With the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass, you can travel between some of the most popular destinations in Japan’s Kansai region as well as many of the most beautiful and often overlooked parts of the country. The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass allows visitors to Japan to travel between the cities of Nagoya and Osaka alongside numerous lesser-known destinations on Japan’s spectacular Kii Peninsula.

The Kii Peninsula consists of the four prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, and Osaka. It can also be considered one of the most sacred areas in Japan. Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture is the most important shrine in Japan, while throughout the Kii Peninsula, dozens of trails wind through mesmerizing mountain forests, connecting a series of shrines and temples called the Kumano Kodo. A place of pilgrimage for over a thousand years, the Kumano Kodo has been granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

Along with pilgrimage trails and historic shrines, the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama pass lets you travel along the Kii Peninsula’s spectacular coastline to some of the most beautiful beaches in Japan. Dotted around the region's mountains are several tiny hot spring towns, while in the north of Mie Prefecture, you can learn all about the traditional techniques of ninja warriors.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass is a five-day rail pass that lets you take unlimited journeys on specific train lines operated by Japan Railways (JR) between Nagoya and Osaka and around the Kii Peninsula. The pass can also be used to travel on JR train lines within Osaka. The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass also allows you to travel on two regional private railways in Mie and Wakayama.

The full list of train lines that you can use with the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass is as follows: the JR Hanwa Line, the JR Katamichi Line, the JR Kansai Line, the JR Kansai Airport Line, the JR Kisei Line, the JR Osaka Loop Line, the JR Osaka Higashi Line, and the JR Sangu Line. You can also travel on the Ise Railway and the Wakayama Electric Railway, famous for the cat station master in charge at Kishi Station.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass can also be used to travel on Mie Kotsu bus services in Ise, as well as in Owase and Kumanoshi in the Kumano region in Wakayama Prefecture. You can also use the pass to travel on Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus services, which are ideal for reaching the pilgrimage trails between Shingu, Hongu, Nachi Shrine, and Kii Katsuura. The pass also allows you to hire bikes at no additional cost from Wakayama Station and Shirahama Station using JR’s cycle hire service Ekirin-kun.

You can make seat reservations on up to six journeys on limited express trains covered by the pass for free, including on the Limited Express Nanki service between Nagoya and Kii-Katsuura and the Kuroshio limited express trains between Osaka and Shingu. However, though you can use the pass to travel on the Limited Express ‘Haruka’ between Osaka and Kansai International Airport, seat reservations can not be made on this train.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass costs 16,500 yen for adults and 8,250 for children. Adults are classified as those aged 12 and above, and children are counted as those between 6 and 11 years old. Children aged 5 years old and below travel for free.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass will greatly benefit anyone who wants to travel around the beautiful Kii Peninsula from Osaka or Nagoya. Whether you’re looking to explore the ancient pilgrimage routes that weave through one of the most sacred areas of Japan, or if you simply want to get far off the beaten track and discover a captivating and rarely-visited corner of the country, the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass is the pass for you.

As well as the Kii Peninsula, with the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Pass, you can also visit popular destinations such as Osaka and Nara, meaning that you can easily enjoy two very different sides of Japan on a single trip.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass can be bought in advance from online travel agents such as Klook.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass allows you to explore one of Japan's most unspoiled and breathtakingly beautiful areas. The Kii Peninsula is blessed with atmospheric trails leading through forest-covered mountains, picturesque seaside villages, and a rocky coastline dotted with gorgeous beaches. The area still flies under the radar of most visitors to Japan and is a fascinating and spectacular place to explore.

A major benefit of the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass is the money you save compared to buying individual train tickets to each destination. This is especially true if you plan on traveling by limited express trains within the region. For example, a return journey on a limited express service between Nagoya and Kii-Katsuura Station in Wakayama costs only a few hundred yen less than the five-day Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass.

There is relatively little public transport in the Kii Peninsula compared to the rest of Japan, thanks largely to the area’s mountainous terrain and low population density. The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass makes excellent use of the public transport that exists in this region, especially the rail network. There are very few areas within the Kii Peninsula that can’t be reached by the trains and buses covered by the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass.

The Pass Can’t Be Used on the Shinkansen

One potential issue with the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass is that it can’t be used with the Shinkansen service between Nagoya and Osaka. If you’re looking to travel directly between Nagoya and Osaka with the pass, you would need to take the JR Kansai Line and the JR Yamatoji Line, a journey that takes over 3 hours, compared with just 50 minutes by Shinkansen.

Does Not Include Public Transport to Koyasan

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass can’t be used to travel to Koyasan, one of the most popular destinations on the Kii Peninsula, located in the mountains of Wakayama Prefecture. Over 1,200 years ago, Koyasan was the founding place of a sect of Buddhism called Shingon Buddhism, and today, dozens of grand, historic temples and shrines fill the town. Unfortunately, the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass cannot be used to cover the route to Koyasan by public transport.

Travel Around Parts of the Region May Need Some Advanced Planning

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass covers a large area, and travel times between some destinations can be fairly long. Though some limited express services serve the area, many of the train lines covered by the pass are local train services, meaning that journey times can be pretty long. Also, in the more remote areas of the Kii Peninsula, trains and buses can often be fairly infrequent, so you might need to plan your journeys at least a day in advance so that you know what times you need to be at certain train stations or bus stops.

Here is a selection of the places you can visit using the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass.

The capital of Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya is a great place to spend a day. Nagoya Castle originally dates from the 17th century and includes Hommaru Palace. Built as the home for the powerful feudal lord, the Hommaru Palace's stunning interiors include many dazzling decorative wall and screen paintings. Nagoya’s Atsuta Shrine is the second-most important in Japan after the Ise Grand Shrines while the city is also home to modern attractions such as Ghibli Park and Legoland Japan.

Osaka is a wonderfully frenetic and energetic city as well as a haven for foodies. Among the city's most famous landmarks are Osaka Castle and the dazzling neon Glico Man in Dotonbori, one of the best places in Japan to try takoyaki, Osaka’s most famous dish. There are stunning panoramic views from the top of the Abeno Harukas skyscraper, or you can take in the views from the iconic Tsutenkaku Tower before chowing down on some of the best food in the city in Shinsekai.

No visit to Japan’s Kansai region is complete without a trip to Nara. One of many cities that was once the capital of Japan, today, Nara’s biggest attraction is the 1,000 adorable deer who roam freely through Nara Park. Many historic temples and shrines are also located in Nara Park, including Todaiji Temple, Horyuji Temple, and the ornate Kasuga Taisha Shrine. A vast collection of ancient Buddhist art is on display at Nara National Museum and don’t miss the fantastic views at sunset from the top of nearby Mount Wakakusa.

Located in the north of Mie Prefecture, Iga is a historic city closely associated with ninja. During Japan’s feudal era, ninja schools were founded in Iga that taught samurai the cunning skills of deception required to protect their lords. Today, you can learn all about the skills, techniques, and lifestyles of ninjas at the Iga Ninja Museum, which also displays a number of original weapons. Nearby is Ueno Castle, a faithful restoration of the original castle built in the 16th century.

The small city of Ise is famous throughout Japan thanks to the Ise Grand Shrines, the two most sacred shrines in Japan. The Ise Grand Shrine’s Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine are located at two different sites, both of which were established over 1,000 years ago and still draw millions of visitors from all over Japan every year. Next to the Inner Shrine is Oharaimachi, a wonderful shopping district where you can pick up souvenirs and plenty of delicious local foods. Also in Ise is Futamiokitama Shrine, famous for the sacred Wedded Rocks joined by a straw rope.

Around 20 minutes by train from Ise is Toba, a small city on the coast famous for ama, the female pearl divers. Historically, ama would also dive to catch seafood, though today, they are more well-known for collecting pearls without the aid of any diving equipment. Ama divers can still be seen diving for pearls just off Mikimoto Pearl Island, home to a fascinating museum that tells the discovery of cultivated pearls. The process of cultivating pearls was discovered by a local entrepreneur in the late 19th century. Nearby is the Toba Aquarium, which features one of Japan's largest collections of marine life.

Along with Tanabe, Shingu is a great place to access the pilgrimage trails that form the Kumano Kodo. If you’re not keen on hiking the trails, there are buses operated by Kumano Gobo Nankai Bus between Shingu Station and Hongu Taisha Shrine, which the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass also covers. Shingu is also around a 30-minute train journey to Nachi Station, where you can take a bus to Kumano-Nachi Taisha. The Kumano-Nachi Taisha features one of the most famous views in the Kii Peninsula of the shrine’s pagoda in front of Nachi Falls.

Yunomine Onsen is a tiny hot spring town near Kumano Hongu Taisha. Hot springs were discovered in Yunomine Onsen around 1,800 years ago, making it one of the oldest onsen towns in Japan. Trails that form the Kumano Kodo pass through the town, which has been an important stop for pilgrims for centuries. There are several public baths in Yunomine Onsen, including Tsuboyu, a small bath big enough for two inside a small wooden cabin next to the town’s river. You can also boil eggs in the town’s hot spring waters in a specially-made cooking basin called yuzutsu.

There are plenty of heavenly beaches dotted along the coastline around the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula, and Shirahama is one of the finest of them all. If you’re looking for a place to kick back and relax during your trip, this is an ideal spot to stop and soak up some sun. With plenty of excellent hotels, onsen, and public foot baths, Shirahama is a wonderful place to unwind, especially for those who have hiked the nearby pilgrimage trails.

Wakayama is located around an hour south of Osaka by train. The city’s most famous landmark is Wakayama Castle, originally built in the 16th century but reconstructed in the mid-20th century following the Second World War. Within the castle grounds is Momijidani Garden, a gorgeous Japanese garden that is especially beautiful in the autumn, while the grounds are also famous for their cherry blossom trees. Nearby, the city’s Museum of Modern Art features works by many legendary artists, such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Andy Warhol.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass can only be bought and used by overseas tourists visiting Japan with a temporary visitor visa.

You will receive an email shortly after ordering the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass to confirm your order. You must provide an address to which an Exchange Order will be sent. You will need to bring the Exchange Order with you to Japan and swap this for the physical Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass at a ticket office at any of the main JR train stations in the region, such as Nagoya Station, Osaka Station, or Kansai Airport Station.

A complete list of train stations and ticket offices where the pass can be exchanged can be found on the official website (PDF).

Yes, once activated, the pass is valid for five consecutive days and expires on the fifth day.

There are very few options for alternative rail passes that cover the same area as the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass. The only real contender would be the JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass, a five-day pass allowing travel on a specific number of train lines in the western side of the Kii Peninsula and much of the wider Kansai region.

The Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass is ideal for those looking to get off the beaten track and discover a part of Japan that is filled with history, culture, and an incredible range of spectacular scenery. In addition to giving you the chance to visit the major cities of Osaka and Nagoya and the deer in Nara, the pass lets you explore many fascinating and lesser-visited areas of the Kii Peninsula.

For full details on the Ise-Kumano-Wakayama Area Pass, see the official website (https://touristpass.jp/en/ise_kumano/).