Meet at Osaka city centre hotel in the early evening. Your guide will join you and give some insights on the journey ahead. Dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight hotel.

Transfer to Mount Koya monastery by train. Afternoon walk the Nyonin no Michi around the rim of low hills surrounding the many temples. This is as close as women could approach to the centre of what is seen as a lotus flower whose petals are the surrounding peaks.

Overnight temple on Mount Koya.

Guided walking tour of Mount Koya. After lunch we’ll drive south from Mount Koya, along the Koya-Ryujin Skyline, to an historic ryokan in Ryujin Onsen. Delicious seasonal delicacies will

be served for dinner.

Overnight ryokan.

Start of hike along the old Nakaheji pilgrimage path through the mountains to Kumano. Wayside shrines encourage regular rest stops. The small shrine at Chikatsuyu marks the end of the first day of the walk. Stay at hot spring inn.

Overnight ryokan.

The walk along the Nakaheji continues to Kumano Hongu, the first of the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano.

Overnight ryokan.

Today we’ll travel to Nachi and walk to the temple and shrine overlooking the highest waterfall in Japan.

Overnight hotel

We’ll drive north today, heading for the Odaigahara Plateau, an important conservation area in the UNESCO Mount Odaigahara, Mount Omine and Osugidani Biosphere Reserve.

We’ll have a hike in the afternoon before continuing on to Yoshinoyama and our family-run inn.

Overnight ryokan

A day exploring the ridge-top village, including the Zaodo Hall at Kinpusenji Temple, the head temple of the Shugendo School of ascetic mountain priests. Delicious lunch featuring noodles made using the fine local kuzu starch.

Overnight Ryokan

A short drive to Asuka. Asuka gives an idea of what the countryside looked like before many of the modern developments which changed the face of Japan.

We’ll explore the village and surrounding countryside, hiring either bicycles or small electric vehicles. En route there’ll an opportunity to experience the meditative practice of sutra copying, tracing Japanese characters in the peace of a temple. Sites visited will include some of the oldest archaeological remains excavated in Japan, and a modern centre where one can learn more about the culture in which the Manyoshu, an important poetry collection, was compiled.

Wonderful dinner at our lodging.

Modern inn.

Today we’ll hike the Yamanobe no Michi (literally ‘the road beside the mountains’), a 12km route through undulating countryside and farmland. The path passes many large imperial mounds of the type which are dotted all over this part of the Nara Prefecture, most of which remain unopened.

From the shrine at the end of the walk we’ll go the short distance by road to Nara.

Overnight hotel.

A day gaining insights into Nara, its important culture and history, with a local expert. We’ll also experience the tea ceremony, and have a sushi-making session. A fascinating day!

Overnight hotel.

After breakfast, we’ll travel by local train to Kyoto. We’ll take advantage of any special seasonal events or highlights, as well as the interests of members, when planning what we do today and tomorrow in Kyoto itinerary.

Overnight hotel.

A second, full day in and around Kyoto. Avoiding the worst of the crowds, we’ll explorer the quieter, often more interesting, parts of the city.

Farewell celebration dinner.

Overnight hotel

The tour ends after breakfast. Onward travel.

We’ll meet at Kyoto station before getting the train to Kinosaki Onsen. On arrival, there’ll be time to look around the time and enjoy one of several natural hot spring public baths in this famous onsen town.

Overnight ryokan

Today we’ll travel to the small castle town of Izushi. An important town during the feudal period, Izushi is famous for its porcelain and buckwheat soba noodles. We’ll have a soba-making masterclass and enjoy the results for lunch before taking a leisurely stroll around this quiet town.Return to Kinosaki later in the afternoon.

Overnight ryokan

Our journey continues, on slow trains, along the Japan Sea Coast. There are lovely views as we travel towards our destination, Matsue.

After checking-in, we’ll visit the Shimane Art Museum situated on Lake Shinjiko.

Overnight Japanese-style hotel.

We’ll take a local train, after breakfast, to the Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. One the most important shrines in Japan, visits are particularly propitious for ensuring happy relationships. Eight million Shinto deities from across Japan are believed to meet here once a year.

On return to Matsue we’ll stop at the old house where Lafcadio Hearn, who loved this part of Japan, lived for a while.

Overnight Japanese-style hotel.

Today we’ll climb Daisen (1,729m). The beech forest foliage on the volcanic peak are brilliant green in May and the forests are a fine sight in their autumn foliage. Daisen is an important pilgrimage site and has several temples and shrines on its lower slopes.

If there’s time, we’ll visit the nearby Adachi Art Museum with its perfect Japanese garden which exploits the surrounding local scenery to enhance a sense of space and perspective.

Overnight Japanese-style hotel.

By train to Hiroshima today. In the afternoon we’ll visit the Peace Park.

Overnight hotel.

Local train and ferry to Itsukushima Jinja Shrine on Miyajima Island. There are a number of pleasant walks which allow visitors to get away from the crowds which often flock to Miyajima.

Return to Hiroshima in the afternoon.

Celebration farewell dinner.

Overnight hotel.

Tour ends after breakfast. Onward travel.

Meet at city centre hotel in Osaka. Welcome dinner at local restaurant.

By train (about 80 minutes) to Mount Koya. After lunch, walk the Nyonin no Michi which connects the seven gates on the perimeter or closest points to the sacred Shingon Buddhist temple precincts women who made the pilgrimage to Mount Koya were traditionally permitted to reach.

Buddhist vegetarian meal (shojin ryori) at our temple, then a stroll to view the floodlit gate and Konpon Daito stupa before an early night.
Overnight Buddhist temple.

Early rise and sutra reading and prayers before breakfast. Our local guide will then lead a walk following a route which will include a visit Kongobuji, the head Shingon Sect temple, the immense cemetery with its towering cedar trees, and Okunoin, the inner sanctuary where it is believed Kobo Daishi, the founder, sits in eternal meditation.

After lunch we’ll travel by road to Yoshinoyama.

Overnight ryokan.

Today we’ll explore Yoshino, walking from the priest Saigyo’s hut through the town, visiting interesting spots along the way. Sites we’ll visit include the imposing Zaodo Hall at Kinpusenji, head temple of the Shugendo Sect of Buddhism. Home to mountain priests and their tough spiritual practices, Yoshino is situated at the start of the challenging Omine Okugake Pilgrimage route which leads through the Kii Mountains south to Kumano.

Delicious lunch featuring noodles made using local kuzu starch.

There’ll then be free time to wander or relax before we enjoy the large hot tubs in the ryokan before dinner.

Overnight ryokan.

A short drive to the Asuka, a small village in a conservation area. Asuka give an idea of what the countryside looked like before the modern developments which changed the face of Japan took place.

Today we’ll hike the Yamanobe no Michi (literally ‘the road beside the mountains’), a 12km route through undulating countryside and farmland. The path passes many large imperial mounds of the type which are dotted all over this part of the Nara Prefecture, most of which remain unopened.

From the shrine at the end of the walk we’ll go the short distance by road to Nara.

Overnight hotel.

Our local guide will join the group after breakfast for a full day in and around Nara. The guide brings the history and culture of Nara alive as we visit several of the most important sites. We’ll also experience the tea ceremony, and have a sushi-making session. A fascinating day!

Celebration farewell dinner.

Overnight hotel.

The tour will end after breakfast. It’s a short hop by train to both Kyoto and Osaka, or one can transfer by limousine bus from Nara directly to Kansai International Airport.