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 know your new friends, but be sure to get some rest to 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 accommodation. 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 the protected forest space in the heart of the city. Spend time getting to know your other travelers with fun orientation activities and a delicious lunch. Explore some of the twisting streets of Shibuya, and then cap off the evening with a stunning view of Tokyo from Tokyo Tower. 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, famous for it’s mountainous landscapes. We’ll explore the city a little and then settle into a shukubo, or monastery accommodation connected to the Zenkouji 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 asaichi, morning prayers, at Zenkouji. 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.
In the afternoon, head out to get our hands dirty while we work with a local environmental conservation organization on meaningful service work alongside local team members. Learn how climate change and modernization impact the environment here and be part of the work to protect and preserve the stunning nature.

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

Today we take a short drive out of the city and then a short hike to see the famous snow monkeys in the mountains. We’ll visit a troop of Japanese macaques who live in a valley full of natural hot springs and have learned to enjoy a nice soak as much as we do. 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 hands on a few ninja tools that will leave you amazed at the specialized skills required to be a master.
For dinner tonight we’ll enjoy a local favorite – sauce katsudon. This is a deep fried pork cutlet, dipped in a yummy sauce and served with cabbage, rice, pickles, and is altogether simply amazing.

Put on your walking shoes – today we’re heading into the mountains outside Nagano to go for a half day hike through the cedar forests around the ancient Tagakushi shrine. Enjoy the fresh air and a yummy packed lunch we’ll bring with us. After returning to the city in the afternoon, we’ll go have a karaoke party and enjoy sushi (with lots of other choices if you’re not up for fish!).

Today we join our service partner for a morning of work. We’ll break a sweat, but complete our project and be able to leave Nagano feeling accomplished. After lunch we’ll have time to explore the city one last time, do laundry, and take time as a group to reflect on the experience so far. It’s our chance to set new goals and prepare to make the most of the last week of this journey.

We’ll say goodbye to Nagano today, and catch the shinkansen, bullet train, out of the mountains and to the historic coastal city of Kanazawa. We’ll visit the castle at the heart of the city and the famous Kenroku garden with it’s perfectly sculpted plants and landscapes. You’ll feel the samurai history wash over you in this castle town. Dinner tonight is hotpot, where you dip fresh meat and veggies into boiling pots of broth and slurp up tasty product of your work.

In the morning we’ll meet with local school kids and join an English conversation class. You’ll get to lead activities and introduce yourself and your home to students who will have had limited chances to meet English speakers. Play games and make connections with young people will be so curious to know about your life. In the afternoon, we’ll head to an arcade center where we can play all sorts of indoor sports, play arcade and amusement games, sing karaoke, and…. listen, you’ll have to see this place to believe it!

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 relazing sunset train ride back home to Kanazawa.

In the morning we meet with a local farmer and learn how they grow food the Japanese way. After an orientation, we’ll break up into small groups and tackle a couple of different projects to help around the farm. Enjoy a fresh lunch made with local ingredients and enjoy a brief break before 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 afternoon lesson.

In the morning we will tour the famous Omicho fresh market in Kanazawa. See all the fresh fish and seafood that comes in from the coast every morning to be scooped up into people’s kitchens. Sample the freshest sashimi, enjoy a freshly brewed tea or coffee, or just soak up the energetic vibe of this market.
In the afternoon, 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!

Today we say goodbye to Kanazawa and make the return to Tokyo by bullet train. We’ll get back with time to still go out to explore the Electric Town of Akihabara and it’s unique anime and video game shops. This also gives us a last chance to find any souvenirs for friends and family. Enjoy your last night will 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.