Editorial photo #13858757 Human Interest
UNESCO Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Revitalizes Rural Wakayama
YUNOMINE ONSEN, JAPAN - JUNE 18: Visitors dressed in traditional yukata robes walk past local shops toward the modern entrance of the Yunomine Onsen Public Bath facility in the ancient village of Yunomine Onsen, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, on June 18, 2026. This unique UNESCO World Heritage-listed pilgrimage network leverages its historical hot spring infrastructure and thermal bathhouse assets to capture the interest of independent international adventure travelers, successfully generating a steady stream of global tourism revenue that flows directly into traditional family-owned ryokans and rural hospitality services across the Kii Peninsula. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto)
