UpayaJapanArtsPilgrimage:AncientandContemporaryArtandSacredSitesApril4-19,2018

DearFriends,ThankyouforjoiningUpaya’s2018JapanPilgrimage.OurpilgrimagefocusesonthesacredartinKyotoandNara,theextraordinaryartsiteprojectsintheSetoInlandSea,includingNaoshima,andtherareandbeautifulpilgrimagerouteintheKiimountainrangeinKumano.WebegininKyotoatthebeautifulNanzenTempleandvisittraditionalZengardensandtemples,haveacalligraphydemonstrationbyKazandafamousKyotocalligrapher,experienceaJapaneseteaceremony,learnaboutthetraditionofJapanesecrafts,andparticipateintheritualofBuddha’sbirthdayatNanzentemple.WethentravelbyprivatebusandboattotheBenesseartsitesinNaoshima,Teshima,andInujima.FromNaoshima,wetravelthroughShikokutoKumano,aUNESCOworldHeritageSitepreservingtheancientcultureofsacredpilgrimage.ThehistoryofKumanoisrootedinthetraditionofnatureworshipinJapanaswellinBuddhism.WethentraveltotheancientcapitalofJapan,Nara,tofurtherexploretherootsofJapanesecultureandconcludeourjourneyinthisveryspecialplace,wherewehavemanyclosefriendswhowillintroduceustothesacredartsandcultureofJapan.WehearpresentationsonartandBuddhismfromRoshiJoanandKazandhavespecialconversationswithpriests,artists,andartisansofeachregion.Wealsohavetimeformeditationandfreetimetoexploreonourown.

MostofusdepartfromNorthAmericaorEuropeonApril3rdandmeetinKyotoonApril4th.OurjourneyiscompleteonthemorningofApril19thinNara.NotethatKyotodoesnothaveanairport-soyoushouldflytoKIX(KansaiInternationalairport)orITAMI(OsakaAirport).UnlessyoucometoJapanviaTokyo(NaritaorHaneda)andflyWestonadomesticflight,yourflightwillnormallytakeyoutoKIX,notITAMI.Afterthetrip,youcanflyoutfromKIXorITAMI.ThereareshuttlesfromNaratotheairport.ItineraryApril4:WemeetinKyotoforthefirstdinnertogetheratNanzenKaikan-whichislocatednexttothehistoricandmagnificent“Sanmon”gateoftheNanzenjiMonastery,oneoftheheadquartersoftheRinzaiSchoolZen.TheentiregroupmeetswithRoshiJoan,SenseiKaz,andMitsueoverdinnerforanintroductiontoourjourney.April4-8:Kyoto:Nanzenjitemple,visitstospecialtraditionalZengardens,visitstothestudiosoftraditionalJapanesecraftpeople,acalligraphyworkshop,ademonstrationofaJapaneseteaceremony,lectureabouttraditionalcraftinJapananditsrelationshiptothenatureandculture,Buddha’sbirthdaycelebrationatNanzenji.April8-12:BenesseArtSite,Naoshima:Wetravelbycharteredboatandbusestoanumberofextraordinarycontemporaryartsites,includingTeshimaArtMuseum,LesArchiveduCoeur,TeshimaYokooHouse,ChichuArtMuseum,ArtHouseProject,InujimaSeirenshoArtMuseum,InujimaArtHouseProject.TherewillbeaspecialprivatedinnerinsidetheBenesseMuseum.WestayinafabuloushoteldesignedbyrenownedarchitectTadaoAndo.April12-16:Kumano:WevisitsacredsitesinthedensemountainforestsoftheholyKiiMountainRange.Wearefortunatetobeabletoparticipateinanextraordinaryceremonycelebrating2050yearssincethefoundingofKumano.Kumano’sculture,artsandhistoryreflectitsprehistoricroots.KumanobecamethemostpowerfulexampleinJapanreflectingthefusionbetweennatureworshipandBuddhism.Wewillenjoyhotspringsandtraditionallodging.April16-19:Nara:Kasugashrine,Nigatsudo,Todaiji,thetraditionalgardens,deer,andforestsofNara,Toyoukenomori,focusedonpreservingtheoldpermacultureandtraditionsofJapan.Andaspecialfinaldinnerandcounciltocompleteourjourney.April19

Afterbreakfast,wemakeourwaybackhome.YoucanarrangeanairportshuttleinordertogettoOsakaAirport(KIX)orItamiAirport(ITM)orheadtoanotherdestinationinJapan.NoteWestayinmodernlodgingaswellasincomfortablesemi-templelodgingandryokan(traditionalJapaneseinn)foradeeperexperienceofculture.Somesingleroomsareavailable,exceptinKumano.Wetravelbycharteredbusandboat.

DetailsThetripisco-ledbySenseiKazuakiTanahashiandRoshiJoanHalifax,withourmainguideMitsueNagase.Kazisarenownedcalligrapher,socialactivist,author,andtranslatorofDogen.RoshiJoanisFoundingAbbotofUpayaZenCenter,asociallyengagedBuddhist,andauthor.KazandRoshiareoldfriendsandcollaboratorsandshareanabidingenthusiasmforthearts,culture,andhistoryofJapan.MitsueisaspecialcolleagueofKaz’sandRoshi’sandhasworkedwiththemforyearsinbringingJapanesecultureclosertoWesternfriends.FeesThecostofthejourneyis$6290fordoubleoccupancy,add$950forsingleoccupancy.ThistripcostsincludesGuideserviceswhentravelingasagroup,entrancefeesandcostsassociatedwithartexperiences,transportationinsideJapan(excepttransferstoandfromairport),mealsunlessotherwisespecifiedontheitinerary(specificswillbeprovidedlater),lodgingforthedurationofthejourney.Thetripfeedoesnotcover:internationalairfare,transportationto/fromairportto/fromhotel,visasandotherinternationalarrangements,anyextradaysspentbeforeorafterthedatesofthejourney,excessbaggageontheflights,phonecallsandfaxes,laundry,alcohol,coffeeorotherspecialbeverageswhenitisnotapartofthegrouparrangement;meals,transportationandadmissionon“freeafternoonsorevenings,”admissionfor“optional”activitiesandmedicalorotherinsurancecoverage.Tripmedicalcoverageandcancellationinsuranceisstronglysuggested.Deposit$500reservesyourplaceonthetrip.ReservationsmadeafterOctober31,2017requirearemittanceoftheentiretripcost.Toreserveaplace,eitherregisteron-linewithacreditcard(MastercardorVISA)orcontactRobertabyphone:505-986-8518ext.112oremail:registrar@upaya.org.Reservationscannotbeheldwithoutadeposit.ThebalanceofthecostofthepilgrimageisduebyOctober31,2017.Ifthebalanceisnotpaid,youmayloseyourplacetoapersononthewaitinglist.CancellationPolicyCancellationpriortoOctober31,2017:$500isnon-refundable.CancellationfromOctober31–December30,2017:halfofyourtotalisnon-refundable.CancellationonDecember31,2017forward:fullbalance,includinganysupplements,arenon-refundable.IntheunlikelyeventthattheUScurrencyexchangeratedropsbelow100yen/dollarwewillneedtoadjustthefees.