In the Footsteps of Basho

In 1689, Matsuo Basho, Japan’s most celebrated haiku poet, traveled as an itinerant priest and wandering poet-philosopher through northern Japan. His famous diary, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, still stands as one of the best travel journals ever written. Our northern Japan journey with Trip Leader Kate Ulberg , we follow Basho’s path from Matsushima, one of the most scenic spots in Japan, with its pine-clad islets, to Iwate, where we travel by pole boat through the Geibi Gorge, with brilliant fall colors all around us. We also explore the 12th century town of Hiraizumi and its breathtaking pavilions and ancient temples, climb the thousand steps to the pilgrim temples at Yamadera, and boat down the Mogami River, surrounded by scenery right out of a Japanese brush painting. Our journey ends at a special onsen (hot springs hotel) on the magnificent coastline of the Sea of Japan. Most nights are in rustic ryokans that envelop us in a cozy world of Japanese tradition, complete with tatami-matted rooms, yukata robes, and the ritual hot bath.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Tokyo / Nikko

Arrive in Tokyo and travel by train to Nikko, where we discover the power of the shoguns in living color. We spend the afternoon among these flamboyantly painted shrines and temples, all surrounded by mountain forest.

Days 3-4
Uru Bandai / Aizu-Wakamatsu

We take the train north to Aizu-Wakamatsu, where much of the past is preserved, and begin to learn the legends of the samurai as we visit local samurai houses, as Basho did. The town is known for its crafts, including lovely pottery and lacquerware, and its sake, brewed with water from an abundance of local mountain springs. We walk through beautiful Uru Bandai National Park, a setting of lakes, marshes, and forests of beech, and hike the Gishikinuma (“five colors”) nature trail.

Days 5-7
Sendai / Matsushima / Hiraizumi

Onward to the city of Sendai today via the speedy “bullet train,” where we head straight to scenic Matsushima Bay to tour by boat and on a coastal walk. Another train journey takes us to the quiet village of Hiraizumi, once the capital of the Fujiwara clan, of whose history Basho reflected, “The glory of three generations passes as though in a dream.” Here we explore the extraordinary Konjiki-do, or “Golden Hall,” built in 1124 and thickly encrusted with gold leaf, and stop in at a thatched teahouse, as Basho did.

Days 8-13
Yamagata / Haguro-san / Sea of Japan

We delve deep into the heart of Tohoku, as northern Honshu is often called, traveling through a rich landscape of terraced rice paddies, thatched farmhouses, and rushing mountain streams. On Haguro-san, an extinct volcano that is also one of Japan’s most sacred mountains, we walk up an ancient stone staircase through a cedar forest to discover remote shrines that have been places of worship for a thousand years. At the castle town of Tsuruoka, we tour the “dragon pond” temple, then take a walk that rewards us with our first views of the Sea of Japan. On Day 12, a speedy train brings us to Tokyo. Depart on Day 13.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

More Cultural Odysseys in Japan with Kate Ulberg

• Temples, Treasures & Teahouses
  Experience magical Kyoto, Koyasan monastery, enjoy the fabulous spectacle of Sanno Matsuri (Takayama's Spring Festival), and overnight in a serene Buddhist monastery perched on a mountaintop. April 4-17, 2011.
• Japan: Shikoku Expedition
  Discover off-the-beaten-path Shikoku, with its lushly rural atmosphere and history rich with elements of traditional Japan found nowhere else in the country. October 24-November 5, 2011.

What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate. Although this trip is not physically demanding, it will yield greater rewards if you are in good physical condition and able to stay on your feet for 6-7 hours per day. A fair amount of walking is necessary to take it all in—and you will find that there are many steps to climb! Please remember, many nights we will be sleeping on futons and eating at floor level, so it is important that you are able to sit down on and get up off the floor without much difficulty. Our days will be spent at temples and shrines, gardens and spots of natural beauty, meeting local folk and learning about daily life as well as visiting museums and viewing traditional performances, riding on buses and trains, wandering, and exploring. Some of our longer travel days (3-4 hours by bus) are broken up with sights and walks. There are also bus rides on some very curvy mountain roads. Most nights are in Japanese style inns known as ryokans. One night is at an onsen hotel, and four nights are at Western-style hotels.

Explanation of Trip Levels