Only in Japan

Visit the most luxurious temple complex in Japan – Tosho-gu (UNESCO site) in Nikko. More than ten temples, lavishly decorated with gold and carvings, with elements of Shintoism and Buddhism, are located among dense forest. The “Japanese Romantic Road” runs through Nikko and its heritage – a picturesque route 350 km long through mountains and volcanoes, waterfalls and hot springs, resort towns and villages such as Karuizawa, which attracts golfers in the summer and ski lovers in the winter.

Visit the Temple of 1200 Statues in Kyoto. In the hills of the Arashiyama district is the unusual Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, decorated with 1200 statues of Rakan (followers of Buddha). The history of the temple goes back 1250 years, it was repeatedly rebuilt and rebuilt, moved from place to place. But the statues, although covered with moss and looking centuries old, were created between 1981 and 1991
by visitors to the temple under the guidance of a Buddhist monk, the abbot of the shrine and a part-time sculptor. Each figurine was created by a different person, so they are all unique: some are smiling, others are laughing or grimacing, there are statues with a tennis racket, a player, a child and even a cup of sake.

Take the “88 Temples” pilgrimage route in Shikoku. This pilgrimage route unites 1,200 km and the same number of years of history. Every year, 150 thousand pilgrims, both Japanese and visitors, overcome it. They (and maybe you will be among them) are waiting for
45 days of travel among picturesque nature: temples, delicious national food, traditional hospitality and an excellent opportunity to work your muscles, because the route is most often covered on foot. Although you can do it by bike or even by car. Or you can break the distance into stages and cover only part of it at a time and continue next time.

Admire the beauty of Hakone on the “Golden Route”. A trip to Hakone is a classic for visitors to Tokyo. This resort area is famous for its views of Mount Fuji, hot springs and museums, including the Lalique Museum with one and a half thousand exhibits, the Museum of Venetian Glass from the 15th to 18th centuries and the Art Museum. You can admire the sights of Hakone during a tour along the route, which includes a trip by train, funicular, cable car, a ship stylized as a pirate ship, on Lake Ashinoko and by bus. Along the way, you will see hot springs, an open-air sculpture museum, a park with a view of the lake and Fuji and the Cedar Alley with 400-year-old trees, of which there are also four hundred.

Dress up as a samurai. Samurai and geisha are associated only with Japan. You can dress up in a kimono and haori, tie a hakama around your waist, watch how real masters of their craft wield a sword (katana) and learn the basics of this art yourself (there are also separate master classes on forging a katana), practice meditation exactly as samurai did before a battle, cook food according to the recipes of the Edo period. But most importantly, get acquainted with the samurai code - bushido.
This experience is available not only to men, but also to women.

Cleanse your body and soul in an onsen. Kinosaki is a resort town and a center of onsen culture with a 1,300-year history and enchanting architecture. The city is located 2.5 hours by train from Kyoto and is beautiful in its own way, wrapped in snow and in delicate sakura blossoms. There are seven onsen in the city, visiting which is a separate ritual. Each plays their role: bathing in one contributes to a happy family life, in the second it gives enlightenment, in the third it is useful for childbirth, in the fourth it brings peace of mind and relaxation.
The Japanese believe that bathing in hot springs makes the body beautiful, cures thousands of diseases and cleanses the soul. There are twenty-seven thousand geothermal springs and more than three thousand hotels on the waters in the country.

Become a part of the teamLab multimedia space. Although immersive art has long ceased to be a novelty, teamLab exhibitions continue to cause a sensation. In 2019, the Tokyo museum became the first in terms of attendance in the world, entering the
“Guinness Book of Records”. In the teamLab Planets art space, guests walk on water and merge with flowers, finding unity with nature. teamLab Borderless is also open in Tokyo - a space without borders. teamLab museums are open in Osaka, Macau, and other cities in Asia. And this year the construction of the center on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi will be completed.

Create a wagasa umbrella. Having come to Japan from China 1,200 years ago, such umbrellas were originally a talisman, a symbol of superiority and power. Later they became a fashion accessory, began to be used in the Kabuki theater and during tea ceremonies. Since wagasa first appeared in Kyoto, it is quite natural to attend a master class on their manufacture in Kyoto. It is held in the Hiyoshiya workshop, where for 160 years and 5 generations they have been making traditional Japanese umbrellas from colored paper and bamboo and do it entirely by hand using the same technology.

Master the art of kintsugi - restoration of old ceramics. Age-old cracksy fill with natural Urus wood varnish with an admixture of gold. This is how kintsugi is translated - “golden patch” or “golden seam”. This technique reflects the philosophy of wabi-sabi - the ideality of the imperfect, the value of history, experience, uniqueness. You can also attend culinary master classes on making dashi broth, traditional Japanese wagashi sweets, soba noodles; art master classes on creating masks for the Noh theater or master the basics of playing in it.

Visit the Sado-Kinzan mines - a new UNESCO site in Japan, located on Sado Island. The gold and silver mines were the largest in Japan and were used for 400 years, and now their tunnels and shafts are open to tourists. On the same island is the Gold Park, where you can try your hand at panning gold-bearing sand. And additionally, climb the mountains, relax on the sandy beaches, swim in the Sea of ​​Japan and dive to the coral reefs.