Self-guided tour
A day of zazen and tea to rest the mind
In the morning, settle your breathing in zazen at a temple. For lunch, hand-made soba from stone-ground flour. In the afternoon, whisk matcha in a temple tea room among the pines, then walk quietly through a hillside atelier village.
- Duration
- Full day (10:00–16:30)
- Area
- Southern Yatsugatake Highlands Area, Clear Streams & Mt. Kaikoma Area
- Start
- Kobuchisawa Station
- Getting around
- Taxi or car
- Best days
- Some stops close Mon–Thu; go Fri–Sun
What you can do
place-8010-hero.webpMorning zazen
Sit in the quiet main hall.
place-8011-hero.webpHand-made soba
Soba from stone-ground flour, for lunch.
place-8012-hero.webpTea at a temple
Whisk your own matcha in a tea room among the pines.
Itinerary
10:00
Start at Kobuchisawa Station (taxi, about 15 min)10:15
Sit zazen in the main hall with the priest's guidance (booking required).
- Time there
- 70 min
- Hours
- Grounds 8:00–17:00. Zazen 7:00 / 10:30 / 13:30
- Closed
- Open daily (no sessions on memorial-service days)
- Price guide
- About ¥1,000
- Booking
- Book externally
- Taxi, about 15 min (approx.)Route on Google Maps
11:40
Hand-made soba from stone-ground flour, with seasonal tempura.
- Time there
- 80 min
- Hours
- Lunch 11:30–14:30 (until sold out); evenings Fri–Sat by booking
- Closed
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Price guide
- About ¥1,100
- Booking
- Book externally
- Taxi, about 15 min (approx.)Route on Google Maps
13:30
In a tea room among the pines, learn the manners as you take matcha, then whisk a bowl yourself.
- Time there
- 90 min
- Hours
- Grounds 9:00–16:30. Tea sessions 10:00–15:00
- Closed
- Tuesdays, 29 Dec–3 Jan
- Price guide
- About ¥1,000
- Booking
- Book externally
- Taxi, about 10 min (approx.)Route on Google Maps
15:10
A hilltop village of artists' studios and small galleries. It is quiet in the afternoon, so you can take your time in the garden and with the work.
- Time there
- 75 min
- Hours
- 10:00–17:00
- Closed
- Mondays and Thursdays (open on holidays); Dec–Mar weekends and holidays only
- Price guide
- About ¥500
- Booking
- Booking in Japanese — ask us
16:30 · Where the day ends
Choose to head home or stay the night. If you stay, you can add another route the next day.
Go home
Nagasaka Station
Taxi, about 5 min. Local train then limited express: about 2 h 20 min to Shinjuku.
Stay the night
- Kuraya Post-town InnSample Hakushu
- Miharashi Highland ResortSample Kobuchisawa
Tips
Zazen needs a booking. Booking the tea room ahead is also a good idea.
The atelier village is quiet in the afternoon.
Days and bookings
Closed days. Ishiusu-an Soba (sample): Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Shoin-ji Tea Temple (sample): Tuesdays, 29 Dec–3 Jan. Hillside Atelier Village (sample): Mondays and Thursdays (open on holidays); Dec–Mar weekends and holidays only. Seirin-ji Zen Temple (sample) needs a booking. Go Fri–Sun.
Approximate cost
From about ¥11,900 per person (for two people)
- Entry, food and activities (per person)
- About ¥3,600
- Local transport (per car)
- Taxi, booked leg by leg: about ¥16,500
- Train from Tokyo (per person, return)
- Limited express Azusa, about ¥11,000 (not included)
Estimates only. Excludes accommodation and travel from Tokyo. Getting around locally
Guides and drivers
We can arrange a guide or a chartered taxi.