Whether you’ve arrived a few days early to spend some time in Tokyo, or you’re coming straight from the airport, you’ll make your way to our centrally located accommodation and settle in.

During the day, we’ll spend some time getting to know one another and explore some simple practices for listening more deeply, speaking more openly, and connecting through conversation.

In the evening, we’ll come together for dinner at a traditional Tokyo izakaya.

After an early breakfast, we take the Shinkansen to Nagoya, then change to a local train to Ise, where our journey on the Iseji begins.

We’ll spend the afternoon exploring Ise, picking up any last-minute essentials and visiting Ise Jingu Naiku, one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines.

From there, we make our way to Futami and our ryokan by the sea. We’ll share dinner together and take some time to set our intentions for the days of walking ahead.

We start the day at sunrise at the Meoto Iwa — the famous “wedded rocks” of Futami Okitama. From there, we take the train to Tochihara and begin our walk on the Iseji. It’s a gentle first day of walking, giving us time to find our feet and settle into the trail.

Along the way, we pause for reflection in the forest before crossing the Miya River.

Our first mountain pass — or toge — comes towards the end of the day, before we arrive in Takihara and settle into our cabins for the night.

Another gentle day takes us along the Ouchiyama River through the valley.

We begin at Takihara-no-Miya, where we take part in a Shinto purification ritual before setting out for the day.

As we pass through small villages, everyday rural life sits alongside the shrines and temples of the Iseji. We’ll pause at Dairen-ji, before stopping at Kobenomiyanomo Shrine, tucked beside a waterfall in the forest.

From there, we continue to Ouchiyama and our campground for the night.

We start the day with a moderate climb over Tsuzurato Pass, named for the zig-zagging stone path that carries us up through the forest.

From the pass, we descend into Kii-Nagashima, a fishing town and home to one of our favourite cafés on the entire route.

The afternoon is gentler, with time to stop at Nagashima-jingu, a shrine dedicated to safety at sea and plentiful fishing, and Bukko-ji, a Buddhist temple.

One final climb over Ikkoku Pass brings us to Furusato Onsen. Here, there’s time to soak in a traditional communal bath before dinner and a night at our ryokan.

We set out just after sunrise for our first challenging day, with three mountain passes ahead of us. Before the climbing begins, we follow the coastline as fishing boats make their way back into harbour.

Miura Pass and Hajikami Pass follow in fairly quick succession, before we stop for lunch in Aiga and prepare for the biggest climb of the day.

From there, we take on Magose Pass, its old cobblestone path carrying us steadily up through the forest. Near the top, there’s the option to make the additional climb to Mount Tengurusan for views across the natural harbour of Owase, where we’ll spend the night.

Mount Yakiyama is the highest peak we’ll climb on the Iseji, and reaching the summit will ask a lot of us. From there, we descend to the small beachside town of Mikisato for a well-earned break.

But the walking isn’t over yet. Miki Pass and Hago Pass still lie ahead, before the final descent into Kata and our accommodation for the night at Owase Seaside View.

There, a soak in the hot spring baths and a kaiseki dinner featuring local seafood await — both likely to feel particularly welcome after a day like this.

After the challenges of the previous two days, today takes a gentler turn — though there are still two mountain passes to cross.

At the top of Okamizaka Pass, we reach a symbolic threshold: the meeting place of the deities of Ise and Kumano. Here, we say farewell to Ise and turn towards Kumano, entering the final stretch of our pilgrimage.

We finish the day at Atashika, where the trail meets a long sweep of beach. With just one day of walking remaining, there’s time to rest, swim if conditions allow, and take in how far we’ve come.

Our final day of walking takes us from Atashika along the mountainside towards Hadasu, with the sea below us. Sections of the path here date back more than 850 years and are among the oldest on the Iseji.

After stopping for coffee in Odomari, we continue towards Kumano City and Hana no Iwaya, where our seven days of walking come to an end beneath its towering sacred rock.

We’ll spend our final night together in Kumano City, close to the beach, with time to gather, share a meal, and reflect on the journey we’ve made.

We rise early for one last sunrise together before bringing our pilgrimage to a close.

From here, you might continue to the shrines of Shingu, return to Tokyo, or spend a few more days exploring this part of Japan.

Whatever comes next, we recommend leaving yourself a little time before returning home. After ten days together — and seven days on foot — it can be good not to rush straight back into everyday life.