Frequently Asked Questions
Planning & Booking
What is the application process?
Once you’ve submitted an application form for your chosen walk, we’ll arrange a time to chat. This is your opportunity to learn more about us — and ours to learn more about you and what you’re looking to get out of the experience. If we all agree it’s a good fit and we offer you a place, we’ll ask you to pay a deposit to accept your place, with the balance due within 30 days of acceptance.
How do you select participants?
If there’s one essential quality that our participants share, it’s a sense of wonder about what might emerge on the trail. They also have a willingness to engage with whatever comes up with courage and compassion. And because this is a group experience, the desire to engage with other group members from a place of respect, vulnerability and impartiality is key.
Beyond this, we think carefully about group dynamics, considering how different people might support, challenge, and enrich one another, and the group as a whole.
Will I know who else is in my group?
We make the list of participants available after everyone’s place is confirmed.
Are there any agreements that I’ll be asked to commit to?
Yes! We’ve found that they’re a powerful way to support a great experience for everyone. Here they are in brief:
We maintain confidentiality
What's shared in the group stays in the group. You're welcome to talk about your own experience with people outside the pilgrimage, but we ask that you honour the confidentiality of other participants and their process. Names, job titles, and personal experiences belong to the people who lived them.No pursuit of business interests or sexual interests
We're not here to network, to find funding, or to find a partner. We're here to be present with ourselves, with each other, and with the landscape we’ll be moving through.No gossip
We don't speak about others' process or the experience itself outside the container. If something isn't working for you—with the experience, the group, or the facilitation—bring it to us or the person concerned directly.Phones in flight mode, laptops away
The walk is an incredible opportunity to disconnect completely, and we strongly encourage you to leave your work, in particular, behind when you land in Tokyo.
At a minimum however, when in connection with the group—from breakfast through the conclusion of our evening meal—phones must be on flight mode, and laptops stay in luggage.My experience is mine
I choose how I engage with the experience, and take responsibility for what I put into it and get out of it.
Everyone is asked to commit to these agreements, and everyone has permission to remind others of these agreements in support of the experience.
I’m a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Am I welcome?
We’re a queer-run business, so absolutely. Japanese culture tends to be a little more conservative in relation to diversity of gender and sexuality; however in our experience, we have been treated with the same respect and courtesy with which we approach our hosts and their country.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellations may be made for a full refund (minus processing fees) up to 120 days before start of the trip. Please refer to our Terms, Conditions & Eligibility Criteria for full details.
How often do these walks run?
Twice a year — once in spring and once in autumn — to take advantage of optimal hiking temperatures on the Kii peninsula.
Where is the meeting point and how do I get there?
We meet in Tokyo, with an overnight stay included on the first night. This makes it easy for everyone to arrive, settle in, and begin together. We recommend flying into Haneda Airport, and your Briefing Pack will include detailed instructions.
What's included in the price?
A 10-day guided pilgrimage, including seven walking days along the Kumano Kodo Iseji, with a group of up to eight pilgrims and two hosts
One-to-one and group calls before and after the pilgrimage to help you prepare, set your intention, reflect on the experience, and reconnect with the group
Gentle group and individual practices throughout the pilgrimage, including opportunities for reflection, conversation and deeper connection
Rail travel from Tokyo to the start of the pilgrimage route
A comprehensive pre-departure briefing pack, including a packing list and guidance to help you prepare for the walk
Luggage forwarding between accommodations, so you only need to carry what you need for the day
Nine nights of shared accommodation in a variety of traditional and modern lodgings
All meals
Which languages are used during the pilgrimage?
We facilitate the group in English, while Japanese translation will be provided by the guides.
What if something comes up and I can’t join at the last minute?
Due to the need to arrange bookings and accommodations well in advance, last minute cancellations are very disruptive, and unfortunately we cannot refund in that situation. Travel insurance to cover last-minute cancellations is essential. See our Terms, Conditions & Eligibility Criteria for details.
Preparing for the Walk
Do I need prior international or backpacking experience?
Not at all. We meet in easily navigable Tokyo, and from there you’ll be accompanied by our guides, who handle logistics and Japanese-language communication. No backpacking required — your luggage is forwarded. That said, you should be reasonably fit and comfortable walking up to 15mi / 24km in a day with a small 5-7 Kg pack.
How should I train beforehand?
If you’re already active, you may not need much training. But we recommend doing at least three 20km walks on varied terrain in the month before the trip. Most importantly, wear the shoes you’ll be bringing — and break them in thoroughly.
If you feel like you’d benefit from more training before you begin, trust your wisdom.
What gear or equipment do I need?
Your Briefing Pack includes a full list, but key items include:
A small pack of ~20 L capacity
Comfortable walking shoes with good tread
A rain jacket
Snacks, water, and any personal essentials
Hiking poles can be helpful for uphill and downhill sections
What do I need to organise for myself?
More detail is contained within our Briefing Pack, but you are responsible for:
Travel to and from Japan
Travel insurance
Any personal equipment
Cash for incidentals and snacks
Accommodation before and after the trip if required
Onward transportation at the conclusion of the pilgrimage in Kumano City
What insurance do I need?
This depends on your home country. Please arrange travel insurance that covers hiking trips.
How do I get a visa?
For many nationalities, Japan offers visa-free access. Check here for the requirements for your country: Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Life on the Trail
What kind of facilitation is there?
On our first day together in Tokyo, we facilitate a series of exercises designed to help the group connect and get to know one another more deeply.
We also spend some time at the beginning and end of the walk working with intentions, which — held lightly — can provide a useful focus for the experience.
From there, we respond to the needs and wants of the group as we walk, offering guided meditations and practices drawn from Effortless Mindfulness, Gestalt Practice, and other approaches.
What is a usual day on the Kumano Kodo like?
We rise early and share breakfast together, along with any briefings or group activities for the day.
As we walk, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to spend time in quiet reflection or in connection with your fellow pilgrims. One of us will lead the group, with the other walking at the back. Along the way, we’ll stop at shrines, viewpoints and other places of significance, sometimes incorporating a guided practice or experience.
Lunch will usually be provided by the previous night’s accommodation. Where this isn’t possible, we’ll stop somewhere along the way to pick up provisions.
When we reach our accommodation for the evening, there’s usually time to explore, soak in a bath, spend time with the group, or simply be alone.
We come back together for dinner before settling in for the night.
Are there rest days?
Not exactly. The route is carefully designed to ease us in with lighter days at the beginning, as well as shorter days towards the end to provide time for rest and recovery.
What if it rains?
We walk! Rain jackets at the ready.
How do we handle luggage?
We use a local luggage-forwarding service throughout the pilgrimage, so you’ll only need to carry what you need for the day in a small daypack.
What are the risks and dangers of walking the Kumano Kodo?
Bears: They exist, but sightings are extremely rare. We take standard precautions.
Falls and sprains: The path varies in terrain and can be slippery when wet.
Constipation: Yes, really. A lower-fibre Japanese diet can be a shock to the digestive system — bring fibre supplements if needed.
I have specific dietary requirements. Can they be accommodated?
It’s usual in Japan for hosts to provide a set meal for breakfast and dinner that consists of various small dishes of meat, raw and cooked fish, small amounts of fruit and vegetables, miso soup, and rice.
If you have specific dietary requirements, please contact us for more information.
What are the sleeping arrangements like?
Our accommodation ranges from traditional ryokans and simple guesthouses to campground cabins and Western-style hotels. Wherever we stay, accommodation is clean and well maintained, with either futons or beds depending on the setting.
Rooms are either twin-share or group-share, and we’re not able to accommodate single rooms or specific requests for sleeping arrangements.xt
Can I drink / smoke / do drugs?
Our walks are drug and alcohol free.
You’re welcome to smoke, so long as it doesn’t impact those around you.
Please note that Japan has strict laws relating to illegal drugs, with serious penalties for possession.
What if I have medications that require refrigeration or other special care?
The carriage and care of your medications will be your responsibility. If your medication requires refrigeration, secure storage, or other special arrangements, please contact us before applying so we can discuss whether these can be accommodated along the route.
What happens if I get injured?
Kal and Drew are trained in first aid and carry a first aid kit while we walk. In the event of serious injury or illness, we have plans in place to get you to the nearest appropriate medical facility as quickly as possible.
While we’ll be walking through rural parts of Japan, emergency services are available along the route.
About Seinoza
What does Seinoza mean?
It’s the Japanese word for “a place of stars”.
Who are Kal and Drew?
Kal works as a director and principal engineer at a satellite company, bringing a love of systems, languages and logistics to Seinoza — along with years of experience hiking and travelling around the world.
A sabbatical a decade ago took them thru-hiking the John Muir Trail and travelling through Peru, Bolivia, Japan and India. More recently, their exploration of connection, relationship and contemplative practice has challenged a longstanding tendency to try to understand everything through logic alone. Pilgrimage has become one of the places where those different parts of Kal meet.
Kal lives in Austin, Texas, with their husband Doug, two children, a rapidly dwindling number of fish, and a fierce resistance to acquiring any more pets.
Drew spent close to 20 years working in design and management consulting, helping organisations develop new products and services. After experiencing burnout and a period of significant change in his own life, he became increasingly interested in the questions that arise when the path we’ve been following no longer feels like the right one.
Today, he works as a coach and facilitator with people navigating change and questions of what comes next. His own experiences of pilgrimage, personal development and group practice inform what he brings to Seinoza, particularly his interest in conversation, connection and the ways we find our way when the path ahead isn’t obvious.
Drew lives in Sydney, Australia, with his husband Chris and Bo, their street-bred Russian Blue.
How did this all start?
Kal and Drew met in 2024, when they were paired as practice partners in Art of Accomplishment’s Master Class.
During one particular exercise, they took turns asking for their empowered wants.
Drew asked Kal to show him the view outside their hotel room in typhoon-stricken Taiwan. They agreed.
Kal asked Drew to sing for them. He refused, and still does.
Back and forth they went, until Kal asked Drew if they could join him on the pilgrimage he had planned to take in Japan later that year. He agreed.
Over ten days of walking, talking and sharing space — and learning rather more than expected about the vagaries of one another’s digestive tracts — they discovered just how much could happen when you put one foot in front of the other and made space for whatever emerged along the way.
By the end of the walk, they were already talking about how they might create that kind of experience for others. Those conversations eventually became Seinoza.
If you want to read Drew’s pop-up newsletter from that walk, click here.
Why are we doing this?
Perhaps the better question is How could we not?
That was the question Drew put to Kal on the cliffs of Mendocino, California, in April 2025, when our work on Seinoza began in earnest.
We’d both experienced personal development in more intensive, structured settings. Pilgrimage offered something different. There was no room to retreat from the experience, because the experience was simply the walking: moving through the landscape, slipping into conversation with others and back into solitude, one day after another.
As Drew likes to say, the work is the walk, and the walk is the work.
It was this simple combination of movement, attention, connection and time that we wanted to share with others — and that became Seinoza.
Other curiosities
What if I feel uncomfortable with the Shinto rituals?
No worries. Participation is always optional. We ask only that you approach the places and practices we encounter with respect, and we’ll provide guidance on appropriate etiquette before and during the pilgrimage.
You’re welcome to observe Shinto rituals or take part in them at whatever level feels comfortable for you.
Is this going to be woo?
We include a few gentle practices to open and close the experience, along with opportunities for reflection and connection as we walk. Nothing requires a particular belief or worldview.
One of our guiding principles is Leave space for magic. What that means is entirely up to you.
Is this culturally appropriative?
It’s a question we take seriously, with care and humility.
The pilgrimage routes we walk have long histories of welcoming travellers from different backgrounds. While the Iseji is rooted in Japanese spiritual traditions, it is open to those who approach it with respect.
We don’t pretend to teach or represent Japanese culture. We walk as guests, following local customs and etiquette, and learning from the people and places we encounter along the way.
Our intention is to participate respectfully in the tradition of Japanese pilgrimage, rather than claim it as our own.
What if I don’t feel “spiritual”?
You don’t have to be. This is not a religious experience. It’s a space to be with yourself — wherever you are — while walking alongside others.