Japan
Northern Japan: Ancient History and Scenic Beauty
Program No. 23090RJ
Experience a uniquely beautiful side of Japan as you venture back to its roots through ancient temples, elaborate shrines and colorful gardens on expert-led excursions.
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 10 - Sep 23, 2024
Starting at
6,799DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 10 - Sep 23, 2024
Starting at
7,449Sep 16 - Sep 29, 2025
Starting at
7,829Sep 30 - Oct 13, 2025
Starting at
7,829Not seeing the date you're looking for?
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14 days
13 nights
30 meals
12B 9L 9D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
6
Japan's Northern Provinces
Sendai
8
Reign of the Fujiwara, Hiraizumi, Konjiki-do “Golden Hall”
Hanamaki Onsen
9
Traditional Architecture, Local History and Literature
Hanamaki Onsen
14
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
Tucked in the shadows of silver skyscrapers and swept aside by bustling city dwellers live the ancient traditions that are sometimes forgotten amidst Japan’s modern lifestyle. Take a step back and enjoy Northern Japan’s famously colorful landscapes as you explore winding stone pathways that lead to a rich history of indigenous people who settled here centuries ago. Learn from local historians as you travel through wildflower gardens leading to intricate shrines and discover temples once belonging to monks in ascetic retreat. Time stands still as you experience a side of Japan few have seen and learn about the ancient history and untouched beauty that blends into the modern country we know today.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking up to 5 miles daily.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Explore the intricate shrine complex in Nikko and learn the history behind them with local experts.
- Follow the route of the famous Edo-period poet, Matsuo Basho on a boat ride to Matsushima, one of the most beautiful places in Japan.
- Discover one of the most elaborately decorated Buddhist structures in the country, the Chuson-ji temple.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
John McBride
After studying in Japan and Australia, John McBride began his career at the Australia-Japan Research Centre/Australian National University. He joined Ansett Australia and later became Chief Executive of News Corporation Japan. Returning to live in Sydney, John has continued his interest in matching texts about ancient, natural, and contemporary history with walking in both Australia and Japan. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his support of Australia-Japan cultural and business links, and for supporting young artists and arts institutions.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
John McBride
View biography
After studying in Japan and Australia, John McBride began his career at the Australia-Japan Research Centre/Australian National University. He joined Ansett Australia and later became Chief Executive of News Corporation Japan. Returning to live in Sydney, John has continued his interest in matching texts about ancient, natural, and contemporary history with walking in both Australia and Japan. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his support of Australia-Japan cultural and business links, and for supporting young artists and arts institutions.
Shima Enomoto
View biography
Shima Enomoto was born and raised in Tokyo. She has a master’s from Columbia Business School, working in finance at global investment banks for twenty years. Wishing to spend more time with her family, Shima relocated to Durham, N.C., where her husband was a professor at Duke University. While living abroad, Shima realized she wanted to share her home country with others, joining Walk Japan in 2013 and Road Scholar in 2016. She loves promoting the appreciation and consumption of sake when in the U.S.
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.
Northern Japan: Ancient History and Scenic Beauty
Program Number: 23090
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kaempfer's Japan: Tokugawa Culture Observed
A good account of what it was like to travel in the Tokugawa period.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Culture Smart! Japan
A concise, no-nonsense guide to local customs, etiquette and culture, this is a helpful travel tool for
visitors to Japan.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook
A handy palm-sized guide to pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.