Zenkoji Experience Tour inc. Overnight 'Shukubo' (Temple Lodging) Stay

Designed to provide guests with an intimate yet entertaining understanding of Nagano’s near-1,400 year-old Zenko-ji temple, this half-day group tour combines an in-depth guided experience at the temple including a private ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony and an exploration of the region’s food culture and renowned ‘sake’ with an overnight stay at a traditional ‘shukubo’ (temple lodging).

Highlights

• Enjoy an overnight stay at a historic ‘shukubo’ (temple lodging) inside Nagano’s near-1,400 year-old Zenko-ji complex, including traditional vegetarian dinner and breakfast.

• Learn the history of the temple along with its centrality to the story of Nagano and Japanese Buddhist beliefs with a private guided walking tour of Zenko-ji including a private ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony.

• Indulge in Nagano’s traditional vegetarian food culture including its famous ‘oyaki’ dumplings, ‘shichimi’ seven spice, and award-winning ‘sake.’

• All guided by a locally-based, English-speaking guide.

Want to join this tour from Tokyo? It’s easy to do! Scroll to the bottom for our FAQs including train services that you can use to join the tour!

Description

The tour begins at Nagano Station at 12:15, where your guide will greet you and begin your pilgrimage walk along the ‘Omotesando’ – the historic main road of Nagano – toward your ultimate goal of Zenko-ji, first stopping at the small, but beautiful temple of Saiko-ji. Dedicated to Jurojin – one of Japan’s ‘shichifukujin’ or ‘7 Lucky Gods’ – Saiko-ji is the ideal place to begin your exploration of Nagano, a temple town known for its traditional food culture and the longevity it affords. Indeed, Jurojin is associated with long life and will point you toward your next stop and first tasty treat of the tour – ‘oyaki’.

‘Oyaki’ dumplings are made from fermented buckwheat dough and rice powder, filled with all manner of vegetables, fruit, or ‘anko’ bean paste. Simple, healthy, and tasty, they are baked on an iron pan over a raised fire, an experience you’ll enjoy for yourself as they are baked for you before enjoying them as a simple lunch. From there you head to just outside the temple complex, stopping at Yawataya Isogoro. Dating back to the mid-18^th century and Japan’s celebrated ‘Edo Period’, traders sold local spices outside the temple gate – where the shop stands today. Combining locally-produced capsicum, sesame, hemp seed, shiso, Japanese pepper, mandarin peel, and ginger, the ‘shichimi’ or ‘7 Spice’ is considered a signature specialty of Nagano and Zenko-ji, an image of which adorns the distinctive cans – which you will be provided as a gift before leaving the store.

Moving into the Zenko-ji complex, your guide will lead you to your ‘shukubo,’ where you will leave your luggage before partaking in a memorable tour of the temple. A place of myth and legend, Zenko-ji is one of Japan’s most ancient and significant Buddhist temples. Your guide will reveal its storied history and secrets, while also explaining the role of Buddhism in Japan in an enjoyable and engaging way as you head toward the main temple hall – a registered National Treasure and third largest temple in Japan. Your temple tour begins with a private ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony. While usually being conducted by a resident monk on your behalf, our tour allows you to step into the sacred sanctum and perform the ritual yourself. The burning of prayers in the sacred flame imbues the experience with a deep spirituality and is often found to rid participants of their immediate, worldly concerns. Whether you are a practicing Buddhist or seeking a memorable and meaningful experience while in Japan, ‘goma’ prayer will leave a deep and lasting impression on you.

Walking a short distance from the temple, you’ll head to nearby Yoshinoya – Nagano City’s oldest and an award-winning ‘sake’ and ‘miso’ brewery. You’ll be guided through a tasting of some of the region’s best ‘sake’ with the chance to also sample Yoshinoya’s ‘miso’, ‘tsukemono’ (pickled vegetables) and other tasty seasonal treats. Anything you try is available for purchase should you wish to indulge, but don’t feel any pressure to do so. We just want you to enjoy your time in Nagano and walk away entertained, well-fed, and fulfilled by its traditional food and sake.

Your Zenko-ji walking tour ends at your accommodation, where your guide will help you check-in, explain how to use the facilities, and then leave you to enjoy the tranquil and unique experience of your ‘shukubo’ (temple lodging) stay.

What is a ‘shukubo’?

A ‘shukubo’ is basically a ‘ryokan’, a traditional guesthouse providing lodging to visitors to nearby or within temple and shrine complexes. In the past, they provided accommodation to people on pilgrimages, a function they still serve today. However, you don’t need to be a devotee of any particular faith or be on pilgrimage yourself to enjoy staying at one. Offering traditional comforts, tranquility, and a vegetarian menu, these ‘shukubo’ are conveniently located in the heart of the temple complex. They offer rooms featuring traditional aspects of Japanese culture: on-floor ‘futon’ bedding, ‘tatami’ floor matting, and low furniture. Rooms are simple, but comfortable and serene with shared toilets and bathing facilities.

In line with Buddhist practices, these ‘shukubo’ serve a traditional vegetarian dinner (18:00) and breakfast menu (between 07:30 to 09:00) with alcohol available (at an additional cost). Following your dinner you can explore the temple complex at night – offering uniquely beautiful photography opportunities. As your ‘shukubo’ is one of the 39 sacred temples within Zenko-ji’s grounds, it abides by temple practices and the entrance gates will close at 20:00. If you so choose, early the following morning the ‘shukubo’ staff can guide you to the daily ‘O-Asaji’ dawn service at the temple’s main hall to put a spiritual bookend on your temple lodging ‘shukubo’ experience!

NOTES

Included

• Accommodation at a ‘shukubo’ temple lodging: ‘Standard Japanese-style Room’ with on-floor ‘futon’ bedding, shared bathroom, along with a vegetarian dinner & breakfast.

• Private, English-speaking guide for 4-hours in Nagano City, including a guided tour of Zenko-ji and ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony.

• Simple lunch of two oyaki, 12-14g can of ‘Shichimi’ / ‘7 Spice’ (per guest) and a guided ‘sake’ tasting at Yoshinoya.

Excluded

• Transport fees inc. Shinkansen / ‘Bullet Train’ to/from Nagano City

• Additional food, snacks & drinks

• Entry to other paid attractions at Zenko-ji (O-Asaji, Kaidan Meguri, Sanmon, etc.)

Other Information

• This is a group walking tour and there may be other guests joining the tour. It involves a reasonable amount of walking and is suitable for anyone of reasonable fitness. Should you be booking in the summer months of July to September, please be aware that the weather is likely to be hot – between 30°C/86°F to 40°C/104°F – with high humidity. Given the nature of the tour, much of your time will be spent walking so please come prepared for those conditions. Your guide will, of course, respond to the conditions and endeavor to keep things as cool as possible by extending your time indoors and in the shade. For guests booking in the winter months of December to March, the weather is likely to be cold – between 0°C/32°F to 10°C/50°F and as low as -10°C/14°F at night – with likelihood of snow, so please plan accordingly.

• This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travelers. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.

• As a walking tour, you will need to carry your luggage until we pass your accommodation, where we can drop it off around 1 hour into the tour. However, you should not have to carry it for more than 10 minutes at a time and it can be placed aside while at Saiko-ji Temple, Ogawa-no-Sho, and Yawataya Isogoro. Should this be of concern, or you are unable to carry your luggage for that length of time, please let us know and we see if we can arrange for it to be transported directly to your accommodation. Unneeded luggage can also be stored within lockers located within Nagano Station.

• This tour includes visits to Saiko-ji Temple, along with Zenko-ji Temple as standard. It also includes visits to Ogawa-no-Sho including a simple small lunch, a visit to Yawataya Isogoro spice store and Yoshinoya’s tasting room to sample their ‘sake’, ‘miso’ and ‘tsukemono’.

• Included in the tour price, you will be offered two ‘oyaki’ at Ogawa-no-Sho, a 12-14g can of spice at Yawataya Isogoro, as well as ‘sake’ tasting and food samples at Yoshinoya. There is no obligation or expectation that you make additional purchases at any of these venues but should you wish to, you are welcome to do so.

• Any purchases made at recommended venues / venues not listed by name in the tour description are not included in the tour price and must be paid for by the guest.

• This tour includes accommodation at a traditional ‘shukubo’ (temple lodging) within the Zenko-ji temple complex. The tour price includes a ‘Standard Japanese-style Room’ featuring on-floor ‘futon’ bedding, ‘tatami’ matting and low furniture. Toilet and bathing facilities are shared, and the ‘shukubo’ kindly requests that guests use the bathing facility between 17:00-20:00. Earliest check-in is at 15:00 and check-out is by 10:00. Dinner is served at 18:00 while breakfast is served between 07:30 to 09:00. In-keeping with the practice of most ‘shukubo’, we kindly ask that guests return back to the accommodation for the evening by 20:00. Thank you for your understanding.

• The tour includes dinner and breakfast at your ‘shukubo’ temple lodging. It serves a traditional vegetarian menu for both meals. Alcohol is available but not included in the tour price. Should you wish to drink alcohol, please pay the accommodation directly.