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15 days: Tokyo - Yamadera - Tsuruoka - Haguro San
- Akita - Kakunodate -
Lake Tazawa - Hirosaki - Osore San - Hiraizumi -
Matsushima - Nikko - Tokyo
Start date:
5th October 2008
5th October 2009
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Stirred
to roam 'by the sight of a solitary cloud drifting with the
wind' the great haiku poet Matsuo Basho set off on foot
to explore the remote Tohoku region of Japan. He recorded the
events of this five month pilgrimage in his poetic travelogue 'the
Narrow Road to the Deep North',
one of Japan's best-loved literary classics. On this exciting
new journey The Oriental Caravan
will follow in Basho's footsteps and then travel even deeper
north through a landscape of rugged coastline, volcanic lakes
and holy mountains for a glimpse into a rural Japan rarely
seen by western eyes.
Far from the bustle of Tokyo,
the traveller to Tohoku has a rare opportunity to witness the 'real
Japan'. We accompany pilgrims as they tour the mountain temples of
Dewa San, peer into Japan's feudal past in the Samurai quarters of
Kakunodate and the castle towns of Akita and Hirosaki, stroll amidst
the great Tokugawa shrines at Nikko and marvel at the snow-capped
volcanoes of Iwaki and Iwate. Adding to the magic of the journey are
the nights spent in charming and characterful accommodation:
mountain-top and lakeside 'shukubo' temple lodgings as well
as traditional family run 'ryokan' guesthouses. This
off-the-beaten track itinerary - researched by and exclusive
to
The Oriental Caravan - saw its first
successful departure in April 2003; October 2007 will see the
sixth operation of this excellent trip.
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| Day 1
- Tokyo |
Arrival (Hotel) |
| Day 2
- Tokyo |
Comprehensive tour
of Tokyo by foot, metro and boat (Hotel) |
| Day 3
- Yamadera |
Head north
by train via Yamagata to Yamadera. Visit the Rishaku-ji temple (Ryokan) |
| Day 4
- Tsuruoka |
Continue to, and
spend the afternoon exploring, the small castle town of
Tsuruoka. (Hotel) |
| Day 5
- Haguro San |
Walk amidst the
cypress forests and ancient temples of Haguro San mountain (Shukubo) |
| Day 6
- Akita |
Along the
coastal line by train to Akita (Ryokan) |
| Day
7 - Akita |
Daytrip to the
Samurai town of Kakunodate and on to Lake Tazawa. Return to Akita. (Ryokan) |
| Day 8
- Hirosaki |
Explore the castle
and temple districts of Hirosaki. (Hotel) |
| Day 9
- Osore San |
Travel along the
Shimokita peninsula to Osore San. (Shukubo) |
| Day 10
- Hiraizumi |
To Hiraizumi.
Walking tour of this historic town including the impressive Chuson ji
temple. (Shukubo) |
| Day 11
- Nikko |
After a boat
journey through the pine-clad islets of Matsushima continue to
Nikko (Ryokan) |
| Day 12
- Nikko |
A full day
to experience the grandeur of Nikko's Tokugawa shrines in
their tranquil wooded setting (Ryokan) |
| Day 13
- Tokyo |
Morning in
Nikko. Afternoon return to Tokyo (Hotel) |
| Day 14
- Tokyo |
Free day Tokyo.
(Hotel) |
| Day 15 |
Caravan concludes |
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Mode of travel
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We make good use of Japan's highly
efficient rail network travelling in everything from superfast
bullet trains to sleepy branch line locomotives. We
will also on occasion make use of taxis, local buses and
boats. When visiting some sights there is, by the nature of
their location, a certain amount of walking involved. |
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Accommodation
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Fortunately for the modern
traveller the availability of accommodation in Tohoku has improved greatly since the
days of Matsuo Basho and, happily (or possibly sadly!) it is
highly unlikely that participants will find themselves having to
share a room with Concubines. In terms of charm, hospitality and local
character, the places we stay at on this journey are in fact a
distinct highlight of the journey. In Tokyo we stay in a comfortable
centrally located tourist class hotel. Elsewhere we stay in ryokan
(traditional Japanese guesthouses) or occasionally shukubo (temple
lodgings). At all places we can expect a friendly welcome and a
relaxing stay. As these are traditional Japanese guesthouses we
sleep on futon mattresses on tatami matting
floor - a system many people find to be more comfortable than
sleeping in a western bed. In Tsuruoka depending on group size we
may stay in a small hotel. |
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Food
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At Hirosaki,
Yamadera and Haguro San two evening meals and
two breakfasts are included. At Hiraizumi breakfast is included. Elsewhere meals are not included but
are easily arranged en route according to individual
preferences. Often the best and most convenient way is take
advantage of the sometimes excellent home-cooking provided by the
ryokans. As
elsewhere in Japan piscivores will find themselves in paradise,
with, especially in coastal areas, some of the finest fish dishes
in the world on offer. Vegetarians can still get by though
sometimes the choice of meat or fish-free meals is quite limited
– at the two shukubo and also at Nikko, however, there is some
great gourmet vegetarian food on offer.
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Group size |
minimum
4 - maximum 12 |
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Staff |
Accompanied throughout by a
Japanese-speaking Western tour leader from The
Oriental Caravan. |
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Price |
£1775
(excluding
international flights) |
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Price includes... |
All accommodation, all transport,
meals as indicated,
full services of bi-lingual tour leader. |
To
reserve a place or for more detailed information about this journey please
contact The Oriental Caravan or CLICK
HERE to apply for the Tohoku Dossier.
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"Hear no
evil, speak no evil, see no evil" - Three monkeys, Nikko |
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