traditions of a not-too-distant past. We picked them for their excellent reputation, their commitment to helping local rural communities, and their incredible attention to detail to every aspect of our trip, from start to finish. We were not disappointed.
Kyoto is often referred to as the cultural heart of Japan, and for good reason. Once the imperial capital for over a thousand years, the city blends timeless tradition with quiet elegance, offering a window into Japan’s past while still pulsing with modern life. Here, centuries-old wooden teahouses stand beside tranquil gardens, and the scent of incense drifts from ornate temples and shrines that have survived wars and earthquakes. Visitors come not only for Kyoto’s 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, but also for its living heritage, including seasonal festivals, exquisite kaiseki cuisine, and the artistry of geisha districts like Gion. Whether it’s the cherry blossoms of spring, the crimson maples of autumn, or the hushed snow of winter, Kyoto’s beauty is ever-changing—yet eternally unforgettable.
In 2024, Kyoto welcomed a record 10.88 million international visitors and 16.3 million overnight stays in total, marking one of its busiest years—second only to 2015. There are definitely challenges with overtourism as many sites are unbearably overcrowded. Yet if you time your visit right by going slightly off-season or get up early to arrive first at the most popular sites, you can find ways to avoid the massive crowds and still enjoy this glorious city.
This summer has been a summer of milestones. Our youngest daughter, Sophia, graduated from high school. It had been six months since my second hip surgery, and my husband and I celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. To top it off, our twenty-year-old son was home from his second year of college, so with so much to celebrate, we did a fabulous two-week trip to Japan.
I had been to Japan decades ago when I was just 19 and wanted to see what had changed in this place that everyone seems to be talking about and visiting.
In fact, in the past year, travel to Japan has grown exponentially. In 2024, a record 36.9 million international visitors came to Japan, representing a 47.1% increase, according to the Japan Tourism Organization, and projections for 2025 are not slowing down. Japan continues to make the list of top countries to visit, and it is no surprise given the strong dollar-to-yen exchange rate, more direct flights from the US, and most of all, a country that has so incredibly much to offer its visitors. Add in the other benefits that Japan is a safe country, is incredibly easy to get around given its amazing network of trains, subways, and buses, and Japan was the ideal choice for our family vacation.
When I first went to Japan as a teenager decades ago, I hated the food. How wrong I was! Japanese cuisine is some of the most varied, delicious food I’ve ever experienced. Eating was half of the fun of this two-week family trip to Japan.
After a lovely morning exploring the beauty and charm of Bhaktapur, our group headed a short distance away to Nagarkot, a beautiful village nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas roughly 28 kilometers east of Kathmandu. Nagarkot is a popular tourist destination for its majestic Himalayan views, and rich culture and village life. We would spend two days at the Nagarkot Community Homestay as part of our trip with the Community Homestay Network in Nepal.
The Nagarkot Community Homestay located in Bastola gaun (village) began roughly 13 years ago when Suraj Bastola, one of six brothers, hatched the idea of offering tourists a unique experience to stay as guests in their homes.
After surviving the 2015 earthquake that destroyed their village, the community united and persevered, rebuilding one home at a time and slowly reopening their homestay program to tourists. Today, the community welcomes roughly 600 visitors to their village each year, significantly impacting the families’ economic, cultural, and social well-being. Now, many of the children study abroad at university thanks to the additional earnings from the homestays. Women have also seen their children’s health improve and their cultural traditions thrive.
When we arrived, our group of ten journalists and travel advisors were welcomed by the host mamas dressed in the traditional dress of red saris. One by one, we each received a marigold garland and a red dot (tika) on our forehead. After a brief welcoming ceremony, we split into pairs and were introduced to our host mamas. I was rooming with Sara, a delightful woman from the UK who is a travel advisor, and we were staying with Laxmi Bastola and her family.
In the hills of Kathmandu Valley lies the ancient village of Panauti, renowned for its culture, traditions, and well-preserved Newari architecture. At the heart of the community is the Panauti Community Homestay a women-led initiative that started in 2012 and later became one of the founding members of the Community Homestay Network (CHN). Today CHN has spread to 36 communities throughout Nepal, creating hope, inspiration, and opportunity for rural communities worldwide.
Shila rose just before sunrise as the golden ray of light bathed the rice and potato fields outside her window in a brilliant ethereal light. The morning air was still, as Shila put on her slippers and tiptoed to her kitchen. She prepared a cup of masala tea, and a plate of flowers, colored rice, and sweets for her morning puja, an offering to the Hindu gods. She did not have time for her daily meditation this morning. Instead, she would be preparing for the arrival of her guests.
Shila had to clean her house, collect the fresh vegetables for the upcoming meals, pick flowers for our garlands, and ready her attire, draping her crimson red saree over the couch to let the humid monsoon air unwrinkle the fabric. Soon she would meet with the other host “mamas” of the Panauti Community Homestay to prepare for our arrival.
At the top of the foothills of the Kathmandu Valley, our group of adventurous travelershad just witnessed a mesmerizing Buddhist prayer service at the sacred Namo Buddha monastery and were preparing for our next, exhilarating experience: A 10 km bike ride down from the monastery’s Himalayan perch through the rural villages, potato fields, and stunning landscape to Panauti, a historic Nepali city renowned for its culture, beauty and mystique, where we would meet our homestay mothers.
It had been fourteen years since my first trip to Nepal, a truly life-changing experience that launched my career as a writer and established myself as a lifelong wanderlust. Now in the prime years of my life, at 52 I wondered if another trip could be as transformative as the first.
Over the next two days of my homestay, I’d learn to reconnect with my past self and develop deeper insight into what it means to be a strong, independent woman, all through the eyes of my host mother who not only opened up her home but also her heart, showing me a strength and compassion that transcends borders.
Nepal is an incredibly special place for me. I was there 14 years ago on a life-changing trek with my dad. Both of us were celebrating milestone birthdays, and we set out to hike the Annapurna Trek with just a guide and a porter who became dear friends. This experience inspired me to start my blog, Thirdeyemom, and set me on the path of writing about sustainable, impactful travel for years to come.
In May, I returned to Nepal with Community Homestay Network (CHN) for a whirlwind trip exploring the rural communities of Kathmandu Valley for a week-long trip. During the week, I stayed with local families at two different community homestays and captured an intimate glimpse of local life in Nepal. It was truly amazing, and I am excited to share more stories in the coming weeks here on my blog and in other publications. (ICYM: I shared a lot of reels on Instagram during my trip. Check them out here).
Before the press trip began, I had a day on my own to revisit some of the special places in Kathmandu. I hired a local guide, named Dhiroj, through Community Homestay, and did an afternoon tour of three top sacred sights: Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, and Kathmandu Durbar Square. While I’d been to Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square on my first visit to Nepal 14 years ago, I had never been to the sacred religious site of Pashupatinath. I was in for a delightful spiritual surprise and a warm welcome back to the beauty of Nepal’s people, culture, religions, traditions, and rituals.
It was over a decade ago that I first saw the famous image of the striking Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan that captured my attention. I was paging through a National Geographic Traveler magazine and there it was, the iconic Taktshang Goemba, more commonly known as the ‘Tiger’s Nest Monastery’ astoundingly perched on a sheer cliff face 900 meters (2,950 feet) above the Paro Valley. The image took my breath away and I knew someday I’d have to hike up to see it for myself. Fast forward to December 2022 and there I was in Bhutan, at the foot of Tiger’s Nest finally able to realize my dream.
Per my guide Singay, Tiger’s Nest is astonishing. When I asked why, he replied, “Sometimes words are better left unsaid. You have to see it for yourself.”
The Tiger’s Nest is undoubtedly Bhutan’s most famous sacred site and a must-see for anyone visiting Bhutan. Given its location (it is only 15 km northwest of Paro, home of Bhutan’s only international airport) the hike is generally done on the day before leaving the country. The monastery is only accessible on foot via a relatively strenuous one-and-a-half to two-hour hike up the mountainside, so it also was good to do after overcoming jet lag and doing some hiking to get my legs in shape. Continue reading →
On my fifth day in Bhutan hiking the Trans Bhutan Trail, I woke up in Bumthang, the spiritual and cultural heartland of Central Bhutan. Given its beautiful landscape, rich local culture, and sacred historic pilgrimage sites, Bumthang is one of the most coveted tourist destinations in Bhutan. Home to some of the oldest Buddhist temples and monasteries, and awash with breathtaking fertile valleys of buckwheat and potato fields, Bumthang is astoundingly serene. Even more so on the cusp of winter.
That morning, I rose early to a glowing sunrise and was delighted to see the entire valley covered in frost. I stepped out on my balcony and marveled at how the harvested fields were sparkling, and the low-hanging clouds were blanketing the valley. This is the coldest part of Bhutan and in another few months, it would be difficult to reach given the icy roads.
Morning mist over the valley of Bumthang, Bhutan
I was fortunate because this was the first and only time during my nine-day trip that I was spending the night in the same hotel. It would be the furthest east I would travel in Bhutan before heading back to Paro on the long, mountainous roads. Thankfully we were taking two days to travel back east due to the difficult nature of the roads. I don’t think my stomach could handle the long drive all in one day. Continue reading →
