Japan
Walking Western Japan: Mountain Paths and Hidden Temples
Program No. 23311RJ
Through mountain trails, rural farmland and lush forests you’ll discover authentic Japan. With local experts, explore Western Japan on foot to learn about the culture and history.
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14 days
13 nights
33 meals
12B 10L 11D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
5
The Kuju Mountains, "Fizzy" Bathing!
Nagayu Onsen
6
Ancient Carvings, Hilltop Citadel
Nagayu Onsen
9
Traditional Life in Rural Japan, Makiodo
Bungo Takada
10
Fuki-ji Temple – A National Treasure
Bungo Takada
12
Kitsuki, Castle Town
Yufuin
13
The Slopes of Mount Yufu
Yufuin
14
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
With its verdant landscapes and very few tourists, Kyushu — Japan’s westernmost island — is a hidden gem best explored on foot. Gain intimate insight into Japanese culture as you walk picturesque rural trails, understanding the importance of nature in Japanese society. Discover the winding mountain paths with local experts and walk to sublime temples that hide in dense forests. Venture past rice paddies while the hushed sounds of water keep you and your fellow Road Scholars company. Meet farmers along the way who will teach you about their customs and stay with a family as you dive head — or foot — first into the ever-beautiful Japanese way of life.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Hiking between 2.5 - 7 miles (throughout the day). Trails can vary from paved roads and paths to uneven rocky terrain, including some large steps. Must handle own luggage on and off transport. Elevation gains of around 500 - 1,000 feet on most days but up to 2,500 feet on a couple of days.
Micro Group
These adventures feature our smallest group size, with 12 participants or fewer.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Stop at the Fuko-ji temple, Fudo-Myo deity and Oka-jo castle on a walk toward Taketa.
- Spend the night in the home of a local family in Bungo-takada to immerse yourself in their daily life.
- Learn about and sample local delicacies at traditional accommodations, a sake brewing houses and a tea shop.
General Notes
Dietary restrictions: Vegetarian diets - The notion of vegetarianism is not commonly practised nor understood in Japan. Due to the essential and widespread use of dashi stock throughout Japanese cooking, which typically uses fish, or other stock with meat as its base, Road Scholar is unable to provide strict vegetarian or vegan meals on tour. With notice we will try to replace any fish or meat dishes with alternatives but we cannot replace dashi stock. Gluten Free diets - While Japanese culture is based above all on rice, gluten is found in certain ingredients throughout Japanese cuisine, most notably in soy sauce and miso. Although it may be possible to omit certain items that obviously contain gluten, such as bread or noodles, unfortunately Road Scholar is unable to provide fully gluten-free meals due to the use of certain staples that serve as the basis of so many dishes in Japanese cuisine.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Miwa Fujinuma
Although a Japanese national, Miwa was born in a suburb of Washington D.C., where her family was living at the time for her father’s work. She also lived in Australia with her family, where she became interested in the natural environment and ultimately pursuing a degree in Environmental Economics and Policy. Returning to Japan in 2003, Miwa worked for an environmental consulting company and become fascinated with sustainable living. She now lives in a traditional Japanese farmhouse and partakes in making traditional Japanese goods.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Miwa Fujinuma
View biography
Although a Japanese national, Miwa was born in a suburb of Washington D.C., where her family was living at the time for her father’s work. She also lived in Australia with her family, where she became interested in the natural environment and ultimately pursuing a degree in Environmental Economics and Policy. Returning to Japan in 2003, Miwa worked for an environmental consulting company and become fascinated with sustainable living. She now lives in a traditional Japanese farmhouse and partakes in making traditional Japanese goods.
Diane Tincher
View biography
Diane Tincher, raised in Virginia, arrived in Tokyo in 1987, feeling instantly illiterate in a culture unlike anything she had imagined. Over the years, her understanding and appreciation of Japan’s long history, rich traditions, and unique customs deepened. When her eight children reached adulthood, she immersed herself in studying Japanese history, culture, and geography, earning certification as a Nationally Licensed Japanese Guide and Interpreter. She enjoys researching lesser-known stories of Japanese history and folklore which she writes about for her website, 'More Than Tokyo.'
Suggested Reading List
(25 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Walking Western Japan: Mountain Paths and Hidden Temples
Program Number: 23311
In Praise of Shadows
This extended essay by the great Japanese novelist, first published in 1933, offers tremendous insight into
traditional Japanese art, architecture and design.
Tokyo, A Biography
In his 500-year history of Tokyo, Mansfield presents the Japanese capital as an "indestructible organism"
that has survived bombs, earthquakes and radiation and continues to thrive. An easy introduction to a
fascinating city.
Walking the Kiso Road: A Modern-Day Exploration of Old Japan
William Scott Wilson travels along the ancient Kiso Road, historically used by samurai and warlords and
relatively unchanged today. As he makes his way, Wilson engagingly ruminates on Japanese history,
culture and folklore.
The Samurai
This historical novel by one of Japan's best-known modern writers is set in the world of the 17th-century
Samurai. A Roman Catholic, Endo explored Christianity and morals in his many novels and stories.
The Book of Tea
A graceful, witty meditation on Japanese aesthetics and culture as reflected through the tea ceremony. A
celebrity and cultural ambassador, Okakura was a curator at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.
The Inland Sea
Richie's masterpiece, more than a travel account, is a beautiful reflection on all things Japanese by one of
its most acute observers.
Hiroshima
This classic book, first published in 1946, has been hailed as the greatest piece of journalism in the 20th
century. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Hersey puts a human face on the Hiroshima tragedy through
interviews with survivors.
Japan's Cuisines
This illustrated overview charts the transformation of Japanese cuisine over the ages, revealing the
influences of private and public institutions, exploring the rise of tea and showing how lunch became a
gourmet meal.
Thousand Cranes
This novella by the great Kawabata may be Japan's best-known literary work, a story of love, grief and
redemption. Kawabata's prose is as economical as the tea ceremony itself and very beautiful.
Bending Adversity, Japan and the Art of Survival
Financial Times Asia editor Pilling captures the dynamism and diversity of Japan after the 2011 tsunami.
He interviews, among many, novelist Haruki Murakami, former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi,
industrialists, bankers, activists and artists, teenagers and octogenarians.
Kaempfer's Japan: Tokugawa Culture Observed
A good account of what it was like to travel in the Tokugawa period.
Eyewitness Guide Japan
Dazzling illustrations, architectural cutaways and color photographs, along with useful local maps, give
this guide to Japan's many attractions a distinct edge.
The Book of Tokyo: A City in Short Fiction
This anthology of contemporary Japanese short stories was edited with the traveler in mind. The ten pieces
of literature, mystery, science fiction and horror form an imaginary tour of the city of Tokyo.
The Dog Shogun: The Personality and Policies of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
Largely focusing on the so-called Dog Shogun, this book also covers the history before and after and argues that his policies are to a large extent responsible for Japan's rapid modernization in the 19th century.
Japan Adventure Map
Printed on waterproof and tear-resistant paper, this double-sided map shows all the islands of Japan at a
scale of 1:1,300,000.
The Art of Setting Stones & Other Writings from the Japanese Garden
In these lyrical essays, Kyoto resident and landscape architect Marc Peter Keane uses eight Japanese
gardens as bases for essays on nature, religion and aesthetics. His rich, meditative excursions find beauty
in garden composition - every element gaining importance and interconnectedness.
Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook
A handy palm-sized guide to pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.
Super Sushi Ramen Express
Using keen insight and sarcastic wit, Booth describes the cuisine and culture of Japan as he recaps the
nearly three months-long foodie road trip he and his family took through the island nation. A fun journey,
sure to both entertain and inform.
Culture Smart! Japan
A concise, no-nonsense guide to local customs, etiquette and culture, this is a helpful travel tool for
visitors to Japan.
A Traveller's History of Japan
A lively and concise narrative history of Japan and its transformation from Shinto, Shogun and Samurai
traditions to 20th-century powerhouse.
Kyoto, A Cultural History
A rich portrait and guide to the gardens, monasteries, art, history and culture of Kyoto, once Japan's
capital, founded 1,200-years ago.
Learning to Bow, Inside the Heart of Japan
As surprising, helpful and informative as it is funny, this is an insightful account of travels and teaching in
Japan. Feiler presents anecdotes on the rituals, personality traits and cultural peccadilloes of the Japanese.
Where the Dead Pause, and the Japanese Say Goodbye
When her American father passes away, Mockett seeks consolation in her mother’s home country of
Japan. She visits a radiation zone, a Buddhist school, temples and festivals in an effort to understand the
Japanese way of grieving, to bury her dead and find healing.
The Little Book of Japan
Veteran Japanophiles Vilhar and Anderson produced this illuminating collection of 44 essays on Japanese
life and culture, which, even in the 21st century remains elusive and poorly understood.
Memoirs of a Geisha, A Novel
The runaway best-selling novel about a geisha in the celebrated Gion district of Kyoto. A major feat of
literary impersonation, the novel is rich in period detail and ceremony.