Northern Japan adventure holiday
| country: | Japan |
| departures: | Please contact for dates |
| price: | From £1865 (15 days) excluding flights. Minimum age 18 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Stirred to roam 'by the sight of a solitary cloud drifting with the wind' the great haiku poet Matsuo Basho set off on foot to explore the remote Tohoku region of Japan.
He recorded the events of this five month pilgrimage in his poetic travelogue 'the Narrow Road to the Deep North', one of Japan's best-loved literary classics. On this exciting journey you will follow in Basho's footsteps and then travel even deeper north through a landscape of rugged coastline, volcanic lakes and holy mountains for a glimpse into a rural Japan rarely seen by western eyes.
Far from the bustle of Tokyo, the traveller to Tohoku has a rare opportunity to witness the 'real Japan'. We accompany pilgrims as they tour the mountain temples of Dewa San, peer into Japan's feudal past in the Samurai quarters of Kakunodate and the castle towns of Akita and Hirosaki, stroll amidst the great Tokugawa shrines at Nikko and marvel at the snow-capped volcanoes of Iwaki and Iwate. Adding to the magic of this off-the-beaten track journey are the nights spent in charming and characterful accommodation: mountain-top and lakeside 'shukubo' temple lodgings as well as traditional family run 'ryokan' guesthouses.
He recorded the events of this five month pilgrimage in his poetic travelogue 'the Narrow Road to the Deep North', one of Japan's best-loved literary classics. On this exciting journey you will follow in Basho's footsteps and then travel even deeper north through a landscape of rugged coastline, volcanic lakes and holy mountains for a glimpse into a rural Japan rarely seen by western eyes.
Far from the bustle of Tokyo, the traveller to Tohoku has a rare opportunity to witness the 'real Japan'. We accompany pilgrims as they tour the mountain temples of Dewa San, peer into Japan's feudal past in the Samurai quarters of Kakunodate and the castle towns of Akita and Hirosaki, stroll amidst the great Tokugawa shrines at Nikko and marvel at the snow-capped volcanoes of Iwaki and Iwate. Adding to the magic of this off-the-beaten track journey are the nights spent in charming and characterful accommodation: mountain-top and lakeside 'shukubo' temple lodgings as well as traditional family run 'ryokan' guesthouses.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Tokyo: Arrival |
| Day 2: | Tokyo: Comprehensive tour of Tokyo by foot, metro and boat. Evening: see a kabuki performance. |
| Day 3: | Yamadera: Head north by train via Yamagata to Yamadera. Visit the Rishaku-ji temple. |
| Day 4: | Tsuruoka: Continue to, and spend the afternoon exploring, the small castle town of Tsuruoka – including an audience with a self-mummified monk. |
| Day 5: | Haguro San: Walk amidst the cypress forests and ancient temples of Haguro San mountain. Picnic at the site of a ruined temple which once housed Matsuo Basho. |
| Day 6: | Akita: Along the coastal line by train to Akita. Afternoon to explore the gardens and art galleries of this northern city. |
| Day 7: | Akita: Daytrip to the Samurai town of Kakunodate and on to Lake Tazawa, deepest volcanic lake in Japan. Return to Akita. |
| Day 8: | Hirosaki: Explore the castle and temple districts of Hirosaki. |
| Day 9: | Osore San: Travel along the Shimokita peninsula to eerie Osore San mountain temple complex. |
| Day 10: | Hiraizumi: To Hiraizumi. Walking tour of this historic town including the impressive Chuson ji golden temple. |
| Day 11: | Nikko: After a boat journey through the pine-clad islets of Matsushima continue to Nikko. |
| Day 12: | Nikko: A full day to experience the grandeur of Nikko's Tokugawa shrines in their tranquil wooded setting with glorious mountain backdrops. |
| Day 13: | Tokyo: Morning in Nikko. Afternoon return to Tokyo. |
| Day 14: | Tokyo: Free at leisure in Tokyo. |
| Day 15: | Tour ends. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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This tour stays very close to the ground, travelling in a small group, staying usually at small family run pensions or ryokan local guesthouses or shukubo monastic guesthouses and eating at local restaurants, using public transport and very much being part of the world we are travelling through – not observing it from the goldfish bowl/behind the windows of a tour bus!
Where possible we may also take a gentle walk of an hour or so to see a particular attraction. By travelling in a small group we are able to eat at small restaurants or drink at local bars without impinging on the local community – in fact as the tour leader is now a familiar face, everybody finds themselves very welcome! At Osore San we eat together with pilgrims and those who wish are welcome to join in at a prayer ceremony. At Kakunodate we have the chance to help the local economy by purchasing products made of cherry bark – a craft perfected by disbanded samurai at the end of the shogun period. This tour is lead by Phil Colley an experienced Japanese-speaking tour leader who as well as guiding the group reads the occasional Matsuo Basho haiku at the appropriate place according to the poet’s journey in 1689. Phil also knows how to find the best hostelries for sampling local sake! In Japan we use only public transport – and discourage the use of disposable chopsticks! In the UK we don’t produce glossy brochures and run an almost entirely paperless office – everything is done by email or online. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |