Japan's Kumano Kodo

We spend eight nights in traditional guesthouses/ryokans in Japanese-style rooms (shared bathrooms) and five nights in comfortable hotels. For eight nights, we stay in ryokans, comfortable traditional inns where we experience the timeless rhythms and customs of the Japanese countryside. Ryokans, while comfortable and full of local character, do not run along the same lines as Western hotels and all have their own unique style. Some are more like Japanese B&Bs with a homestay feel and guests make their own Japanese-style beds up, while others are managed more like a standard hotel with bedding made up for guests. Rooms do not generally have private facilities and bedding is usually in the Japanese style with thick futon mattresses placed on tatami mats on the floor. Rooms are always doubles or twin-share but bathrooms and showers are generally communal. Please be advised, while females and males have access to separate bathrooms, inside showering and bathing facilities can lack the level of privacy you would be used to in a Western-style shared bathroom. This is very common in Japan and by staying in mostly traditional ryokans, there is the chance to have a very authentic cultural experience throughout the tour. In Kyoto, Tanabe and Tokyo, we stay in comfortable Western-style hotels with rooms that have private bathrooms. Single supplements are very limited and only available for five nights of the trip (three nights in Kyoto, one night in Katsuura and one night in Tokyo). Please advise at time of booking if you would like to request a single supplement (subject to availability). In Japan, often single supplements can be accommodated in either an actual single and/or double for sole use room in hotels. Onsen (Japanese public bath) For many visitors to Japan, the onsen is unfamiliar territory. An onsen is a Japanese hot spring and the bathing facilities and inns frequently situated around them. The combination of a strict bathing etiquette, that nudity is compulsory, and that the water temperature is often hotter than most hot tubs can cause some reluctance for first timers. However, once the courage is mustered, you may discover that a dip in an onsen is a highlight of your visit to Japan. We can try onsens on a few occasions throughout the trip. Please note, you may be refused entry if you have large and visible tattoos. Some accommodations may have private baths available for reservation.