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A Walking Tour of Ancient Japan – Temples, Gardens & Spa
On the Trail of Re-enCHANTment
November 2-20, 2007
Past Tour
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Tour Leader: Vasana Spogliarich,
EleCT, MBRCP, has
traveled and lived abroad for some 22 years in Europe,
Asia, Africa and Australia. It is that tangible quality
of religiousness and respect towards life which draws
Vasana to Japan. Having shared her love of traveling
through her photography with others for many years she
is now delighted to share this experience with you.
Learn more about Vasana on our
About Your Tour Leader
page.
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Tour
Description |
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Over the millennia pilgrims have etched well worn paths
over the landscape. Walking these same routes is a
unique and relaxing way to experience “old Japan”.
While modern life bustles ever onwards, this tour will
slow us down, enabling us to experience a bygone age.
There will be times when walking is done in silence to
leave each one to experience these precious moments as
fully as possible. There will also be time to experience
meditations using sound as well as opportunities to
observe monks chanting in their monasteries.
While in many countries one goes to a museum to see the
past culture, Japan is a “living museum” of art,
architecture, gardens and religion and hence a “walking
tour”. This tour will take us from the ancient to the
ultra-modern. Beginning in Tokyo we will bypass the
hustle and bustle and begin our journey behind the
“bamboo curtain”. From there our enjoyable journey to
the Spa Hotel in the mountains is done in several hours
whereas it took many weeks for the shoguns to travel
there from Edo.
We will journey to such places as Kamakura on the coast
which holds claim to a rich period in Japan’s history.
We will see the splendors of Kyoto, going back in
history to approximately 700AD all the while taking
advantage of everything that modern Japan has to offer.
This is a participatory and experiential trip as we have
a multitude of different daily experiences which will
stimulate all our senses. There will be plenty of time
for sharing and contemplation. Also, there are 2
luxurious spas on the trip to relax in and get a feel
for the national pastime enjoyed by the Japanese for
thousands of years.
Participants are encouraged and will be given time to
speak to the group on a subject of your passion relating
to Japan or on something that you would like to research
about Japan or Japanese culture before coming.
The delights of the Japanese cuisine and colorful
handicrafts will be a treat as well as seeing the
national treasures and antiquities which you find around
every corner.
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Comments from some of our past
participants: |
The Walking
Tour of Ancient Japan exceeded my
expectations beyond measure. Our tour was well
conceived and designed by Sacred Earth Journeys and
our wonderful guide Vasana, to provide a look at the
incredible variety and diversity of spiritual life
and practice in ancient Japan. We gained an
excellent understanding of how many of these
traditions and practices survive in modern
Japan. The synergy between Shinto and Buddhist
practices made perfect sense. The gardens were a
joy to behold, each one unique and exquisite in its
own way, shedding insight into the Japanese psyche
and why art pervades all aspects of Japanese life.
There is a reverence for beauty in design, order,
detail and utility that carries over from its
Temples, Shrines, Palaces and Gardens into its
bullet trains, shops and conveniences. Daily
informal contact with ordinary people was a
wonderful way to experience how the Japanese people
think and respond to all types of situations. And
how else can you see poetry carved into beautifully
mounted rock stelae in the middle of a nature trail
few people ever walk? What an extraordinary glimpse
of a unique culture!
Sue Mirialakis,
White Plains, New York (Walking Tour of Ancient
Japan - Nov/06)
My trip to
Japan with Vasana was a travel highlight of my life. Her
passion and love for Japan is infectious and she showed
us so many beautiful temples off the usual path. If you
want nature, beauty and fun, this is the trip for you.
Sylvan Foreman, Victoria, B.C. (Walking Tour of
Ancient Japan - Nov/05)
The timing of
our incredible trip to Japan in November 2005 was
perfect to witness the fall color throughout city,
temple and forest settings while still being warm and
dry. The itinerary included the perfect blend of
activity and relaxation for immersing oneself in the
natural and cultural beauty of Japan. It was inspiring
and exciting while, at the same time, meditative with
many opportunities to rejuvenate mind, body and spirit.
Vasana was a knowledgeable leader who knew just the
right approach to maximize our enjoyment and travel
investment.
Catherine Mustafa, Victoria, B.C. (Walking Tour of
Ancient Japan - Nov/05)
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Photographs by Catherine
Mustafa |
© 2003 - 2010 Sacred
Earth Journeys.
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