Example Itinerary

Spiritual Japan: A Sacred Journey Through the Path of Prayer

Duration: 10 days / 9 nights

Price Per Person

Interests: Spirituality

Destinations: Japan

Capture the feeling of serenity through Japan’s most sacred path, the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage. Walk the famous trail to explore the holy sanctuaries, such as the Ise Jingu Grand Shrine, with stunning views through bamboo and Japanese cypress forests. This journey will introduce you to the fascinating culture and history of the ancient capital of Kyoto. Zen meditation sessions with monks will help you find your inner peace, and in the evenings relax in either luxurious or tranquil, simple surroundings.

This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.

Highlights

Hiking: Embark on the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage along Japan’s ancient and sacred pilgrimage trail network - the only pilgrimage routes besides the Camino de Santiago to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Temples: Spiritual stops along the way include Kokedera (Moss Temple), Tenryuji Temple and Ise Jingu Grand Shrine, the latter being one of the most significant destinations for pilgrims, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu.
Meditation: Meet with monks to ease your mind and soul through a private zen meditation session.

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Day-by-Day

Day 1

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Kyoto »

Arrive in Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. Transfer to the temple, settle in and enjoy the peace and silence until your private zen meditation with a monk. After your mind and soul are eased from all the anxiety and stress, relish the delicacies of the traditional Buddhist temple cuisine, shojin ryori.

Hotel Options

Why We Love This Hotel

Nature: Aman Kyoto's palette is the inviting green of forest scenery and the warm, woody tones of shelter. So aligned with its surroundings, the hotel changes with the seasons; Taka-An's menu puts the spotlight on seasonal produce, while the floor-to-ceiling windows showcase how the passing months shape the landscape.

Culture: Kaiseki banquets, matcha and mochi afternoon tea, tranquil and contemplative gardens, indoor and outdoor onsen bathing facilities, options for futon bedding and tatami mat flooring – the entire property has been designed with an immersion in both nature and culture in mind, so guests can experience true Japanese hospitality.

Wellness: A stay at the Aman Kyoto is not just a quiet retreat to return to after a day of sightseeing in Kyoto, but also an oasis designed to replenish the body and mind. The in-house spa specializes in Shiatsu massage, onsen pools are fed by the mineral-rich waters of local hot springs, while private yoga sessions in a forest clearing release stress and tension.

Preferred Hotel

Why We Love This Hotel

Location: Nestled at the foot of Higashiyama Mountain, alongside a thousand-year-old ikeniwa pond, Four Seasons Kyoto is located just ten minutes from Kyoto’s city center, within the temple district, making it an ideal base from which to explore the nearby shrines and historic landmarks, as well as the more modern attractions of Japan’s elegant former capital.

History: Having opened it’s doors in October 2016, Four Seasons Kyoto - the second site for the Four Seasons brand in the country - may have been five years in the planning, but the atmosphere of urbane tranquility of the Zen inspired interiors has made an indelible impression on a city known for its sense of style and sophistication.

Service: Four Seasons Kyoto provides the very best in round-the-clock luxury service, complete with 24-hour concierge and room service, manned with English-speaking staff ready to cater for to guests’ wants and needs.

Preferred Hotel

Day 2

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Kyoto »

Begin the day with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony alongside the temple’s monks. Next, you will travel to Kokedera, also known as Moss Temple, and discover its spectacular garden. Continue to Tenryuji temple, which is, as well as Kokedera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Follow with a visit to the Ryoan-ji temple, one of the finest Japanese rock gardens in the world. Later walk among the endless green bamboo stalks in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Finish your day in eastern Kyoto visiting the Sanjusangendo Temple.

Day 3

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Kyoto »

Drive one hour to a true historic treasure Nara, where you will stay in a ryokan (a traditional Japanese inn) after stopping en route to visit the Fushimi-Inari shrine. Next, explore the Isui-en Garden and continue to Kasuga Taisha, Nara’s most important sanctuary. Take a peek at Daibutsu, the Great Buddha in the main hall of the Todaiji temple, before finishing your day with a pleasant walk in the Nara Koen Park.

Day 4

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Mt. Koya

Travel one hour to the sacred mountains of Mount Koya. During the day, discover the Danjo-Garan temple complex and the Kong?bu-ji - the Temple of the Diamond Mountain. You’ll learn about culture and religion in the Reihokan Museum before an afternoon walk through the Okunoin, Japan’s most famous and sacred cemetery and pilgrimage spot. At night, you will stay the Soji-in temple, where you can enjoy the shojin ryori with the monks.

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Day 5

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Kumano

Rise early to meditate and pray with the monks. After a vegetarian breakfast, depart Mt. Koya and drive 2 hours to the Kumano region. Don your hiking shoes and prepare to walk the holy Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail. The approximately four-and-a-half mile and three-hour long hike starts at Hosshinmon-oji, the "gate of awakening of the aspiration to enlightenment" and ends at the Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine, the main shrine of the three Grand Shrines. Time-permitting, visit the Kumano Kodo Centre which exhibits objects and docments related to the Kumano Kodo history and culture. Dine and relax at the Kawayu Onsen Fujiya hotel in the evening, which has a natural hotspring in front of its property.

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Day 6

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Katsuura

Today the pilgrimage journey continues on to two holy sanctuaries. You will reach the first one, Kumano Hayatama Taisha with its 800-year-old sacred tree after a forty-minute drive along the Kumano-gawa River - a UNESCO World Heritage Site; if you wish, you can take a boat journey, the way pilgrims have done traditionally, instead of driving. Then it’s onto your next sacred destination, Kumano Nachi Taisha and the 436-foot high Nachi-no-Taki waterfall - you can either hike the sacred trail or drive directly to the top. You will spend the night in Hotel Nakanoshima, a hot-spring resort on an isolated island, located in Katsuura an hour from the shrine.

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Day 7

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Owase »

Today’s three-mile hike through the Matsumoto Toge Pass, the final part of the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route, will take two-to-three hours. You will pass by the statue of Jizo, and Lion Rock (Shishi-iwa). Next, you’ll explore Japan’s oldest majestic shrine, the Hana-No-Iwaya Shrine. At the end of the day, rest and relax in a local hotel in Owase city.

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Day 8

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Ise-Shima »

Take a morning walk through the Owase Fish Market to the charming Owase Hinoki forest before your four-and-a-half mile trek along the Magose-toge Pass, which is a part of the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route. During the route, you will come across the Yonaki Jizo shrine, and later the Magose-fudoson next to a waterfall. Drive onward through Mie prefecture to get to Shima where you will spend a night of luxury at the hotel Amanemu.

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Day 9

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Ise-Shima »

Spend the day exploring the Ise-Shima, also called Shima peninsula. First stop is an extensive shrine complex, the Ise Jingu, an iconic destination for pilgrims. Its two most significant buildings are Geku (the Outer Shrine) and Naiku (the Inner Shrine). In the afternoon, admire the ama divers, “the sea women”, free-diving the depths of the sea to collect pearls, before you enjoy a delightful lunch on the Mikimoto Island. Return to your luxury hotel and relax on the final night of your journey.

Day 10

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Departure

Following a relaxing morning and check out, you’ll be transferred to Nagoya Airport where you will can connect to a flight to Narita or Osaka International Airports for your flight onward.

Why Remote Lands?

Exclusively Asia

With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.

With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.

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