How long are you ashore in Shingu?

For a 5-hour call or longer · 3 hr door to door

Shingu’s own shrines: Hayatama Taisha and the Kamikura steps

Calls of 5 hours or more. Hayatama Taisha is flat; the Kamikura climb is optional and very steep

Fits a 5-hour stop with nothing to add (off the ship 30 minutes after arrival, back at the gangway an hour before all-aboard). A longer call gives you the extra time; on this one, do not add a stop.

1. +0:00
   Taxi from the berth to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, about 7 km, about 15 min (our estimate)

   No shuttle is published and no taxi stand is confirmed: ask the ship’s desk to call a taxi

2. +0:20
   Kumano Hayatama Taisha: the vermilion halls and the sacred nagi tree

   Gates 06:00–17:00; the treasure hall opens 09:00–16:00

3. +1:05
   Walk to the foot of Kamikura Shrine, about 1 km, 20 min (shrine figure)

   Or 5 min by car

4. +1:25
   Kamikura Shrine: 538 steep steps to the shrine under the Gotobiki-iwa rock

   Trainers, and no photographs while walking. A gentler path runs beside the steps, and praying from the torii at the foot is fine. Allow about 50 min up and down, our estimate

5. +2:20
   Taxi from Kamikura back to the berth, about 6 km, about 15 min (our estimate)

   JR Shingu Station is 15 min on foot from Hayatama Taisha if no taxi passes

6. +2:40
   Back at the gangway

Running late? Short of time or unsure of the steps? Stay at Hayatama Taisha and go straight back: the round trip is about 1 hour 15.

Transport spend: taxi about ¥2,900–3,100 out and about ¥2,600–2,700 back, our estimates. Both shrines are free. Full route, map and photos

For a 6-hour call or longer · 4 hr door to door

Nachi: Daimon-zaka, the shrine, the pagoda and the falls

Calls of 6 hours or more. This is the day Noble Caledonia, Ponant and Seabourn sell from the port. Stairs most of the way: the escape has a version with fewer

Fits a 6-hour stop with nothing to add (off the ship 30 minutes after arrival, back at the gangway an hour before all-aboard). A longer call gives you the extra time; on this one, do not add a stop.

1. +0:00
   Taxi from the berth to the foot of Daimon-zaka, 11–12 km, about 25 min (our estimate)

   Agree the pick-up time and place for the return before the driver leaves

2. +0:25
   Daimon-zaka: about 600 m of cobbles and 267 steps between old cedars, about 30 min up

   The Meoto-sugi pair of cedars stands at the foot. Times are the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau’s, without breaks

3. +1:15
   On up the stairs to Kumano Nachi Taisha, about 20 min from the top of the slope

   Reception roughly 08:00–16:30; treasure hall ¥300, 08:30–15:30, closed Wednesdays

4. +1:50
   Seiganto-ji, next door, and the three-storey pagoda 3 min on, with the falls behind it

   Temple gates 07:00–16:30

5. +2:25
   Walk down to Hiro Shrine at the foot of Nachi Falls, 15–20 min
6. +2:45
   Nachi Falls from the viewing stage, ¥500

   3 min each way from the shrine office

7. +3:25
   Taxi from the falls to the berth, 14–15 km, about 30 min (our estimate)

   A taxi rank at the falls is not confirmed

8. +3:55
   Back at the gangway

Running late? Fewer stairs: skip Daimon-zaka and drive to the shrine car park (¥800 toll), where a lift reaches the precinct, then drive down to the falls. Running late: the falls and the pagoda alone take about 2 hours 30 from the berth and back.

Transport spend: taxi about ¥4,800–5,100 to Daimon-zaka and about ¥5,900–6,200 back from the falls, our estimates; ¥800 road toll if you drive up to the shrine. Falls viewing stage ¥500. Full route, map and photos

For a 10-hour call or longer · 8 hr door to door

All three Kumano shrines in one day

Calls of 10 hours or more, such as 07:00–18:00, with a hired car or the ship’s own tour. The prefecture describes the three shrines as a one-day round from this port

Fits a 10-hour stop with nothing to add (off the ship 30 minutes after arrival, back at the gangway an hour before all-aboard). A longer call gives you the extra time; on this one, do not add a stop.

1. +0:00
   By car from the berth to Kumano Hongu Taisha, 37–38 km, about 1 h 10–15 (our estimate)

   The Hongu Tourist Association gives about 1 hour from Shingu city

2. +1:15
   Kumano Hongu Taisha

   Worship 08:00–17:00

3. +2:00
   Oyunohara: the great torii on the river flat, a short walk from the shrine
4. +2:30
   Drive to Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu, 35 km, about 1 hour (Hongu Tourist Association figure)
5. +3:30
   Kumano Hayatama Taisha

   Gates 06:00–17:00

6. +4:05
   Drive to Katsuura, about 17 km, about 35 min (our estimate), for a tuna lunch at Nigiwai Ichiba

   08:00–16:00, last order 15:30; closed Tuesdays

7. +5:25
   Drive up to Nachi, about 10 km, about 20 min

   The shrine gives 20 min by taxi from Kii-Katsuura Station

8. +5:45
   Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji and the pagoda, then down to Nachi Falls

   Reception closes at about 16:30

9. +7:15
   Drive to the berth, 14–15 km, about 30 min (our estimate)
10. +7:45
    Back at the gangway

Running late? Behind after Hongu? Drop Katsuura and Nachi and return from Hayatama Taisha: the berth is about 15 minutes away. Nachi’s reception, about 16:30, is the firmest clock of the day.

Transport spend: a car for the day. The loop is about 115 km with the Katsuura lunch stop; on the meter by distance alone that would be over ¥40,000, so ask for a fixed day rate. We could not confirm a published price. Shrines are free; falls viewing stage ¥500. Full route, map and photos

Rainy day · 3 hr door to door

A wet day: Hayatama Taisha and tuna under a roof

A wet day on a call of 5.5 hours or more, except a Tuesday, when the market is closed. The Kamikura steps and Daimon-zaka are wet stone: leave them

Fits a 5-hour stop with nothing to add (off the ship 30 minutes after arrival, back at the gangway an hour before all-aboard). A longer call gives you the extra time; on this one, do not add a stop.

1. +0:00
   Taxi from the berth to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, about 7 km, about 15 min (our estimate)
2. +0:20
   Kumano Hayatama Taisha and its treasure hall, the Kumano Shinpokan

   Gates 06:00–17:00; treasure hall 09:00–16:00, fee not confirmed

3. +1:05
   Taxi to Katsuura Gyoko Nigiwai Ichiba, about 17 km, about 35 min (our estimate)
4. +1:40
   Nigiwai Ichiba: the market hall on the tuna harbour, lunch indoors

   08:00–16:00, last order 15:30; closed Tuesdays

5. +2:50
   Taxi back to the berth, about 10 km, about 20 min (our estimate)
6. +3:10
   Back at the gangway

Running late? On a Tuesday the market is closed: go to Hayatama Taisha only, or to Kumano Nachi Taisha, where a lift runs from the car park to the precinct and the treasure hall is ¥300 (08:30–15:30, closed Wednesdays).

Transport spend: taxi about ¥2,900–3,100 to Hayatama Taisha, about 17 km on to Katsuura, and about ¥4,100–4,400 back to the berth, our estimates. Full route, map and photos