First experience to hike in rains. Luckily the first hike was easy but needed to be cautious. Isuko chan & Guide Tim with the trainee always looked out for us, stopping and checking on us and our pace before proceeding. Guide Tim & Isuko brought shoes support in the rains. And Guide Tim even shared the bug repellent spray. I was surprised to see so many flies in the forest. The trainee patiently looked out for my friend Queenie who was fearful then throughout the hike. The guides were enthusiastic and warm, came to pick us from hotel which made the trip to meet them easier. We were still learning about the transport. Really appreciate their lively storytelling and patience with us. And grateful to isuko who brought warm tea to warm our cold bodies in the hikes. Really enjoyed the hikes in the safe hands of the guides.

the experience and the sites were incredible but what we appreciated the most has been our guide: she's been amazing! Incredibly kind, knowledgeable, considerate, funny: she really made our day special and we feel very grateful for that. We would highly recommend her! We also loved the walk, especially the beauty of the sceneries and the calmness of the forest.

What a great experience. Tim met us at the Kumanoshi train stop and we immediately took the taxi ride directly to Hananoiwaya. Tim gave us local insights, stories. He was able to converse with local people which added little gems and stories to our guided hike. Portions of the trail were closed due to a fireworks festival set up but Tim knew the alternative paths and worked around those sections seamlessly. He could answer all our obscure Japan questions and even found us a quiet off the beaten track restaurant for coffee and cake after the hike ended back in town. Our experience was so enriched by having a guide who knew the paths and stories of this beautiful but lesser traveled Iseji route. We would not have been able to navigate this section without a guide. Highly recommended.

I had the pleasure of walking with the Kodo Walkers as our guide. It started with our guide for the day, Tim explaining exactly what we were going to do and what to expect. He made sure we all had insect repellent on the right spots. Every now and then Tim stopped - combining two useful things: sharing relevant information and taking rests. What I loved most is that Tim knew topics thoroughly: when he talked about wood, he knew about the smell, the touch, how to differentiate. When he talked about history it wasn't like something he had just learned by heart, it all made sense. I could really see the traveling salesman walking through the woods with their long sticks carrying fish to sell. Or the making of charcoal ... or that mean Shogun, that was hated in Kumano but loved in the adjacent prefecture...or the importance of rice to the people here. The stories added a whole new dimension to the walk and made the place come alive. - it was a good mixture and from time to time he made little quizzes and jokes. I really enjoyed this tour a lot and I was lucky to have it as a foundation for my other tours on the Kodo. Thank you very much! I will recommend Tim and the Kodo Walkers to family and friends. I will come back to Japan again and continue where I left off.