Oxalis Holidays : Nakasendo Trail

Nakasendo Trail

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Itinerary
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Accommodation
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Tour style Easy/moderate - 4 days of walking and hiking from 2 to 5 hours per day on flat paths and mountain trails with some short climbs	Places visited: Tokyo • Nakasendo Trail • Nara • Yoshino • Mount Koya• Kyoto
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HIGHLIGHTS

Four days of village-to-village walking on the old Nakasendo trail – Imperial Nara and Kyoto – modern Tokyo - the mountaintop village of Yoshino - visit sacred Mount Koya and stay in a shukubo (temple lodging) – relax in the bath at a lovely hot spring ryokan – travel on the bullet train

INTRODUCTION

The Nakasendo trail linked Kyoto to Tokyo during Japan’s feudal period. It was the ‘road through the mountains’ (as opposed to the Tokaido route which travelled the Pacific coast) travelled by feudal lords and their retinues, samurai, merchants, and travelers. Along the route were 69 ‘post towns’, where weary travelers could rest before continuing on the next leg. Our journey will start in Tokyo, known as Edo during Japan’s period of rule by the Shoguns. We will then spend four days walking along the Nakasendo. By day we will walk along the ancient route as it passes through beautifully-preserved villages along an easy path, and by evening we will stay in traditional country inns enjoying exquisite regional cuisine prepared from the freshest ingredients, soak in natural hot springs, and enjoy the warm hospitality of our hosts. Enjoy bathing in hot spring water after a day on the trails! We’ll then continue by bullet train to Nara, to explore the former imperial capital, wander the old town and see the famous Todaiji temple, Nara park. From Nara we will continue to Yoshino, a beautiful village famous for its cherry blossoms in springtime and also for its ‘warrior’ monks. We will walk in the hills and relax in the evening in a lovely ryokan. After Yoshino we visit Mount Koya, in the mountains of the Kii Peninsula, a temple complex founded in the 9th century by the monk Kobo Daishi, where we will stay in a ‘shukubo’ (temple lodging), enjoying the vegetarian shojin-ryori cuisine. Finally, we travel by train to Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, at the western end of the Nakasendo, with time to explore some of the most important temples and shrines, as well as the craft shops and food markets. Our tour ends here and we say farewell.

ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Day 1 Meet in Tokyo

Meet at Narita International Airport and transfer by train to Tokyo.

Day 2 Tokyo

Our first full day in Japan will be spent on a walking tour of Tokyo, visiting Ueno and the Tokyo National Museum, as well as the grand Meiji shrine. In the evening your tour leader will be on hand to help you with ordering dinner. Overnight in city centre hotel.

Day 3 Nakasendo Trail walking day 1

Our journey through rural Japan begins with a journey from Tokyo to the remote Kiso valley. Over the next three days we will walk by day from village to village, staying by night in small, family-run country inns (ryokan). Our luggage will be taken by road allowing us to carry just a light daypack. After a lunch of buckwheat noodles in the local town of Shiojiri, we will walk 5 miles to Narai from Niekawa, first of 11 ‘post-towns’ along the Kiso valley section of the Nakasendo. Post-towns were resting places, where travelers could find accommodation and food as they walked between Kyoto and Edo (as Tokyo was then called). Niekawa is known for its locally-produced lacquer ware, and there may be a chance to see the craftsmen at work. Stay in Narai, a beautifully-preserved post-town. Our lodgings will be an atmospheric traditional ryokan.

Day 4 Nakasendo Trail walking day 2

On our second day there will be a 5-mile walk from Narai to Yabuhara over Torii Pass and then we will continue by train to Kiso-Fukushima. There we will stay in a lovely traditional ryokan with its own natural hot spring. Soak in the indoor baths made of cypress wood or try the outdoor baths surrounded by trees.

Day 5 Nakasendo Trail walking day 3

We will transfer from Kiso-Fukushima to Nojiri by train, and then walk 12 miles along the Nakasendo Way to Tsumago, passing along the way through delightful small villages and rice fields. Another of the post-towns on the former Nakasendo trail, Tsumago has been preserved by strict self-imposed rules that prohibit the sale, rental or destruction of the handsome houses. It’s a living museum, but one which is still inhabited by the local residents. We will arrive in the afternoon, with a little time to wander the streets, tasting gohei-mochi, skewered balls of pounded sticky rice covered in a sweet paste of miso, sesame and walnuts.

Day 6 Nakasendo Trail walking day 4 & Nara

From Tsumago we will walk the 4 miles to Magome, our last stop in the Kiso Valley. You will have lunch in Magome and time to explore the many small shops. We will transfer by train to Nara and check in to our hotel.

Day 7 Nara

In the morning we will have a guided walk in Nara. Many of Japan’s greatest cultural treasures are concentrated in and around the city, with eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Todaiji temple, Nigatsu-do and Sangatsu-do halls, Kasuga shrine, Shinyakushi-ji temple, Kofuku-ji temple, Shosoin treasure house, and Isuien garden are all in or near Nara Park. The park is also home to a thousand or more free-roaming deer. Todaiji's Daibutsu-den is the largest wooden building in the world, and houses a 16- metre tall bronze image of the cosmic Dainichi buddha, containing 437 tonnes of bronze and 130kg of gold. Prior to being rebuilt three hundred years ago, the awesome structure was even bigger than it is today. In the afternoon, there will be free time to relax or wander through the old town.

Day 8 Yoshino

From Nara our journey takes us to the ridge-top village of Yoshino, and a comfortable ryokan. We will visit Mikumari Shrine and Kinpusenji Temple (main temple of the Shugendo sect of mountain monks), and explore the area on foot.

Day 9 Mount Koya

From Yoshino we will take the scenic train to Mount Koya, situated in a bowl-shaped valley filled with stands of cedar trees 800 metres up in the mountains of the Kii Peninsula. Since the 9th century, when the monk Kukai (also known as Kobo Daishi) founded the first temple and the Shingon sect of Buddhism, Mount Koya has been a place of religious devotion and ceremony. Today there are more than 100 monasteries, many of which have shukubo (temple lodgings). We will stay in one of the elegant temples, run by the monks, and dine on shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine). There will be a guided walk through the vast Okuno-in cemetery, with thousands of graves and memorials to feudal lords and other past luminaries.

Day 10 Transfer to Kyoto

There will be the opportunity to get up early and join the Buddhist morning service if you wish. Afterwards, we will visit Kongobu-ji temple, the head temple of the Shingon sect. After lunch, we will travel by train to Kyoto. After checking in at the hotel, we can enjoy an evening walk in Gion, Kyoto’s geisha district and there is always the possibility of seeing a geisha or maiko (apprentice geisha) making their way through the narrow streets.

Day 11 Kyoto

There will be a half-day walking tour this morning. First of all we will visit the Sanjo-ohashi Bridge, the western end of the Nakasendo Trail. From there, we will visit Ryoan-ji, with its famous rock garden of raked gravel and 15 moss-covered boulders. It is not possible to see all 15 boulders at once from any place in the garden. It is said that if you can see all 15 you have achieved enlightenment. Afterwards, we will visit the famous Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, originally built by the Ashikaga Shogun in the 15th century as a place of contemplation and rest. There will be free time in the afternoon so you can explore the area further or shop for crafts. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner with your guide.

Day 12 Tour ends

On our final day we say farewell. Your guide will help you transfer to the airport for your flight home, or you may like to stay a few days longer.

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ACCOMMODATION ON THIS TOUR

Daikichi minshuku

Located along the Nakasendo trail in the post-town of Tsumago-juku, Daikichi is run by three generations of the same family.

Rengejoin

One of the many temples in Mount Koya that cater to pilgrims, Rengejoin is run by the monks and you are welcome to join the early morning prayer service if you wish.

Other accommodation on this trip

Ise-ya (Narai) - a lovely family-run ryokan in the village of Narai. The building is a traditional mechants house.

Ryokan Kato (Yoshino) - a wonderful location in the small mountain-top village of Yoshino

Also

Koma-no-yu (Kiso Fukushima) - a luxurious hot spring ryokan in the hills above the Kiso Valley.

Shiba Park Hotel (Tokyo) - a modern and comfortable 4-star hotel in the heart of Tokyo

ACCOMMODATION NOTES

We have chosen each accommodation carefully for their comfort, service and personal service. On several nights we use Japanese-style accommodation with shared bathrooms and toilets. These generally have seperate male and female bathing areas. Couples or those travelling together will have their own room, while single travellers may be asked to share with another member of the group (same sex only).

TOUR COMMENTS

"Group size was perfect! ...We would like to thank Kazuyo for her helpfulness and willingness to accommodate everybodys wishes and needs. Her energy and passion for introducing is to Japanese culture, beliefs and way of life were a big asset for this trip." D Fischer, Germany

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WHAT'S INCLUDED

All domestic transport, accommodation, entrance fees, breakfasts & 7 evening meals are included.

Not Included are international Flights, drinks with meals, lunches and 4 evening meals.

SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT

There is a single room supplement of £250 per person, which will guarantee you a single room in Tokyo and Kyoto hotel. We will request but cannot guarantee a single room in traditional Japanese accommodations.

GROUP SIZE

Maximum: 12 Clients Minimum: 5 Clients