Nature & the Outdoors
Area
Season
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A New Immersive Experience to Engage with the Ancient World at the Foot of Mt. Fuji
Omuro Sengen Shrine has been home to various traditional Japanese ceremonies and festivals that have been held for over 800 years, such as the Yabusame Festival and Tsutsugayu Festival. Participants can head to the shrine to enjoy immersive experiences unique to the area, from interacting with sacred horses to an exclusive nighttime worship session with a shrine priest; watching a performance of Bugaku, a form of dance that combines samurai martial arts with traditional performing arts; and live performances by contemporary artists. There will also be plenty of content for foodies and more, including creative food inspired by oshi-style cuisine, a form of traditional Japanese cuisine that used to be essential to climb Mt. Fuji.
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The Mysterious Hakujahime Story at Hokkaido Shikaribetu 2024 Special worship tour／Hakujahimemai／Traditional Ainu cuisine
Lake Shikaribetsu is located in Daisetsuzan National Park in the center of Hokkaido. Participants will travel to the sacred island of Bentenjima located on the lake for a special tour to view a traditional Ainu performance of Hakujahimemai (Dance of the White Snake Princess) and sample Ainu wild game cuisine.
Special Visit to Bentenjima
Bentenjima is normally off-limits to the public, but this tour includes a special boat trip to the island. Enjoy a special experience in this sacred place surrounded by nature.
View a traditional Ainu performance of Hakujahimemai (Dance of the White Snake Princess)
There will be a chance to engage with Ainu culture and gain a deeper understanding of their history and traditions through watching a special performance of the traditional Hakujahimemai dance. The legend behind the story is that a goddess and a white snake saved an Ainu village suffering from famine.
Ainu Wild Game Cuisine Course: "Gifts of Kamui Tou"
Participants will be served wild game dishes featuring venison. This meal, which utilizes local ingredients, is sure to bring you closer to the nature and culture of Japan. Experience Ainu culinary culture while enjoying the venison, wild vegetables, and mushrooms produced in Shikaribetsu Town. -
Special Private Tour of a Spectacular Flower Garden in Hiroshima Prefecture's Sera Highland
This special private tour takes place in a flower garden where you can enjoy both historical insights and spectacular views. Enjoy a premium dining experience in a flower garden, and immerse yourself in Japan’s four seasons. Our goal is to elevate your travels from ordinary sightseeing to extraordinary experiences.
*Candlelit tours are available during the winter season when flowers are scarce.
This tour also gives participants a special opportunity to see the wooden statue of Standing Eleven-Headed Kannon, a national Important Cultural Property that is usually only open to the public once a year. This special viewing includes an explanation by a member of the National Commission for the Protection of Cultural Properties at Imakoyasan, which is to the west of Mount Koya in Kishu and is said to have been founded by Kobo Daishi (also known as Kukai), the founder of the Shingon sect.
Participants will also visit a renovated cafe in a former pilgrim’s lodging for a teahouse experience with vegetarian cuisine, as well as sencha and hojicha teas grown on a restored local tea plantation.
Every part of the trip will be guided by an experienced professional interpreter.
Private cabs are available for transportation from participants' accommodation. -
Limited to One Pair Per Day: The Ultimate Premium Night Experience, Taking in the Food Culture and Nature of Yoron Island with All Five Senses
(1) Only one pair of visitors per night will be invited to a special terrace overlooking the ocean, reserved for just the two of you. Enjoy a special premium dinner that reflects the unique characteristics of Yoron, carefully arranged by the chefs. Afterwards, you will be guided to the rooftop terrace by a star guide, who will show you how to enjoy the starry skies of Yoron. At the end of the day, you can rest on a sofa bed that you have all to yourself, and enjoy the 360-degree view of the starry sky along with dessert and coffee.
Main promotional points:
<1> Limited to one pair per day! Private seaside terrace and rooftop terrace for a private couple’s experience.
<2> Special full-course meal and drinks with carefully-selected Yoron Island ingredients, designed down to the slightest details.
<3> Flexible arrangements and services such as photoshoots, marriage proposals, bouquets, etc. are available. *Please consult with us at least 14 days in advance.
(2) Just one pair per night will be guided around Yoron Island by a Starry Sky Sommelier®. From caves and secluded beaches where sea turtles lay their eggs to special places known only to locals, you may even encounter creatures that are designated Natural Monuments. On a clear night, you will also be able to enjoy a truly special time under the star-filled sky of Yoron, known as one of the best places for stargazing in Japan.
Main promotional points:
<1> Limited to one pair per night! Premium illuminations are presented in a private secret cave.
<2> Guides and Star Sommeliers who know Yoron Island's night sky inside and out will teach guests how to enjoy the night sky! A special guide to nighttime fun on Yoron Island.
<3> If they are lucky, guests may also be able to encounter nocturnal creatures that are nationally designated Natural Monuments. Explore and discover nighttime creatures on Yoron Island—an experience that is not possible during the day.
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Ride the Tadami Line with Local Guides & A Night Tour of Mugenkyo Gorge
At 135.2 kilometers in length, the JR Tadami Line connecting Aizu-Wakamatsu Station in Fukushima Prefecture with Koide Station in Niigata Prefecture is famed as a hidden gem of a local rail line which boasts extraordinary views. The scenery, which includes the spectacular landscape of the Tadami River, the villages dotted along its riverbanks, and the majestic mountains nearby, is astoundingly beautiful no matter the season and has proven highly popular amongst visitors. This special tour is offered by a guide who is one of the most well-versed people in the world about the Tadami Line. Enjoy hidden sights and photo spots known only to this guide—both from inside the train and from the train’s windows.
The Mugenkyo Gorge ferry is a hand-pulled boat that runs between the towns of Kanayama and Mishima in Fukushima Prefecture, crossing the Tadami River. The name "Mugenkyo” derives from the ephemeral beauty of the valley when it is shrouded in river mist on summer mornings and evenings—as if in a scene from a dream. Although the Mugenkyo Gorge ferry normally runs only from morning to evening, this tour features special yakatabune boats that operate at night. The illumination of the yakatabune boats will give the nighttime Mugenkyo Gorge an even more mystical appearance. You will also enjoy a meal that is often served at times of celebration in this region, prepared with lots of local ingredients and traditional dishes.
On both the Tadami Line and Mugenkyo Gorge tours, you will be loaned a tablet with video and audio features that can provide multilingual guidance for your convenience, and you will stay at a guesthouse renovated from an old private residence.
Packed with rare content, these tours offer deep experiences of the culture of the Oku-Aizu region.
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50 Kilometers’ Worth of Adventure Tourism on Shikoku’s Sadamisaki Peninsula!
This program provides six adventure tourism experiences on Sadamisaki Peninsula, available for a limited time only. These include a tour of the uninhabited island of Kuroshima, which is about 10 minutes from the port and has the dilapidated remains of a breakwater; a guided fishing boat cruise that will take you to view strange rock formations and allow you to try fishing at a first-class spot known only to local fishermen; a stay in a traditional private residence and a visit to the Oiwa Farm citrus orchard (with a citrus juice tasting comparison); a stay in a log cabin-style cottage and a barbecue meal of fresh seafood and game from the Sadamisaki Peninsula; a stay with breakfast at Bluestone, a stylish Western-style accommodation by the sea with a bath overlooking the sea; and a helicopter sightseeing tour for extended access to the Sadamisaki Peninsula. Come take part in these invaluable experiences and enjoy yourself to your heart’s content!
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30th Anniversary of World Heritage Registration and 800th Anniversary of Sect Founding NAKED Light-Up at Nishi Honganji Temple 2024 Special Autumn Viewing
This year in Kyoto, Nishi Honganji Temple, the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Honganji sect that was founded by the holy man named Shinran, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its World Heritage registration and the 800th anniversary of the sect's founding. To commemorate this event, the creative company NAKED, INC., will plan and host an autumn light-up event at Nishi Honganji Temple.
Experience the history and culture of Nishi Honganji Temple by carrying NAKED distance lanterns (artistic lanterns popular at NAKED events) while touring Miedo Hall, a National Treasure which will be decorated with digital art, and Hiunkaku Pavilion, a National Treasure that is usually closed to the public. In addition to the regular tickets, there will be special tickets available that will allow visitors to get a better feel for what Nishi Honganji Temple is like in the early fall. These include a special viewing ticket for admission to the Shoin complex, another National Treasure which is normally closed to the public, and a premium ticket enabling visitors to enjoy digital art and a tea ceremony experience at Hiunkaku Pavilion. -
Gastronomy Tour of Aso Caldera's Finest Produce and Japanese Brown Wagyu
Minami Aso Village at the southern foot of the vast Aso Caldera is a healing sanctuary abundant in nature and pure spring water. Shirakawa Suigen, which was selected as one of the 100 Best Natural Waters in Japan, is among one of its most famous springs.
Participants will partake in a sumptuous dining experience that stimulates the senses, featuring Aso Japanese Brown wagyu and other carefully-selected local ingredients. Lunch is served on an open-air trolley car, whereas dinner is prepared right in front of you by chefs using wood and other natural flames.
Participants will also experience traditional Japanese culture in an authentic tea ceremony performed by members of the 400-year-old Urasenke school founded by tea master Sen Rikyu. The ceremony will take place at Shirakawa Suigen, which was selected as one of the 100 best waters by the Ministry of the Environment.
The rich nature and local cuisine of this volcanic region will provide an extraordinary experience that will heal both the mind and body.
Head Chef
Kenshin Miyamoto: A goodwill ambassador for “Kumamoto, the Land of Food,” and the recipient of the Culinary Masters Award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. Boasts an illustrious career that includes a culinary showcase at Expo 2015 Milan, which promoted the charms of Aso to the world.
He will prepare exquisite multicourse meals that make the most of Aso Japanese Brown wagyu, cooked skillfully over natural flames borne of wood and charcoal, and Kumamoto Prefecture's bountiful seasonal produce. -
The Birthplace of Japanese Wine, Featured in the Manga Drops of God! Three days to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Kyoutou region in Yamanashi Prefecture and taste Koshu wines
(1) Special private viewing of one of Japan's three new most beautiful nightscapes
Enjoy dinner at the Fruit Park Fujiya Hotel with a beautiful night view of the Kyoutou region, which was selected as one of Japan's "New Three Most Beautiful Nightscapes." They can also enjoy the night view from the Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, which is normally closed to the public at night.
(2) Tour of historical sites from the early days of authentic winemaking
Visit the Former Lumiere Underground Fermentation Tank, which is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property, and learn about the unique Japanese winemaking methods that continue to this day.
(3) Premium dinner experience at Daizenji Temple with Japanese cuisine and Koshu wine
Take in the local food culture of the area (local Japanese cuisine and wine from the Kyoutou region) with a premium dinner expeirence at Daizenji Temple, a national treasure which has a history of over 1,000 years. The temple also houses a statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha, holding a bunch of grapes—the only statue of its kind in Japan.
The temple grounds will be used to host a special art show by internationally acclaimed dye artist Ena Furuya, who has brought the 1,200 year-old traditional craft of wax-resist dyeing to the modern age.
(4) Breakfast at a popular scenic spot with a panoramic view of Mt. Fuji
A special early morning bus service will be provided to take participants to FUJIYAMA Twin Terrace to see a stunning panoramic view of Mt. Fuji with the sunrise.
(5) Drops of God! Collaboration
Receive a guidebook supervised by the author of Drops of God!, a legendary wine manga that has sold 15 million copies worldwide and is adored by wine lovers around the world, as well as wines with original Drops of God! wine labels. -
Tour of the Spiritual Culture of Jion-ji Temple, the Tohoku Region’s Finest Prayer Temple
This two-day program allows participants to experience spiritual culture with both the body and the mind to gain invaluable spiritual and physical enrichment. The program takes place at Mt. Hayama, which was once home to 48 monasteries in three different temples, and was one of the three mountains of Dewa, as well as Jion-ji Temple, a nationally designated historic site with a 1,300-year history and the Tohoku region’s finest prayer temple.
Spiritual and cultural programs include a dialogue with the head abbot of Jion-ji Temple, a performance of Jion-ji Bugaku, a prayer dance designated as a National Intangible Folk Cultural Property,
and a hike to Mt. Hayama, a former site of importance in Shugendo, a type of Japanese mountain asceticism.
The health food meals that will be served during the program will be a modern take on traditional vegetarian recipes from Jion-ji Temple.
This normally unavailable program at the historic Jion-ji Temple in Mt. Hayama will have yopu surrounded by the magnificence of nature, and you will gain a sense of spiritual richness and health you will not find anywhere else.