NEW TOUR 2023
I am thrilled to be offering a new tour this winter from my base in Nagano prefecture, home to the amazing Japan alps.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF JOMON JAPAN!!!
Amazing Jomon Flame Pottery
When you consider that most of Japan is in fact represented by the Jomon period, it is surprising that most people overseas have never heard of this amazing period in Japan's history. I have spent more than 20 years researching and connecting with Jomon Japan, and I am thrilled to be able to guide people to connect with this amazing world, which may just hold the keys to a hopeful future for humanity. One of the most remarkable aspects of Japan's longest period in history is that the Jomon people were able to live in harmony for more than 10,000 years! If we can understand how the Jomon people interacted with the natural world around them, we may just discover the key to a new way of sustainable living and unlock a power within we have forgotten in our modern world.
On my tours you will have the rare opportunity to interact directly with the energy of the Jomon world, still vibrating with tremendous power in their eclectic pottery and on the land where they settled thousands of years ago. The beauty of visiting ancient Jomon sites is that they are completely untouched by the modern world and we can feel how pristine and vibrant the earth remains at these sites. People feel greatly energised after connecting to these places and come away with a renewed sense of hope. I always aim to create a relaxed atmosphere on my tours to allow people to take the time they need to reflect, create, meditate, sing or dance...whatever inspires their spirit in the moment!
You won't find many tours offering a change to connect directly to the very age of Japan's creation, and the mystery and beauty found in the primordial beat of the Jomon world will last with you forever.
3 DAY JOMON POWER TOUR🌀
Day 1
We will travel from Nagano city to visit the Tokamachi City Museum in Niigata prefecture. The museum itself it quite stunning and offers explanation of the displays in English which is a rarity, especially in archeological museums in Japan. The museum is famous for housing a collection of Jomon flame pottery (see photo above) which have all been designated national treasures. The impact of initial contact with these incredible works of art usually invokes an audible response from people who simply cannot contain their excitement! -"incredible!", "how did they do it?", "so powerful". Even the experts admit there are more mysteries remaining about the function and symbology of Jomon pottery. It is hard to believe they were created simply to make the family dinner! Many people experience a kind of epiphany after being around Jomon pottery and I am excited for the inspiration you may receive during our visit at the museum.
After our leisurely visit to the museum, we will return to Nagano to stay in Ogawa village, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Japan. Here you will experience the peace and quiet of rural Japan and meet the locals who will make you feel like family! The pension you will stay in has beautiful views of the Japanese alps and you can enjoy delicious soba noodles for dinner which is a delicacy of Nagano prefecture. Expect to sleep like a baby under a blanket of stars especially bright during the winter.
Ogawa village
Delicious soba noodles!
Day 2 & 3
We will spend two days near Lake Suwa and the breathtaking Yatsugatake mountain range which was home to one of the largest Jomon settlements in Japan. The energy and beauty of the area is famous across Japan and we will visit two Jomon archeological museums, as well as visit the Idojiri archeological site which is one of the most significant in Japan.
Idojiri Jomon power spot
You will also have the rare opportunity to meet Japan's most famous Jomon figurine, the enigmatic Venus! She is designated as a national treasure and stands as a symbol of the importance placed on women by the Jomen people.
Jomon Venus - national treasure
A delicious vegan lunch is included on the first day, and we will stay at a Japanese minshuku overnight. Minshukus are usually family operated and what we would call a local B&B.
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| Vegan lunch - yummy! |
Togariishi Jomon power spot
3 DAY TOUR COST
¥ 42,000 per person
This includes guiding fee, transport, meals, accommodation and entrance to museums. Please let me know if you are traveling with children and I can offer a special family rate.
(¥ 35,000 per person if you are traveling on the Japan Rail Pass)
¥ 55,000 for individuals who are traveling by themselves and want to book a private tour.
(¥ 48,000 if you are traveling on the Japan Rail Pass)
I kindly request that all payments are made in cash on the first day of the tour. Some adjustments to the tour itinerary may be made due to train delays and/or weather changes.
I look forward to hearing from you if you want to make a booking or have an inquiry:
Tour guide: Kara Yamaguchi
Email: Manyoshu2323@gmail.com
Welcome to Sacred Gateways of Japan where you can discover a magical and ancient world still existing in Japan that most people rarely have the chance to explore!
Kara Yamaguchi is one of the few people in the world who has documented and researched into Japan's sacred sites for more than 15 years, and through exhibitions, tours and media coverage has brought awareness about the last breathtaking sanctuaries of ancient Japan to people from around the world. Kara has 20 years of experience working and living in Japan and with Japanese, American and Australian roots, is in a unique position to bridge the ancient world of Japan's sacred sites with the outside world. She has dedicated her life to bringing an understanding about Japanese culture to people from other countries, and believes Japan holds a vital key for us to navigate a new way of living, while upholding the sacred ways of honoring the earth left to us by our ancestors.
Be ready to enter into a world of exquisite beauty as you explore the world of ancient Japan still very much alive today. You may be surprised to discover a world of hidden mysteries that may one day change our history books, and can reconnect us to a new world where we can truly live in harmonic co-existence with all life on the planet.
A message from Kara
Coming to Japan in the 90s for the first time was one of those pivotal moments which changed my life forever. I have journeyed to almost every remote region of Japan to photograph and document an amazing network of ancient sacred sites existing across Japan, and now take immense pleasure in guiding people from around the world to these remarkable places.
I think the most touching remark a tour participant said to me was..."Kara, you live and breathe Japan!"...and it's so true, I can't imagine my life without Japan!
Join me for one of my special tours which will take you on a journey into the sacred gateways of Japan, and watch your world be transformed!
For more information about booking a special sacred site tour with Kara please contact her at:
Manyoshu2323@gmail.com
Come and experience the world of ancient Japan and be transformed by a world of mysterious beauty you will never forget.
Every tour is different and planned specially for you to truly connect to the spirit of Japan. No rushing to visit tourist attractions…let me guide you to places that few tourists ever get to see in Japan.
I have seen so many people transformed by the gentle beauty and spirit of the land here and I hope to continue to serve as a bridge between Japan and the world, as we build a bright future together!
Come and experience the world of ancient Japan and be transformed by a world of mysterious beauty you will never forget.
Every tour is different and planned specially for you to truly connect to the spirit of Japan. No rushing to visit tourist attractions…let me guide you to places that few tourists ever get to see in Japan.
