Experience the Life and Mountain Worship of Japan 300 Years Ago: Trekking Ancient Trails for 2 Nights (Nakasendo, Mt. Kiso Ontake）
This tour will enable you to find and experience how people were living like 300 years ago in Kisoji Trail in Japan. Mountain worship has been having a great relationship with life and people are living with nature, mountains and seasons. Experience the self-meditation and the thinking of “Learn from the life” which Japanese people have been doing from ancient times by following the worshippers’ trails, washing yourself off in the waterfall and stand at the summit of the sacred mountain. You will be able to choose the dinner style from the simple or traditional Shojin cuisine at the accommodation. Refresh your body and mind in this 2-night tour!
Local English-speaking tour guides in Nagano or a guide-interpreter and tour guide will attend this tour.
Features of this tour
- Experience a variety of traditional crafts
- A thrilling waterfall experience.
- Experiencing asceticism, walking along historic old paths
- Trekking along ancient paths to feel the faith of the people of the past
Traditional Japanese Woodworking
Experience Waterfall Meditation
Nakasendo Trekking
Couse details
Duration 2 Nights 3 Days
| Day1 | 9:30 Meet-Up at JR Kiso Fukushima Sta.＝＝Workshop at Furusato Taiken-kan（10:15 Chopstick Making / 11:15 Farming Experience・Momigara Kamado Stove Experience）・・Lunch・・Workshop・・13:15 Moving by Private Car after workshops＝＝13:45Juni Gongen・・14:15 Trekking to Shintaki・・15:00 Shintaki Waterfall・・15:30 Waterfall Meditation Start・・17:00 Leave from Waterfall＝＝Kurumisawa Ryokan（Dinner） |
|---|---|
| Day2 | Leave after Breakfast・・8：15 Ontake Shrine Satomiya・・9：12 Leave from Otaki＝＝（Local Bus）＝＝9：55 Tanohara・・Trekking in Ontake Kodo Trail（Approx. 2.5 hours）・・Lunch（Bamboo Wrapped Riceball）・・Trekking in Ontake Kodo Trail・・15：45 Tanohara Bus Stop＝＝Kurumisawa Ryokan（Dinner） |
| Day3 | Breakfast, Leave at 8:00＝＝9:00 Tsumago-juku・・Trekking in Nakasendo（Approx. 3hours）・・12:00 Lunch（Lunch Box at Ichikokutochi Tateba Chaya）・・Trekking in Nakasendo Trail・・14:30 Magome-juku＝＝△:△ JR Nakatsugawa Sta.（Finish） |
（・・・by walk = = by bus or shuttle bus）
PLAN CONTENTS
Day 1
Experience the Japanese Forestry & Traditional Woodworking
Forests account for 67% of the land in Japan. At this workshop, you can experience the traditional woodworking popular in this forestry country. 90% of the Kiso area is covered with forests.
Workshops at Furusato Taiken-kan
＜Chopstick Making＞
Make your original chopsticks from Kiso Hinoki Cypress
＜Farming Experience＞
Harvest the seasonal vegetables of potatoes, corn, red radish and so on.
＜Momigara Kamado Stove Cooking＞
Cook rice by the traditional stove of Momigara Kamado. You can enjoy the special meals with miso soup and Japanese pickles made with local miso.
Trekking Worshippers’ Trails in Ontake Kodo
You will experience meditation in the waterfall which is one of the major training of monks. The waterfall is still common among the monks for cleansing themselves as a training.
There are changing rooms for both men and women at the waterfall. Rental clothes for waterfall meditation are included.
Experience Waterfall Meditation
You will experience meditation in the waterfall which is one of the major training of monks. The waterfall is still common among the monks for cleansing themselves as a training.
There are changing rooms for both men and women at the waterfall. Rental clothes for waterfall meditation are included.
Day 2
Trekking in the Worshippers’ Trails
Mt. Ontake is entirely worshipped as a deity. You will trek this sacred mountain toward the shrine on the summit which is located on an elevation of 2,973m.
While walking in Ontake Kodo Trails, you will wear the traditional travellers’ costumes of Kasa (Hat), Kongotsue (Walking Stick) and Shiroshozoku (White Worshipping Clothes).
Bamboo Wrapped Rice balls, the traditional meals among worshippers, will be served as lunch.
＜Route＞
Tanohara Trail→Yohaijo (Worshippers’ Praying Place) →Ooe Gongen→8th Station→Fujimi-Ishi→Hitokuchi-Mizu→Onozoki-no-ganpeki→Otaki Shrine
Day 3
Nakasendo Trekking
Walking Nakasendo, one of the most famous ancient trails in Japan, from Tsumago-juku and visit the shrines which have been worshipped by people in Kiso. At lunchtime, “Rice mixed with chestnuts Lunch Box” will be served at Ichikokutochi Tateba Chaya.
As you walking to Magome-juku, the long trail leading to Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) will make you feel the history and links with the present day.
Other precautions
- This tour is a private group tour. The guestrooms may be arranged at your request.
There will be no extra fees on a request of 1 room for 2 persons.
(Ex. If a group of 6 persons includes a family of 4 persons & a family of 2 persons, A room for 4 persons & a room for 2 persons will be prepared.) - The accommodation (Shukubo) has only public bathrooms and toilets.
- Large luggage will be delivered by the tour staff’s car.
- Costume rental of Kasa (Hat), Kongotsue (Walking Stick) and Shiroshozoku (White Clothes) for Ontake Kodo Trekking will be offered in only one free size.
- Bring your drinks by yourself. No drinks will be served on tour including lunchtime.
- Prepare your sturdy shoes for trekking. There will be no rental shoes on the tour.
- All of the contents of this tour can be held in rain. Only in case of stormy weather which causes a warning or emergency issue, part or all of the tour will be canceled. There will be no refunds in that case.
For inquiries about this tour, please contact
Planning implementation company
Nagano Tourism Organization (Officially registered by Nagano Prefecture; No. 2-436)
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