Combining the dots

Please help me to combine the dots to some possible route in Nara / Wakayama / Mie:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16TO16F0bm94oTomPDsBylFYMts16O3FU&usp...

this map lists things i would like to see.

i would be really grateful for your input:
* which things you think i can combine on the same day
* in which order would you start? from where to where?
* which things do should omit (due to transports maybe since i have no car) or in case they are not worth visiting

parameters:
* i can only use public means of transportation
* i havnt booked flights so i could start from Osaka, Nagoza or even Kyoto whatever you think is best
* i prefer slow paced travels, so rather spend some more time in one place than running around
* i like to walk also (long distances are no problem, but preferable without luggage)

and:
do you maybe have some other points of interests which you recommend and i am missing?
** i am interested in all kind of stuff, especially
*** architecture (also modern ones),
*** art / museums,
*** food (i would drive very far for good, special food) and
*** most important: onsen.

so if i missed something please tell me.

You should be able to figure at least some of this out yourself. Have a go at planning your own itinerary (or a few versions, even!), and then come back here with a draft. This forum is not a travel agency.

I looked at your link - it is a map with lots of dots - it you want serious help either pay someone to work on it or do some work on it first to get a rough plan. DIY travel is cheap because you do it yourself. Real travel planning takes time and if you don't have the time, apart from the helpful people on this forum, you should expect to pay for someone's effort.

Well, i didn't want to influence the suggestions in any way, but of course i tried to figure out a route for myself before. So if you think it helps, here is the basic idea:

Day 1: Nagoya = Seki = Iega Uno
Day 2: Iega Uno = Akameguchi (Leave luggage there and then see Akame 48 Waterfalls and return)
* Note: I probably omit "Murou-ji Temple"? Or is it worth it?
Day 3: Miwa = Yoshimizu
* Note: I probably omit "Tanzan Shrine" and "Ishibutai Kofun"? Or are they worth it?
Day 4: Yoshimizu = Watase Onsen / Kawayu Onsen / Yunomine Onsen
* Note: Here is my most struggle? Does it make more sense to go to Koya San before?
* Note: Which of these small onsen towns would you recommend to stay the night over?
* Note: Should i add here an additional day?
* Note: in which order should i progress them
* Note: is it possible to walk between them?
Day 5: Yunomine Onsen = Shingu = Nachi = Katsuura
Day 6: Katsuura = Shirahama
Day 7: Shirahama = Koya San
* Note: or would it have been better to make Koya on Day 4 and then from Koya to Yunomine?
Day 8: Koya San = Osaka

PS: Sorry, it seems gmaps didnt show the numeration to the public viewers (turned them on now) and also not the route layer, so now it should be more clear what i had in mind.

Please also note that the shown blue route doesnt support public transport since gmaps doesnt work for trains and buses it in this area.

(that is actually why i wouldnt like to show it in the first place, cause i would rather get the input of the japan guide audience how to handle this places by public transport. day 1-3 are no problem, but i think for the ways between Yoshimizu / Watase Onsen / Kawayu Onsen / Yunomine Onsen / Shingu / Koya San i need some buses....)

I am a Japanese but not familiar with this area, so I just write about the route from Yoshino to Kumano Hongu.

If you drive a car, you can go directly (2+ hours drive through Route 168 according to Googleap, but as you can see with the street view it is a narrow winding road and I don�ft want to drive this section :). As far as I searched, the easiest route is via Gojo station and the bus timetable is as below. The train route from Yoshino to Gojo can be found on Hyperdia.

http://www2.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/pdf/Gojo-Totsukawa-Hongu-to-Shin...

a big thank you, dear frog1954! your map is worth gold! thanks a lot!!!

so it seems my initial route seems to be quite work out... only problem is still how to fit koya san:
* is there any bus that would go from wakayama to koya or is it really required to go up all the way to Namba (Osaka) before? i only found trains and buses coming from the north, but none from the west...

* has anyone experience with walking on feet between Watase Onsen / Kawayu Onsen / Yunomine Onsen? The bus seems to take only a few minutes, but on google maps it looks quite far from each other...

Nope you don't need to go back to Osaka to go to Koya-san.

http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/transport/

Depending on time of year, there are buses from Tanabe to Koya-san and throughout the year there are trains from Wakayama to Hashimoto, where you can transfer to the Nankai line to Koya-san. I've taken the train from Wakayama to Hashimoto because I wanted to travel up the Ki. It's not fast, but much faster than going all the way back to Osaka!

I've only been to Tanabe/Kainan/Wakayama, (and Koya-san, but on a different trip.) but one of my close friends was a JET in Tanabe and she told me another former JET created the Tanabe English website to make travel in the area easier for English speakers. You can also contact the Tanabe Tourism Bureau with any questions that can't be answered here. The website is very well done and I would spend some time visiting it outside the maps. It's full of useful information and seems to be more comprehensive sites.

Yunomine onsen is about 3.4 kms from Watase onsen which is 1.3 kms from Kawayu. So I guess it depends on what you consider far hiking wise? I regularly run 5-10ks so.... Since I'm not sure of hiking conditions I would not want to do it when it's dark.

Good luck!

I've walked from Kawayu Onsen to Watase Onsen then onto Yunomine Onsen. It was a pleasant walk, though the tunnel between Kawayu and Watase was rather narrow. Just be careful and cautious when cars approach.

@Sal1980: sounds nice. how long about did it took you?
and: since you have seen all 3 villages, in which would you think it is best to stay the night over?

Here's the tunnel by the way https://flic.kr/p/bt2ePM

Well, by the info on my photos we will still in Kawayu Onsen at 1:56pm but then had lunch (I believe soba, at a nice little riverside restaurant). We were at the end of the tunnel just after 3pm, and arrived at Yunomine Onsen at 5:15pm. We'd also taken 30-60 min to visit Watase Onsen and have a beer afterwards.

Oh and Yunomine Onsen for overnight, definitely. It's a very pretty town and with Tsuboyu you're in for a special experience. We stayed at Minshuku Atarashiya. It was lovely and the hosts were excellent. My husband (an egg-eater, unlike me) particularly enjoyed the eggs our host cooked in the river for breakfast. http://www.kumano-travel.com/index/en/action_ContentsDetail_Detail/id4... There's lots of accommodation options on there

thanks, Google https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Kawayu+Hot+Spring,+%E5%B7%9D%E6%B9%...

Will we ever get an edit button?......

Anyway. Restaurant https://goo.gl/maps/9AxnY8auZTC2. Looking at the menu I assume it was udon. Mmmm.

ohhh, this edit button. this would be heaven indeed! :-)
(generally this whole forum should be reborn into a new modern one (e.g. with more powerful editor,...))

thank you very much for all the explanations, suggestions and also for the nice pictures on flickr Sal1980

Yes I agree! Maybe Stefan will do it one day.

No problem. Enjoy your time in Wakayama prefecture!