The Kumano Kodo is unlike anything we have ever done. It’s not a casual hike — it’s a multi-day pilgrimage through ancient cedar forests, mountain passes and tiny villages that have barely changed in centuries. Kii-Katsuura at the end, with its onsen hotels built into sea caves, is one of the most unique places we’ve ever slept. This is the part of Japan that most tourists miss entirely — and that’s exactly why it’s worth it.