Featured image:  The Nakasendo Trail, an ancient pilgrimage route near Kyoto. Get ready to experience adventure travel in Japan! / Photo by Carolyn Ray

Adventure travel and cultural immersion in Japan

by Carolyn Ray

When I first read the description of my adventure travel in Japan itinerary, I’m a bit intimidated. The trip activity level is described as ‘moderate’, with a hike over the 2,600 foot Magome Pass, a walk along the Kuniga Coast along the edge of the 843 foot Matengai Cliff, and 20 miles of cycling in the Oki Islands, a wind and wave-sculpted archipelago in the Sea of Japan. I’m in decent physical shape, recovering from a knee injury, but I think I can handle it. After all, I’ve walked the Camino de Santiago, swam with piranhas in the Amazon, and ridden horseback up Cotapaxi Volcano in Ecuador.

But then I see the word ‘onsen’ and my heart stops. These Japanese hot springs are the ultimate bathing experience, but am I ready for full nudity? As a woman in midlife, I’m not precious about my age or body, but I’m a bit nervous about being naked in front of other women. But then I remember why I travel: it’s to challenge my boundaries and learn something new about myself.  Perhaps getting naked in an onsen, like much of the trip, is an opportunity to face my fears and be set free.

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Reframing adventure travel in Japan, from a woman’s perspective

I’m on an organized tour called “Sacred Japan” with Wild Women Expeditions, a Canadian-based women’s adventure travel company. It’s my third time with Wild Women. Like all of their trips, this one is designed by women for women. While there is time in Tokyo and Kyoto, this experience is focused on the countryside and the Oki Islands, an archipelago on the Sea of Japan.

“For this trip, it was really important to me that we witness the talents of Japanese women who are the generational heartbeat of this country,” says Jennifer Haddow, CEO, Wild Women Expeditions. “We hope to awaken all the senses through sound, ancient pilgrimage routes, samurai history, monastery stays, tea ceremonies, and unfamiliar flavours. This less-travelled route is the Japan you didn’t know you were dreaming of and together, women can experience it in the camaraderie of Wild Women who are just as curious and tempted by Japan’s secrets!”

We are a small group of seven from across the US and Canada, all different ages and backgrounds; divorced, widowed, single and married. We have three female tour guides, Miko, Yuka and Sera, who teach us how to order food, get train tickets, and use our Suica travel cards to make the experience fun and easy.

Five lessons from my trip to Japan

1. Women’s wisdom knows no borders

There is something very special about travelling with a group of women. No subject is taboo, and no questions are asked when you take your sweater off for the fourth time in 10 minutes. Almost immediately, I start to dial down my own worries and listen to the incredible stories being shared, about loss, grief, joy and freedom. Within hours, there is a feeling of support and sisterhood among the other women on my trip.

On this trip, Japanese women are featured in every experience, including women tea farmers, women-owned restaurants and women leading tea ceremonies. There’s even an opportunity to bang the taiko drum with a group of Japanese women who keep the rhythm of their ancestors alive.

One of the most memorable experiences on our trip is visiting the Ama divers in Toba, Japan. Reiko, a 92-year-old third-generation Ama diver, says her mother taught her to free drive when she was 10. She recently retired at 82.

The feeling of sisterhood strengthens throughout the trip, as we meet other women just like us. Everywhere we go, women hug us, clasp our hands and we bow to each other, creating a bond of womanhood. Somehow, the fact that we don’t speak Japanese is irrelevant. What’s important is that we are connected.

Click here to find endless things to do in Japan!

2. Honouring traditions takes you deeper into culture

In Tokyo, when I visit the Meiji Shrine, I learn about bowing. Bowing is a sign of gratitude and respect, and it happens constantly. I am instructed to bow at each gate, and not to walk in the middle of the path, as it’s reserved for the gods. When you meet someone, bow. When you thank someone, bow. When you enter a temple, bow. After you pray, bow.

Most tea ceremonies are done by women, and highlight the values of harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei) and peace (jaku). The tradition of a tea ceremony was originally imported from China in the 12^th century and was only for the nobles. Today, it’s a chance to meet and get to know each other. At a tea ceremony in Nagano, we learn how to make our own matcha tea, turn the bowl, sip from the other side, and listen to the sound of the water, all the while offering thanks to the gods.

5. There is joy to be found in discomfort

In Japan, onsens (hot springs) are considered sacred and part of traditional Japanese culture, and are often beautiful structures made from materials like marble, granite, and cypress wood. They are perfect for weary travellers who need to ease muscle tension and physical stress, while improving blood circulation, soothing one’s mind, and encouraging better sleep.

My first onsen experience is at Misasa Onsen, an 850-year old sanctuary. Clothed only in a kimono and slippers provided by the hotel, I walk past a waterfall into an area with two entrances. One has a red banner over the entrance and Japanese letters. The other has a blue banner and Japanese letters. Phones aren’t allowed, so I can’t whip out Google Translate to know which is men’s or women’s. I tentatively step into one hallway and walk down it, only to have an attendant call to me. ‘Oh no, I’ve walked into the men’s onsen’, I think, horrified. He runs up to me, and points at my feet, which are still in slippers. No, no, no he says and I realize that I’ve walked into the bathroom with shoes on, a very big faux pas. Quickly, I rush back to the main area and put my shoes in the appropriate shelf, bowing and apologizing as I walk away.

After this mishap, I cautiously walk into the women’s bathroom, where three or four women are sitting on stools naked, in front of mirrors, blow drying their hair. There’s a sign on the wall with instructions to leave everything in a bin before entering the onsen.

I disrobe and open the door to a steamy room with an indoor pool and two outdoor pools. Knowing I need to clean my body first, I choose a bench in the corner and shower hopping into the shallow indoor pool, which is refreshingly warm. There are other women everywhere, some in pairs, one woman with her daughter, all just enjoying the various pools. They smile at me. I start to relax. I take a deep breath, gather my courage and boldly walk to a pool with running water, rocks and flowers.

All around me, I hear the sound of gently gurgling water. Vines trail above my head and the warm air relaxes me. As I settle into the warm water, I’m covered with rose petals, creating a memory that will last forever. I’m all in, loving every moment. Arigatō, Japan!

Disclaimer: I was a guest of Wild Women Expeditions, from our Women’s Travel Directory on this trip. They did not review this article prior to publication. Thank you to Japanese guides Kumiko (Miko) Asai, Yuka Hayafune and Sea Shibuya who kept us on and off the right trains, hiking paths and shared their culture with us. All photos by the author.

From Tokyo Airport (NRT), I took the Airport Limousine bus into the city (about 35,000 yen). There is also a train that takes you into Tokyo but the trains can be intimidating with lack of sleep.

To get the Oki Islands, take a 2.5-hour ferry. You can fly out of Kyoto or Tokyo to the Oki Airport on Dōgo. Click here to check for flights.

One regret is I didn’t get to experience a Bullet Train, so arrive early or stay longer to explore cities like Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. From what I saw of Kyoto, it’s worth a longer stay.

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