Japan: Neon to Nature

If you’re on the chaperoned flight, meet your group at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). We’ll board a direct flight in the afternoon to take us to Tokyo. Get to meet your new friends, but be sure to get some rest so you’re ready to explore Tokyo when we arrive! If you’re flying directly on your own, you’ll likely be leaving on this day to arrive the following day in Tokyo.

We touch down in Japan in the afternoon or evening. Your program leaders will meet you at the airport and then we’ll board a train into the city. Enjoy the views out the windows as we arrive in the city.

We’ll drop off our bags at our accommodations and then have a celebratory dinner for our first taste of Japan’s amazing food!

We spend the next 2 nights in a comfortable hotel. 2-4 students share rooms with private bathrooms and air conditioning.

Begin your introduction to Japan with a day exploring exciting places in Tokyo! We’ll explore the ancient Shinto shrine of Meijijingu in a protected forest space. Spend time getting to know the other travelers with fun orientation activities and a delicious lunch. Explore some of the twisting streets of Shibuya. Get a well-deserved night’s rest because tomorrow we’re heading out on the next stage of our adventure.

We’ll catch a train from Tokyo to Nagano, known for its beautiful mountains. We’ll stay the night in the sleepy hot springs town of Yudanaka. Don’t mind the sulfur smell of the active hot springs; instead, enjoy the quiet streets and beautiful mountain scenery.

Take a 2-hour hike into the hills and find Jigokudani, hell valley, and see the local monkeys that live in the hot springs pools. When we return, we grab lunch and then head back into Nagano. We’ll explore the city a little and then settle into a shukubo, or monastery accommodation connected to the Zenkoji Buddhist temple. We can practice writing the Heart Sutra as a meditative act and enjoy the vegetarian temple meal. Enjoy a restful night within the quiet temple grounds.

We’ll wake early and join the oasaichi, morning prayers, at Zenkoji. Under the guidance of a friendly monk, you’ll learn to meditate and recite prayers. Deepen your understanding of the role of Buddhism in modern Japan and enjoy this peaceful start to our journey. Later, we move out of our monastery accommodation and into a comfortable hotel in the city, where we can continue our adventures. We head to an arcade in the afternoon for fun games and sports challenges together.

We spend the next 3 nights in a comfortable hotel. 2-4 students share rooms with private bathrooms and air conditioning.

Enjoy a slow morning and catch up on laundry and exploring the city. After lunch, we get to learn about the history of ninja with a hands-on experience at a famous museum near Nagano. You’ll learn how to separate the truth of ninja from the Hollywood version and try your hand at a few ninja tools that will leave you amazed at the skills required to be a master. Afterwards, we’ll take a 3-hour hike to the Togakushi Shrine. This peaceful walk gives us a chance to consider the importance of Shintoism, the other primary religion in Japan.

For dinner tonight, we’ll enjoy a local favorite: sauce katsudon. This is a deep-fried pork cutlet, dipped in a delicious sauce and served with cabbage, rice, and pickles.

Today, we make a trip through the mountains by train to Matsumoto. Take in the beautiful construction of Matsumoto Castle, the oldest original castle in Japan. We’ll take a walk down the historical shopping street of Nawate-dori and find frog souvenirs. We’ll have lunch and head back to Nagano in time for some shopping in the many fun stores around Nagano station.

We’ll say goodbye to Nagano today and catch the shinkansen, bullet train, out of the mountains and to the city of Kanazawa by the coast. We’ll visit the castle and the famous Kenroku garden with its perfectly sculpted plants and landscapes.

Dinner tonight is hotpot, where you dip fresh meat and veggies into boiling pots of broth and slurp up the tasty product of your work.

Start the day with a visit to Omicho Market. This fresh market has a little of everything and a lot of fresh fish, fruit, meat, and other local foods. You’ll find wagyu skewers, fresh sashimi, and oysters on offer, if you’re brave.

We’ll find lunch in the market and then make our way to a kimono center to learn about and practice the famous style of Kanazawa dyeing. You’ll take home a hand-dyed handkerchief of your own making.

Today will be like you’re a Japanese school kid on summer break. We’ll have a slow morning to go grab donuts at a local bakery. Then, pack your swimsuit and sunscreen: we’re taking a trip to the beach!

We’ll take the train up the coast to a beautiful beach and enjoy time swimming in the water and exploring the quiet beach town. We’ll have fresh seafood for lunch, and enjoy a relaxing sunset train ride back home to Kanazawa.

In the evening, we head to the castle park to see it lit up in the evening. Enjoy the peaceful vibes of the gardens and castle under the stars.

In the morning, we dive into a lesson with a kendo, Japanese swordfighting, master. Get a hands-on lesson in the way of the samurai when you wear the padded practice armor and take up the bamboo sword, and learn the different ways to attack and guard. You’ll be sweaty, but smiling throughout the morning lesson.

In the afternoon, we head to a historical tea house district where samurai used to go for entertainment. Get fitted for your own kimono and explore the unique shops and treats on offer.

In the morning, we’re tying on an apron and making our own Japanese dishes. Alongside a Japanese teacher, you’ll learn the basics of the flavors and styles of Japanese cooking. At the end, you’ll get to eat all of your hard work!

In the afternoon, we head to a local high school to join the English conversation club. Meet students your age and have conversations with them about being a teenager in Japan and your home. Pose for photos with your new friends before we head back to the hotel and hotpot dinner.

Today we say goodbye to Kanazawa and return to Tokyo by bullet train. We’ll get back with time to still get in a little last-minute souvenir shopping in Nakano. We’ll also make a stop by Shibuya to see the famous Scramble Crossing at night under the bright lights of the surrounding billboards. Enjoy your last night with all your new friends!

We’ll spend the morning enjoying the company of our new friends and reflecting on the great memories of this journey. We close with Rustic Ties, a traditional ending to a Rustic Pathways program where we get the chance to appreciate our new friends, reflect on the things we have learned, and think about how we’ll carry this experience with us into the future. Your program leaders will take you to the airport to catch your flight home.