Mountain Spirits Tour - Day by Day

Day 1 – Tokyo - Western Style Hotel
Meet at Narita International Airport and transfer by train to Tokyo. There will be a leisurely walk around central Tokyo, and later a welcome dinner at a restaurant in the center of the city.

Day 2 – Tokyo - Western Style Hotel
Our first full day in Japan will be spent on a walking tour of Tokyo, visiting Asakusa, the old residential shitamachi neighborhood around Yanaka, and taking a cruise on boat along the Sumida River to the Hamarikyu Gardens. We will also visit the Meiji Shrine and its nearby gardens before finishing in Shinjuku – the ultra-modern neon-soaked symbol of modern Japan.
Dinner will be at a sushi restaurant.

Day 3 – Nikko- Ryokan Lodging (Japanese Style Room)
(Walking 3.5 miles: 2 hours)
We will board a train this morning for the journey out of Tokyo to Nikko, two hours to the north. The forests and mountains of Nikko have been sacred to the Japanese for 1,200 years, and it was here that in 1617 the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu had himself enshrined at Tosho-gu. These extravagantly ornate buildings are now on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites and we will take a guided walking tour of the main shrine buildings. Afterwards, there will be a short walk in the surrounding hills and a chance to stop for green tea and cakes before we head to our lodgings.

Day 4 - Drive to Oze Marshland - Mountain Lodge (Japanese Style Room)
(Walking 9 miles: 4 hours)
After breakfast our baggage will be collected and sent on by courier to our lodgings in the Dewa Sanzan area. For the next few days we will carry just a day pack with a change of clothes and other essential items. We will travel by road for two hours on a series of mountain roads to the start of our walk into Oze Marshland. A two-hour hike will bring us to the marshland high in the mountains of the Nikko National Park; this beautiful area is a haven for wild flowers and plants. We will stay at a friendly mountain lodge next to the Oze-numa lake.

Day 5 – Hiking in Oze Marchland - Ryokan Lodging (Japanese Style Room)
(Walking 10 miles: approximately 5 hours)
After an early breakfast, we will hike through the Oze Marshland to the Oze-ga-hara area where boardwalks are laid out amongst the marshes. We will stop for a picnic lunch of onigiri (rice balls flavored with Japanese pickles), and then continue to the northern edge of the marsh, where a bus will take us through a long valley to the Okutadani lake and a boat the opposite side. Another short bus ride will bring us to Tochio hot spring, where we will stay for the night in a lovely traditional ryokan, enjoying a dip or two in the open-air hot spring baths.

Day 6 – Transfer to Dewa Sanzan - Shukubo (Japanese Style Room)
(2 miles walking: approximately 1.5 hours)
After breakfast and perhaps another quick soak in the hot spring, we will take a bus to the nearby town of Koide, transferring to the shinkansen (Bullet train) for our journey north, following the picturesque Japan Sea coast for part of the way. Our destination is the Dewa Sanzan (literally ‘three peaks of Dewa’) area, which refers to the three sacred peaks of Haguro-san, Gas-san, and Yudono-san. The lowest of the three, Haguro-san (414 meters) is the spiritual home of the Shugendo sect, a mixture of the native Shinto belief and Buddhism involving some rather arduous forms of mountain worship. Mountain ascetics known as yamabushi can still be seen with their conch shells which are used to call the spirits. The 17th century poet Basho came this way on his famed journey through northern Japan and penned the following praise:

How cool it is
A pale crescent shining
Above the dark hollow
Of Mount Haguro

The summit of Haguro-san is reached by a staircase of 2,446 stone steps surrounded by a forest of giant cedars. At the top the pilgrims in their white coats head for the Dewa Sanzan shrine with its massive thatched roof. Connected to the shrine by a covered walkway is the lovely shukubo (pilgrims lodgings) where we stay tonight. Our baggage sent from Nikko will be waiting for us when we arrive. For dinner we will enjoy a meal of shojin-ryori, vegetarian Buddhist cuisine.

Day 7 – Climb Gas-san - Minshuku (Japanese Style Room)
(6 miles walking: approximately 4.5 hours)
In the morning we will have an early breakfast, and take the bus to the start of our hike on Mount Gas-san. The highest of the three sacred mountains, Gas-san (the name means ‘moon mountain’) is covered in deep snow for much of the year – up to 5 or 6 meters The mountain is officially ‘opened’ each year with a ceremony at the Shinto shrine at the summit, which we will reach following a two and half hour climb. Along the way there are lovely small ponds formed by the melting snow and an abundance of alpine flowers. At the summit, we will be purified by the wave of a priest’s shide (ceremonial wand) and finish our visit to the shrine with a drop of the sacred drink – saké. After a picnic lunch, we will retrace our steps down the mountain and head by road to Gyokusenji temple. Said to have been founded in 1251 by the Zen monk Ryonen Homyo Zenji, the temple is complemented by a garden completed in the 1650's and now designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. We will take a peaceful moment to enjoy the view of the garden while participating in the tea ceremony. From Gyokusenji we will return to our lodgings for dinner. Following dinner there will be an optional visit to a nearby natural hot spring.

Day 8 - Kakunodate & Nyuto Hot Spring - Ryokan (Japanese Style Room)
This morning we will leave the Dewa Sanzan area, heading north. Our first stop will be Kakunodate, a former feudal town with well-preserved Samurai residences. We will walk through the former Samurai quarter, with an opportunity to visit one of elegant samurai houses, before arriving at the merchant's area. If there is time, we will head to a nearby sake distillery for tasting. Lastly we will continue to Nyuto Hot Spring, and check in to our beautiful hot spring ryokan for the night. This 350-year old traditional ryokan was once used by the local daimyo (feudal lord) and has eight separate baths with milky white hot spring water. In the evening we will dine around the irori (sunken hearth).

Day 9 – Nyuto Hot Spring - Ryokan (Japanese Style Room)
There will be a full day today in the Nyuto Onsen (hot spring) area. In the morning, after breakfast, we will drive 15 minutes and then head off along a path, climbing Mt Nyuto, for spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Tazawako to the south. The length of the walk and route will be decided based on the weather conditions. Those wishing for a more relaxed day can stay and soak in the hot springs, or try some short walks along the valley floor.

Day 10 – Tono Valley-Minshuku (Japanese Style Room)
Today we will travel to Tono Valley, famous for its rich Japanese folklore. This rural community set in a broad green valley and takes great pride in its folktales, which featured such characters as the Kappa, child size beings that live in or near rivers. The local people have a strong pride in their culture and myths and have worked hard to preserve them. Our accommodations for the night will be in a restored traditional farmhouse call Magariya. This beautiful building was saved by its owner and brought piece by piece to its present location. Run by the owner and his two grown children. The inn has been decorated with local crafts, antiques, and each room is different. In the evening a fire is lit in the irori (sunken hearth), and on cool evenings we can sit by the first while the dinner is prepared.

Day 11 - Tokyo- Western Style Hotel
In the morning, we will rent bicycles, and cycle slowly along the quiet country lanes of the wide Tono Valley. Depending on the time of year, we can see rice being harvested. Cycling lets you see the beautiful countryside at your own pace; there will be plenty of time to stop and take photographs and you will also visit some of the locations associated with the Tono legends. After lunch we will drive to Kitagami and catch the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) back to Tokyo, arriving in early evening. Over night in a city center Western style hotel.

Day 12 - Tokyo- Western Style Hotel
There will be a free day today in Tokyo, for shopping, visiting a museum, or simply wandering through the city. In the evening there will be a farewell dinner.

Day 13 - Tokyo- Tour Ends
On our final day we say farewell. Your guide will help you transfer to Tokyo’s Narita airport for your flight home, or you may like to stay a few day’s longer.

Tour schedules are subject to change. If any changes should be made it will be done in the best interest of the travelers. Japan Roads will at all times aim to offer you the most interesting tour possible.

If you have any questions about the tour, please feel free to Contact Us.

Tour itinerary is subject to change.