Our journey takes us north from Tōkyō to a landscape rich in spirituality and tradition. Though off the established tourist circuit, the sights of northern Japan rival anywhere in the country in their beauty and atmospheric grandeur. We visit both the better-known, magnificent destinations, such as the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tōshōgū shrine at Nikkō and Dewa Sanzan, as well as the region’s more remote hot springs and beautiful national parks. We take exhilarating walks through beautiful scenery in the Oze Marsh, Mount Gassan, and Tōno Valley.

The Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō travelled through this region in the 17th century, a journey subsequently published as The Narrow Road to the Deep North. We will visit several of the places which inspired his famous haiku poems. Our small group stays at traditional ryokan and minshuku inns in the countryside – always with wonderful service and beautifully prepared regional cuisine featuring fresh local ingredients. Natural hot spring baths are highlights of our journey. At Tochio near Oze, our hot spring ryokan has open-air baths next to a rushing river, while at Nyūtō Onsen near Lake Tazawa, the 300-year-old Tsuru-no-yu Ryokan has eight baths, some with the famous milky-white spring water. The tour begins and ends in Tōkyō, with time for sightseeing and shopping.

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