Stopover Kumano Kodo to Tokyo

Hi, we are hiking the Kumano Kodo in October. We have one night on the way back to Tokyo. Any suggestions on where we could spend that night on our way back to Tokyo? I was thinking about somewhere around Ise-Shima. Thank you.

Are you aware that there is an overnight bus from Kii-Katsurra to Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo?

I guess they call it Nachi-Katsurra. Here is a link.

https://nachikan.jp/en/access/from-tokyo/

When I stay in that area, I usually stay at the Resort Hotel Urashima in Katsurra.

Good luck planning your trip.

Thank you for your reply. We will have a JR rail pass and would like to split the travel back to Tokyo over two days and see another area.

Just so you know, the limited express train that goes towards Nagoya starts at KiiKatsurra Station, so stating at Natchi Katsurra works.

That train going towards Nagoya uses privately owned tracks, so even though you have a JR Pass, there will be a surcharge if you go that way.

My preference is to go back to Shin Osaka station, because I like the scenery, rather than the lower cost.

If you choose to purchase a Green JR Pass, try to get seats 1C or 1D on car 1. This is a wide View Nanki Limited Express train. The view out the front of the train is amazing. 1A and 1B are directly behind the engineer, so the view is blocked a bit.

thanks again. We will be purchasing a green pass. Is the wide view Nanki Limited Express train to go back to Osaka?
Alternatively, do you recommend an overnight stay in the Ise-Shima area? I'm interested to see the female Ama divers.

I wanted to see the AMA Divers, too, but things didn�ft work out on that trip. There were tracks out because of a typhoon that year, and I had reservations in Ise. It took me the entire day going around, and I missed out.

There are other wide view trains that are also worth riding on, if you like that sort of thing.

I am told the Nagoya to Takayama is also wide view.

I have also traveled from Okayama to Shinjuku Island on a Marine Liner had a few rows of green first class in the first car.

Some things I like the about the Resort Hotel Urashima. There is a cute turtle boat to get there. The sea cave hot springs are very nice. They have a Tuna carving demonstration on one of their buffet dinners. You will need to ask which one and what time.

Be sure to visit Nachi Falls, too.

It's a bit expensive and the meals are not amazing - but I really enjoyed Hotel Urashima which is known for the large cave onsens right next to the Pacific Ocean. It's probably one of my favourite memories of Japan - and I've visited more places in Japan than most Japanese.

It's in Kii-Katsuura from memory.

Koyasan, or Iga Ueno for the ninja vibe, maybe?

(Another vote for me for Urashima. Yes, it's not supercheap and the food isn't amazing, but the baths are awesome, and you arrive there by TURTLE FERRY!!!!)