A Serene Tour of Landscapes and Architecture of Old Style Japan! | KANSAI NARA Treasure Travel (Nara/Kyoto/Osaka Japan)

PLAN:3DAYS

PRICE FROM 170,000 JPY

per person (for a group of 6 people)

MONTH:JAN/FEB/MAR/APR/MAY/JUN/JUL/AUG/SEP/OCT/NOV/DEC

OVERVIEW

Gose and Gojo were very prosperous cities before the city of Nara appeared in Japan’s mythology.
The buildings and landscapes have been well preserved in these cities, giving one the feeling of being in a long-past era of Japanese history.
On your second day, you’ll get to visit Yoshino, which is the epicenter of Shugendo, an indigenous faith of Japan which emphasizes ascetic practice in the mountains.
Lastly, the third day will be devoted to making your way around Asuka Village, the very first capital of Japan!

Take your time and feel the precious historical atmosphere that each area has to offer.

DAY01

Kashihara - Gojo City

Your tour starts in the cities of Gose and Gojo, an area that still remains historically intact with many old-style buildings and an authentic atmosphere.
Gose City is referred to in Japan’s Mythologeme and has quite a long history. The well-known breathtaking beauty of the area has extraordinarily not changed much over the past 1,000 years.
Tonight, you’ll be staying at the “Yanaseya,” which is an old renovated Japanese-style house. Enjoy freshly prepared Yamato vegetables for dinner!
DAY02

Gojo City - Yoshino

Today you’ll be visiting the headquarters of the Shugendo faith in the Yoshino area.
It is said that this area is where the indigenous religion of Japan originated! Yoshino is designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.”
Yoshino is also famous for its spectacular cherry blossoms, and is an area where many famous Kajin poets composed Japanese poems long ago. Chikurin-in Ryokan, where you will be staying the night, is a place with an exceptionally old history that can be felt by guests and features access to beautiful outdoor scenery (including a garden designed by the tea master Sen-no-Rikyu) that changes with each season.
DAY3

Yoshino - Asuka

The third day begins with morning prayers at Kinpusen-ji Temple.

Start your day by immersing yourself in the sacred and calming atmosphere of Zao-do Hall for a prayer ritual with resident monks. This temple structure is a nearly 500-year-old architectural wonder that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and now you can directly participate in or observe the special rituals performed here that have been passed down through countless generations. After checking out of your ryokan, we head to Asuka Village, known as the ‘first capital of Japan.’ Asuka is well-known not only for its history, but also its beautiful countryside views of lush green rice paddies organized into terraces along the coves of the area’s many hills and mountains. We recommend exploring this area by bicycle (gear or electric) as there is a large, beautiful area to explore. For lunch, we will take you to a restaurant popular with the locals which serves food grown in the area.