Hidden Japan

Japan! Nowhere else in the world have we found such a graceful balance of the modern and ancient, of art and utility, of spirituality and respect for nature.

On our classic Japan adventure tour we explore this land of contrasts: hyper-modern cities, bucolic farmlands, rugged coastlines and ancient cultural sites. We visit the ‘must sees’ such as Kyoto’s UNESCO World Heritage sites and downtown Tokyo, but also some truly hidden places. These range from little visited temples and shrines, perfectly proportioned and embedded in Zen gardens, to sea caves on the wild East coast.

As we tour Japan you’ll find the local people to be civility personified – calm, gracious, kind and welcoming. They lovingly nurture old traditions, incorporating them into their daily lives. Along our journey of discovery we meet very special individuals, including a Shinto priest who gives us a private audience; a man whose life work is making soba noodles; and a craftsman whose knives are sought after around the world.

During our Japan trip we discover the country’s amazing cuisine. Every ingredient is treated with the utmost respect. Each meal becomes a performance and a visual and gustatory delight. We sample a wide array of local specialties, in a variety of local restaurants specially picked by our local guide who happens to be a devout ‘foodie’!

This Hidden Places adventure includes visits to a variety of special natural and cultural gems in Japan which we explore by walking, bicycling, hiking and kayaking. Our hiking trips on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route and paddling and trekking excursion on Yakushima Island are sandwiched between visits to the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as Koyasan which is the historic center of Shingon – Japanese esoteric Buddhism. Our main mode of transportation between destinations will be train (including two trips on the bullet train). Our lodging includes traditional Ryokan Inns (with in-house hot springs), comfortable western style hotels, and a temple stay in Koyasan.

Highlights

Japan is a land of contrasts and delightful surprises. It leads the world with its cutting edge technology, yet it is also a treasury of ancient cultures, art and rituals, which are lovingly preserved and folded into everyday life. Food in Japan is an art form in itself, with every dish a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. Our trip takes you to hypermodern cities, bucolic landscapes, wild coastlines, ancient temples and deep into the Buddhist and Shinto spiritual traditions. We walk through ancient streets, kayak to hidden caves and hike along stunning cliffs; we soak in hot spring pools, eat exquisite food, sip craft beers and rare sakes, and meet some remarkable local people who give us an ‘insiders view’ of their beautiful and fascinating country. Don’t miss this chance to discover Hidden Japan!

Tokyo

We visit many must-see locations, old and new, as we make our way around the city by train, foot and river boat.

Enjoy the freshest sushi in Japan for breakfast before touring the largest fish and seafood market in the world, selling everything from seaweed and sardines to 300 kg tuna and the world’s most expensive caviar.
Relax on a riverboat that cruises the Sumidagawa river and Tokyo Bay, with great views of downtown Tokyo and its skyscrapers. The riverboat also serves local microbrews!
Sip Matcha tea in a garden built for the royalty and nobility of the Tokugawa era (1603-1868)
Eat a traditional bento lunch while listening to a live Shamisen (Japanese lute) performance
Tour Tokyo’s most famous temple, Asakusa, with free time afterwards to purchase souvenirs and
traditional crafts that are made in the shops near the temple grounds.
Celebrate the last day of the tour by floating around Tokyo bay in a traditional Yakatabune boat and have dinner on board.

Kyoto and Uji

You can’t travel to Japan without experiencing Kyoto. One of the few historical cities spared from bombing during WW2, Kyoto is charming and ancient with 17 registered UNESCO World Heritage sites, 1600 Buddhist temples and over 400 Shinto Shrines. On our first day in Kyoto we see see the sights by bicycle. Our 4 bike journeys last between 20-40 minutes , with lots of fascinating stops along the way. These include:

Japan’s top shrine–Fushimi Inari. This temple is the origin of Inari-Zushi; a type of tofu sushi which isn’t to be missed. At this temple, we’ll walk through thousands of bright orange Tori gates which wind along a mountain path and lead to several tea houses with great views.
Tasting sake from its birthplace in Japan, legendary because of the quality of water in an aquifer located right underneath Kyoto in the Fujishi area
Spot Geisha while navigating the narrow cobblestone lanes surrounding Kiyomizu-dera

We’ll explore to the lesser-known town of Uji,  famous as the origin of green tea production in Japan–a drink traditionally reserved only for the Samurai and ruling class. Highlights of Uji include:

• Become a tea snob by learning about the varieties of matcha and how they are prepared
• Participate in a Tea Ceremony hosted in a traditional Tea House. The facilitators are elderly ladies who aren’t shy about teaching correct form of tea consumption to their patrons.
• Eat amazing Matcha Soba Noodles and Matcha Tofu–both of which are surprisingly delightful!
  Visit the famous Byodoin Temple, which is the oldest structure in Japan and featured on the back of the 10 yen coin.

Yakushima

Probably the most biologically diverse place in Japan, Yakushima is an island of immense natural beauty, with waterfalls, ancient cedar trees and moss-covered subtropical forest. In 1993 Yakushima became the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan, and roughly one-fifth of the island is registered as a World Heritage Site of Natural Beauty.

Hike through a mossy subtropical forest in Shiratani Unsuikyo. There are a variety of hiking trails in this World Heritage park, and depending on the group’s fitness and the weather we can opt to hike for between one and six hours.
Spend an afternoon kayaking on a quieter stretches of one of the island’s rivers, or go for a paddle along the coast.
Relax at Hirauchi Onsen, a public seaside hot spring after, your paddle or hike. Located right on the ocean and only available for use twice per day at low-tide, Hirauchi Onsen has a number of different sized pools, including a 6 person bath and a footbath.

Koyasan

One of the most important religious centers in Japan, Koyasan is a temple town in the mountainous region of Wakayama prefecture (2 hours south of Kyoto). It was built 1,200 years ago by Kukai, the founder of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, as a Buddhist retreat. Its location was chosen for its remoteness and because the surrounding mountains were said to create the shape of a lotus flower. The town of Koyasan is owned by local temples, so despite its popularity among Japanese tourists there has been little expansion and no large hotels have been allowed to be built.

Guided night-time tour of Okunoin, a sacred ancient cemetery, led by a monk from our temple lodging. Okunoin stretches for more than 2km and an estimated 200,000 monks have been buried in the ancient graveyard. At night lanterns light the dark cemetery as we walk beside our monk-guide who fills us in on the history and significance of many of the tombstones and buildings we pass. Despite being man-made, the cemetery is a natural beauty on its own, with moss growing over century-old statues and crumbling tombs. In contrast to much of the rest of Japan, Okunoin’s trees were not cut down during the war, and 600-800 year old cedars tower over the site.
Our lodging at Ekoin Temple is another fantastic highlight of Koyasan. Monks here are very open to sharing their knowledge and ceremonies with guests. Guests can participate freely in morning meditations and watch the Goma fire ceremony performed by one of the monks. For breakfasts and dinners, we will eat the same vegetarian Buddhist cuisine as our monk hosts.
Walk in the footsteps of pilgrims along the many trails that circle Koyasan and originally connected it to the outside world. One of these is Nyonindo, a trail that was created for female pilgrims back during the times when women were not permitted to enter the grounds of Koyasan. This 5km trail crosses the mountains that surround Koyasan, and offers great scenic views.
Kumano Kodo
The Kumano Kodo refers to a set of four pilgrimage routes that lead to the Kumano Sanzan, or three grand shrines of the Kumano sect of Shinto, Japan’s indigenous national religion. We’ll walk along Nakahechi, the original pilgrimage route that is over 1,000 years old and was used for more than 100 pilgrimages by the imperial family in the 12th and 13th centuries. As the heart of Japanese Buddhism’s intersection with Japan’s indigenous, nature-worshipping religions, we will be trekking through one of the country’s most spiritually and historically important regions.
Hike along ancient Nakahechi trail which traverses the mountainous region of Kumano through dense, biologically diverse forests. Along the way pass many Jizo, Buddhist statues placed along the trail by monks to protect travelers and children.
Stay in a 250 year old ryokan inn at Yunomine Onsen, an ancient, traditional town famous for its hot spring
Embark on a traditional longboat, as pilgrims have done in the past, and travel down the Kumanogawa river to where it meets the Pacific Ocean in the town of Shingu. Our riverboat guide will share folktales at different historical sites along the river and entertain us with a flute performance as well.
In Shingu we’ll visit Hayatama Taisha, one of the three Grand Shrines of Kumano, as well as Gotobiki-iwa, a massive boulder located at the top of a small mountain on the edge of town. An important place in the earth creation story in the Shinto faith, it is said that the gods first touched earth here, and a large crack through the center of the boulder appeared as a result.
Hike to the stunning 500 ft Nachi waterfall above the ancient shrine village of Shingu.