Find Your Inner Peace Spiritual Adventures ~ 3Days2Nights Guided Tour
For some 1,300 years, in Iiyama City in northern Nagano Prefecture, in a village named Kosuge, mountain monks have lived and practiced the mystic, ascetic religion known as Shugendo. To this day, the villagers still carry on the ancient rituals at the historic Okusha Shrine near the summit of Mt. Kosuge.
Mr. Shida, a Yamabushi who trained at Dewa Sanzan, has been living in the Kosuge community since 2015 and continues his training on Mt. Kosuge, where he tries to revive the culture of Shugendo, and help others connect to the deep mountain culture, by learning from local people first-hand.
On the first day, you will experience a short, authentic Zen meditation, ideal for beginners, and listen to a Buddhist talk at Shojuan, where Hakuin, the founder of Zen, practiced Buddhism. You will enjoy a genuine vegetarian Shojin Ryori lunch at Daishoji Temple in Iiyama City.
The tour will be conducted by E-bike with an English-speaking guide who lives in the area. That night you will stay at a local farmer's inn, to enjoy vegetables and rice are that are grown and served by the family, so you can fully enjoy the local food.
On the second day, your full-day Shugendo experience will begin. Bring your boxed lunch prepared by the inn, and spend a day with Mr. Shida and your English-speaking guide, while listening to the stories of the region and learning about the history and culture of the Yamabushi. Hiking the mountain trail is a 2 to 3 hours round trip, but the tour will take about 5 hours including explanations and lunch. This is a mountain that can be hiked in a short time, but it is very steep, so please participate only if you are confident in your physical strength and well-equipped, with proper boots and weather appropriate clothing.
~In reference~
https://www.iiyama-ouendan.net/en/experience/spiritual-adventures/
Price | ¥97,600 |
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Duration | 3 Days / 2 Nights |
Travel Period | May 8, 2024 – November 8, 2024 |
Tour code | Z-167 |
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Minimum No. of Guests | 2 people |
Credit Card |
Schedule
Day 1 | 10:40 | Meet with English-speaking guide at JR Iiyama Station. (Shinkansen ticket gate) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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10:45 | Orientation at Activity Center in Iiyama Station. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11:10 |
Iiyama downtown bicycle tour with English-speaking guide.
-Explore Iiyama on the latest E-Bike! |
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11:20 |
Zazen experience at Shojuan
-A Zen Buddhist practice, seated meditation. -Shojuan : A temple of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. |
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13:05 | Move to the lunch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13:30 |
Lunch of Buddhist cuisine
-Cuisine made entirely of vegetable ingredients such as vegetables and tofu. It is the traditional cuisine of ascetic monks who observe the Buddhist precepts. |
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14:30 |
Cycling Iiyama downtown as know as temple town
https://www.iiyama-ouendan.net/en/destination/downtown-area/ |
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15:20 | The cycling tour finished. Say goodbye to the guide. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15:53 | Transfer from Iiyama Station to Togari-nozawaonsen station, the nearest station to the accommodation, by JR Iiyama line. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16:04 |
Arrive at Togari-nozawaonsen station.
-Meet the pick-up car at the ticket gate. |
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16:30 |
Check-in / Stay at Minshuku.
-Enjoy a relaxing and luxurious time at a farmhouse in Iiyama. |
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18:00 |
Dinner
-The taste of the seasons, fresh vegetables grown by the minshuku family and local products. |
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Day 2 | 7:45 | Breakfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8:40 |
Transfer to Kosuke area.
-Kosuge, known as one of northern Nagano’s sacred places. |
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9:00 |
Yamabushi experience tour
-Meet with Mr. Shida, a Yamabushi, and English-speaking guide. |
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14:00 | The Yamabushi experience tour finished. Say goodbye to the guides. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14:05 | Transfer to the accommodation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14:30 |
Free time after arrival.
-Take a walk around the minshuku and feel the relaxing Japanese hometown. |
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18:00 | Dinner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Day 3 | 8:00 | Breakfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9:30 | Check out. Transfer to Togari-nozawaonsen station by the minshuku bus. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9:50 | Transfer from Togari-nozawaonsen station to Iiyama station by JR Iiyama line. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10:02 | Arrive at Iiyama station and break up. |
What is included in the plan
■Expenses covered by this plan: Accommodations fee, meals (2 nights, 4 meals), lunch on the first day, box lunch on the second day, bicycle rental fee (electrically power assisted bicycle and helmet), guide for bicycle tour, Zazen experience fee, Yamabushi experience fee, guide for Yamabushi experience tour, insurance, various taxes such as consumption tax fee
Not included in the plan
■Transportation to the meeting place and train transportation during the tour are not included in the tour price. Please make your own arrangements.
■ A tour guide will not always be accompanied.
What to prepare
Trekking shoes
Wear clothes (easy to move in)
Warm clothes
Rain gear (raincoat, folding umbrella, etc.)
Backpack (large enough to hold a lunch box on the second day)
Drinks
Towel (towels for bathing are provided at the accommodation)
Change of clothes (in case of soiling)
Bath products
Access
Access to the meeting point
■From Kanto area
Tokyo Station (Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka)→Iiyama Station
■From Kansai area
Shin-Osaka Station (The Limited Express Thunderbird)→Kanazawa Station (Hokuriku Shinkansen Hakutaka)→Iiyama Station
Matters to keep in mind
■ Accommodations: Shikisainoyado Kanoe (https://www.kanoe.jp/) Guest house type accommodations/ Room type: Japanese room with toilet/ Shared bath *The bath is water from a hot spring.
■Tour fee: Same price for elementary school students and older. No preschool children allowed.
■A guide will accompany you only on the bicycle tour and the Yamabushi experience tour. At other times, no guide or escort will accompany the tour but local staff will guide you.
■Minimum : 2 persons / Maximum : 8 persons
■In case of rain
【Cycling】
-Light rain: Tour will be held.
-Heavy rain: Tour will be cancelled and replaced with a walking tour of the Iiyama cityscape with a guide.
【Yamabushi experience】
-Light rain or rain: Tour will be held.
-Stormy weather: Tour will be changed to a walk in Kosuge village with Yamabushi.
■Other Notes
-Bicycles with electric assist function (E-bike) are suitable for those who are between 145cm and 175cm tall. (Depending on your height, you will be guided on either an electric bicycle or an E-bike.)
-The Yamabushi experience involves a 2.5 hour round trip up a mountain.
-If anyone in the group is injured during the Yamabushi experience, the guide may ask the group to go down the mountain at his decision.
■If you have any of the following requests, please indicate them at the time of application:
Allergy / Receipt required / Other notes
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