High in the Japanese Alps lies the Buddhist temple of Zenkoji, an important religious center in Nagano. Few travelers stray from the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto to visit here, but an overnight stay in the temple is an excellent way to get a feel for traditional religious life in Japan. Understand the life of a monk and witness their rituals in this immersive opportunity.
Itinerary
š Time: Start activities: 15:00 Duration: 1h Distance and journey time (approximation): Tokyo Station to Nagano Station: 1.5 h
Leave the bustle of Tokyo with a 90 minutes Shinkansen ride through the Japanese Alps to reach Nagano.
Nestled in the mountain ranges of Japan’s Northern Alps, Nagano is often referred to as the ‘Roof of Japan’. The city evolved as a temple town around the historic Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan's most popular temples. Zenkoji was founded in the 7th Century and is home to what many believe to be the first ever Buddhist statue brought to Japan. The original statue remains hidden but a copy of it is shown to the public every six years for a few weeks.
Meet the local guide and learn more about this important temple, joining the goma fire ceremony, a purification ritual where wooden tablets are thrown into a raging fire. Following this mystic experience, move to a nearby building to practice zazen, Zen Buddhist meditation.
Fully experience the spiritual atmosphere of Zenkoji Temple by staying overnight in one of the several shukubo (temple stay) locations scattered around the approaching street to the temple main hall.
Embrace the simplicity of the rooms and taste the traditional Buddhist vegan cuisine of shojin ryori for dinner.
Overnight in Nagano
Inclusions:
š Dinner
Rise early and follow an English-speaking guide to the O-Asaji, the morning prayer of the monks at Zenkoji Temple. Before the ceremony, line up to receive blessings from the head monk.
After joining this Buddhist ritual, take a unique journey through the basement in the inner chamber of Zenkoji’s prayer hall. Walk the underground passage in complete darkness in search of the ‘Key to Paradise’. This key is attached to the wall and is said to grant enlightenment to anybody who touches it.
Return to the shukubo for a traditional Buddhist breakfast before checking out and proceeding on to the next destination.
Inclusions:
ā Breakfast
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