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Through a visit to a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine, you will gain a fascinating insight into the two dominant religions of Japan. After an enlightening experience, which will include witnessing the famous Goma fire ritual, we’ll cool off at a traditional garden. If you want a deeper understanding of the role of religion and ritual in Japanese culture, this is a private tour you won’t want to miss.
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Join us on this private off-the-beaten-track tour for an introduction to the two main religions of Japan.
To kick things off, we will start at the very active Fudo-do Temple. With the stunning temple grounds as our backdrop, we’ll learn how Shintoism and Buddhism, Japan’s two primary religions, coexist. We’ll discover the differences between the two and how they represent the whole spectrum of life.
We’ll watch a unique Buddhist ceremony known as a Goma ritual, held in the main temple hall. The ceremony involves burning a special kind of firewood as an offering to the principal deity, Fudo Myou.
When the ceremony ends, you’ll have a bit of time to explore the other floors of the temple, such as the trippy prayer corridor with 9500 miniature crystal statues. Talking is not allowed inside, so your guide will explain a bit beforehand about some of the things you can expect to see, and will answer any questions you have when we leave the temple.
From Fudo-do, we’ll stroll over to Hachiman Shrine, which is best known for its close ties to the sumo world. The shrine is said to be the birthplace of Kanjin-zumō (founded in 1684) and the origin of current, professional sumo. The grounds are adorned with sumo-related stone monuments, and when a sumo wrestler reaches the highest rank, known as yokozuna, there is a dedication ceremony done at the shrine.
Our last stop will be Kiyosumi to admire a traditional Japanese stroll garden. There has been a garden of some form here since the early 18th century but it was Iwasaki Yataro, the founder of Mitsubishi, who shaped it into the tranquil spot we know today. Yataro rebuilt the gardens for the pleasure and enjoyment of his employees and as a place to entertain important guests.
At the end of your private tour, we can leave you to explore the rest of the gardens or we’d be happy to walk you back to the train station. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for hints and tips on where else to visit during your stay in Tokyo.
Local English-speaking guide, transportation by subway to Kiyosumi Garden, entrance fee to the garden, one charm or amulet souvenir.
Food and drinks, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, tips/gratuities for your guide.
Please present this voucher to your guide at the beginning of your tour. Save this email on your phone or tablet, or print a copy, as you will need to show this to join the trip.
This tour includes a 30-minute ritual at the temple, which should be attended in whole. Note that this is a proper ritual which the general public takes part in, and talking and any other forms of disruption are frowned upon. Please also note that we cannot guarantee seating for the ritual. You will have to take off your shoes before entering the temple building, so we recommend bringing a clean pair of socks. As this tour starts during the height of morning rush hour, we recommend you give yourself extra time for getting to the start point.
If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
We advise that you dress modestly, with shoulders covered, as we will be visiting a temple and shrine. You will have to take off your shoes before entering the temple building, so we also recommend bringing a clean pair of socks.
If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides a tip — though not compulsory — is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many Intrepid Urban Adventures destinations. Please consider this when budgeting for your extra expenses on this tour.
Children under the age of 6 are not permitted to join this tour. For children above that age, please count them as an adult.
Monzen-Nakacho Station, exit 5, in front of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ bank. Accessible by the Tokyo Metro Tozai line and the Toei Oedo line.
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Kiyosumi Shirakawa Station (Toei Oedo Line and Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line).
By accepting our offer in writing, you/you confirm that our terms and conditions have both been read and understood and that cancellation fees may apply if the trip is cancelled.
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| AVAILABLE DATES | PRICE (1 ADULT) | PRICE (1 CHILDREN) | SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT | TRAVEL STATUS |
We will get back to you with an offer on the requested trip / package within 48 hours. All offers are non-binding and are usually valid for 7 days. Please note that reserved services can be canceled within these 7 days and that price may change until a final order is received.
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