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Tailored ascetic training experience at the World Heritage site of Mt. Hiei Enryakuji Temple
Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei is a religious institution that is renowned for producing famous monks, such as Honen and Shinran, from various schools of Japanese Buddhism. Many monks continue to engage in various forms of ascetic practices on the temple grounds.
The experience involves the following:
・ Participants will be guided by the chief priest (the current instructor of monks-in-training) of Enryakuji Temple, one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries in Japan and a World Heritage Site.
・ Each participant will speak with the chief priest, who will ask about their daily thoughts and worries to determine the most suitable training.
・ The training is identical to that practiced by many monks today:
- Circle the mountain in kaihogyo, an ascetic practice that has performed by monks at Mt.Hiei for the past 1100 years
- Practice seated hoto-zazen meditation while visualizing the 1,200-year ""eternal flame of Buddhism""
- Clean the temple grounds and dojo to clear your mind and attain a meditative state
- Recite the name of Amitabha Buddha in Amitabha samadhi, one of the four kinds of samadhi practiced on Mt. Hiei
In contrast to the tourist-oriented training experiences of the past, we offer an authentic training experience in which participants will attain new understanding and insights. -
Hokuriku-Echizen Grandmaster Tour
The Hokuriku area is home to a large number of traditional folk crafts, 23 of which are nationally recognized. All have a long history, and have been carefully handed down to the present day.
The Tannan district in the Reihoku area of Fukui is truly unique, with five nationally designated traditional craft centers concentrated within 10 kilometers of each other. One such craft is Echizen washi paper, which has a 1,500-year history and is said to have been used by world-famous painters like Rembrandt and Picasso. Toyama is surrounded by the Tateyama mountain range, which provides easy access to high-quality timber, and many crafts that utilize wood have flourished there. Inami, a town known for sculptures, was recognized as a Japan Heritage site in 2018. Home to 36 traditional folk crafts, Ishikawa is also known as the “kingdom of crafts.” Ishikawa is particularly well known for its 10 traditional crafts specially designated by the Japanese government, and has it produced a remarkable number of artisans who are recognized as Living National Treasures.
Interact with the grandmasters of these nationally designated traditional crafts, whom tourists typically never get the opportunity to meet, and tour their workshops that are usually closed to the public. Enjoy a special dining experience in collaboration with area chefs which showcases local ingredients and makes use of the craft items crafted by these grandmasters. -
Tour for Luxury Tourists: “The Path of the Craftsman—A Journey Through the Heart of Japan”
This tour is an in-depth experience of traditional Japanese crafts, natural landscapes, and culinary culture unique to various areas. The following unique experiences will be offered in the Aichi, Gifu, and Kyoto Prefectures.
(1) Traditional folk craft experiences
- Ceramic art: Learn from the direct apprentice of a Living National Treasure at the Kobeigama Kiln for an authentic Japanese experience. This activity is exclusive to participants of this tour, and the items can be mailed back to your home countries at a later date.
- Small blade making: Try your hand at making a small blade in a workshop not usually open to the public in Seki, Gifu Prefecture. This experience is also exclusive to participants of this tour, and items can be mailed back to your home countries at a later date.
- Mino-washi papermaking: Learn from an artisan how to make hon-minoshi paper, a method which is registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
(2) Traditional scenery and accommodations
- Tour historical buildings: Visit traditional buildings in places like Gifu Prefecture's Takayama City, Mino City, and Shirakawa-go, as well as Kyoto Prefecture's Kyoto City. Enjoy strolling around and taking photos wearing a kimono.
- Traditional accommodations: Stay in select accommodations in old private homes built more than 130 years ago, or in machiya-style townhouses designated as Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government. Enjoy an extraordinary experience in a truly special space.
(3) Culinary culture and seasonal produce
- Michelin Guide-listed restaurants: Enjoy dishes made with seasonal local ingredients, such as wild vegetables in spring, ayu (sweetfish) and eel in summer, matsutake mushrooms in fall, and wild game in winter. Accommodations can also be made for vegan or halal dining.
Participants will be accompanied by a guide from the region who is fluent in the participants' language, has extensive knowledge of the area, and who can provide a deeper understanding of Japanese culture. -
Exclusively Reserved Tour
Discover Ōyosami Jinja Shrine, where the gods of Japan have been worshiped for more than 2,000 years. Participants will be picked up from their hotel in Osaka by taxi to make traveling to the shrine stress-free. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a priest and make your way under the shrine's stone torii gate to begin this special program. First, you will don the robes of a Shinto priest and perform a formal shrine visit and prayer. The priest guide will then provide a detailed explanation of Japanese shrines and the Shinto faith that underpins the spirituality of the Japanese people. Afterwards, you will visit other areas of the shrine grounds, including a sacred "shinboku" tree.
After the Shinto experience, you will enter the sacred space of the Kaguraden for a special tea ceremony experience. After changing back into your clothes, try your hand at Japanese calligraphy.
All these participatory experiences are conducted by qualified professionals, allowing participants to learn about Japanese culture in-depth.
After these special lessons, participants will enjoy a kaiseki-style bento, a beautifully presented Japanese meal made with seasonal vegetables. Japanese sake and wine will also be available to pair with the dishes.
After the program is over, participants will be taken back to their hotel in Osaka.
Reservations must be made in advance for this tour. A dedicated guide and interpreter will be present throughout the tour, and the shrine will be booked out exclusively for the program. This will ensure you gain a better understanding of each cultural activity for a truly memorable Japanese experience. You may also ask any questions you may have about Japan. -
Visit A Traditional Kyoto Artisans Workshop and Create One-of-a-Kind Artworks with Kyo-yuzen and Fusai-zome Dyeing
◆ Create an original work of art at Kyoto's long-established Isshin Kobo studio
Artisans and participants share their thoughts about the piece to be created and what it should look like, after which the artisan creates the piece as envisioned by the participant. Experience the creation of a one-of-a-kind personalized work using traditional fusai-zome dyeing techniques that have been passed down in this studio for many years.
◆ An authentic kimono experience event in Kyoto
Participants will wear traditional kimono and be led by artisans through the streets of Kyoto, and then they will help create original works of art using the fusai-zome dyeing technique. This special one-day program allows you to experience authentic kimono culture, including explanations about Japanese kimono culture, yuzen dyeing, and fusai-zome dyeing, as well as the opportunity to create your own work. Isshin Kobo will also hold events that promote authentic kimono culture, such as special kimono-related lectures and special sales of fusai-zome items. Isshin Kobo, founded in 1868, is a Kyoto institution that works to preserve the tradition of hand-made kimono, even as the number of kimono workshops declines across the country. -
Opening the door to Yomei Bunko: A bespoke experience of Japanese tradition
This tailor-made tour offers an exclusive glimpse into authentic Japanese culture with a special viewing of national treasures, such as The Tale of Genji and Mido Kanpakuki, and accompanying English commentary at Yomei Bunko.
Yomei Bunko is a treasure trove of historical materials that has been maintained for over 1,000 years by the Konoe, a branch of the noble Fujiwara family. For the first time ever, there will be a special lecture on waka poetry and related aspects of Japanese culture by the incoming head of the Konoe family (a presenter for the Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading); a Japanese calligraphy experience; and a special tour of Hoshun-in Temple on the Daitoku-ji Temple grounds (an Important Cultural Property usually closed to the public).
Several other traditional Japanese cultural experience programs are also available, giving you the freedom to customize your own tour. Activities include a tea ceremony, ikebana flower arrangement session, court dance and music performance, kemari (an ancient Japanese sport), and a Kyoto culinary experience. -
”SHOGUN” Night Banquet & Tour at Nagoya Castle
The "SHOGUN" Night Banquet & Tour at Nagoya Castle is an exclusive outdoor dining and tour program that combines both culinary and traditional cultural experiences.
Aside from being one of the largest castles in Japan, Nagoya Castle is the only one with an authentic castle keep and palace architecture stunning enough to host the shogun.
The outdoor dining program starts by asking, "If the shogun existed today, what kind of banquet would he hold under the stars?" Participants will be treated to an exquisite dinner with this very theme, prepared by the youngest-ever chef to receive two Michelin stars. Feast on delicious cuisine that is specific to this locale in a glorious space right by the castle tower.
The program also features a tour of the Honmaru Palace, the pinnacle of early modern Japanese castle palace architecture, with the building booked out exclusively for you. The tour will include a recreation of a face-to-face audience with the shogun in the Honmaru Goten, with the highest level of hospitality ever offered by the Owari Tokugawa family at Nagoya Castle. In addition, there will be a Noh theater performance based on Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu's visit to Nagoya Castle.
This experience will be an unforgettable evening of elegance and splendor. -
FC TOKYO HOSPITALITY
FC TOKYO HOSPITALITY offers three special packages:
1. Special game experiences at a home game of FC TOKYO in the J1 League, including photo opportunities with coaches and players, a stadium tour, a pitch-side visit during the warm-up, and a meal at the stadium
2. Set package with special game experiences and a special one-hour lesson with an academy coach of (U13–18) FC TOKYO
3. Special game experiences & exclusive participation in the (U6–12) FC TOKYO school
Options 2 and 3 include an interpreter-assisted Q&A session with the coaches, as well as photo opportunities for children. -
Ascetic Training, Senchado Tea Ceremony, and Fucha Cuisine at Manpukuji Temple
Manpukuji Temple was founded in 1661 by the Chinese monk Ingen Ryuki and is the head temple of the Obaku sect of Zen Buddhism. It is characterized by its Chinese-style architecture, in which its seven halls are arranged in the Ming Dynasty style.
The Daio Hoden Main Hall—the only one made of teak in Japan—the Dharma Lecture Hall, the Kaizando Founder’s Hall, and more, still stand as originally constructed. Highlights of the temple also include its Important Cultural Properties, which consist of twenty-three main buildings, corridors, plaques, and hanging couplets.
You can also experience the Chinese culture of the time through the temple's collection of Buddhist statues, framed inscriptions, paintings on sliding-door panels, and hanging scrolls by Buddhist artists from China.
Zen Master Ingen introduced a great number of things to Japan, many of which are taken for granted today. Such imports include kidney beans, watermelon, lotus root, sencha green tea, bamboo shoots (moso bamboo), chairs, tables, and manuscript paper.
Fucha cuisine, the Chinese version of Japanese Buddhist Shojin vegetarian cuisine, is beautifully presented and tastes divine. It is one of the highlights of the event that allows guests to truly experience Chinese culture.
There are Zen monks at Manpukuji who continue to practice asceticism to this day. These monks devote themselves to their practice through zazen meditation, Zen dialogue, religious services, alms begging, and other daily temple work at the Zen dojo located on the temple grounds. Visitors can deepen their understanding of the history and culture of Manpukuji from a digital guide available in seven languages: Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese (simplified and traditional). -
Shikotsu-Toya National Park Premium Private Early Morning and Evening Kayak Tour Carbon Neutral Clean Diving Tour Ice Palace Nanajo Waterfall Premium Night Tour
This is a premium, completely private tour of Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaido.
Clear kayaking is a daytime activity, but on this premium tour, you will be out there at night or in the early morning.
Watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee as you float on the caldera lake. If the wind is calm, venture out onto Lake Shikotsu and revel in the luxury of having the lake all to yourself before the crowds arrive. Enjoy the clear water while listening to the birds singing around Lake Shikotsu and the headwaters of the Chitose River. In the evening, see what the lake looks like with a nigh-vision scope. You may encounter some of Hokkaido's unique wildlife, such as Ezo deer and Ezo red foxes, and in the summer months, you can see fireflies glistening in the air.
By joining forces with local communities, the Clean Diving Tour will take you to remote locations that are usually under restricted access.
Participants must hold a diving license to perform underwater cleaning activities.
Immerse yourself in the clarity and mysterious beauty of the Lake Shikotsu's waters while taking part in underwater cleaning activities.
Participants will spend the day working to preserve the environment and will receive a certificate of appreciation documenting their activities.
The Nanajo Waterfall Night Tour takes participants to Nanajo Waterfall, which is not accesible by car without a forest entry permit, to observe the ecosystem of plants and animals with a simple-to-use night-vision scope, so as not to disturb the wildlife.
During midwinter, the frozen Nanajo Waterfall will be illuminated. Enjoy winter in Hokkaido by taking in the illuminated snowflakes and the ice sprayed with small, colorful lights.
Be sure to take photos in front of this natural ice palace.