Collaboration with Sogetsu Ikebana and Zen…

A wonderful experience that can only be found here in the world

Satoyama is a place where mountain and village meet, where humans have lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years, protecting forests, cultivating farmlands, and fostering biodiversity through their deeply rooted values. 

Nowhere in Japan is the the concept of satoyama embodied more vividly than in the coastal province of Echizen

Experience creativity, nature, and the spirit of zen through the warm hospitality of Echizen artisans, priests, chefs, farmers, and stewards of nature.

We call this highly curated tour “The Essence of Echizen” because you will encounter many of the philosophies central to Japanese culture.  Offering you more than beautiful landscapes and exquisite meals, we invite you to join an interactive experience of reverence, gratitude, and a symbiotic relationship with nature.

The Japanese concept of 畏怖恩 “Ifu-on” represents a profound reverence and gratitude toward Nature, a feeling you will discover deep within the people of Echizen, stewards of satoyama for generations.

We created this tour based on a vision enabling you to experience "ifu-on" through the graceful flower arrangements of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana and the Sogetsu Pottery Studio.

Echizen is also home to the world-famous monastery of Eiheiji, the head temple of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism. By experiencing zazen or sitting meditation, you will inhabit the profound spiritual culture that has been a part of this area since zen master Dogen founded Eiheji in 1244.

Your stay begins with two days and three nights, with the possibility extending your tour with even deeper explorations. We have selected Fukui province’s finest inns, onsen spas, and sake breweries so you can experience omotenashi, a philosophy that transcends mere customer service. Omotenashi is a commitment to providing wholehearted  service without any expectation of anything in return that you will encounter in our inn keepers, chefs, sake brewers, and flower arranging masters.

·        Ikebana - flower arranging

·        Zen Meditation

·        Harmony with nature

·        Award-winning sake breweries

·        Michelin-rated inns and onsen Hot Spring Spas

·        Kaiseki farm-to-table meals

We have hand-curated a once-in-a-lifetime experience encompassing natural beauty, stewardship of the land, sacred practices, and the highest level of dining.

Below are the core elements of the “Essence of Echizen” tour. We are committed to creating an experience custom-tailored to your needs and desires. The kind of travel that is satisfying to the soul.

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◆ Through the Sogetsu School of  Ikebana: discover harmony, gratitude and reverence for Nature

This tour is created in collaboration with the Sogetsu School of  Ikebana and the  Sogetsu Pottery Studio.  Together with master instructors, you will go deep into verdant forests to harvest bamboo and wildflowers, constructing a dynamic installation as Buddhist offering at a local temple. Through the creative process, you will connect to the natural reverence and spiritual culture that has been woven through Echizen since ancient times.

 

For more details, please see the Ifu-on Collection section and video on this website.

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◆Create a floral offering at a temple associated with the Zen Master Dogen – a private, spirital experience infused with zen creativity

＋ZEN

The setting for experiencing Zen (禅) is the Soto Zen temple “Kippo-ji (吉峰寺)" in the mountains around the town of Eiheiji, in Fukui Prefecture. 

In 1243 AD, Zen Master Dogen moved from Kyoto to this area, where he trained in harsh winter snows, becoming the founder of Eiheiji Monastery, the head temple of Zen Buddhism in the mountains of Western Japan.

It is said that one-third of the famous Shobogenzo (the fundamental scriptures of the Soto School of Zen) was first recited here, and you will also discover a rock where the Zen Master is said to have practiced zazen (sitting zen meditation training).

The current temple of Kippo-ji was built more than 120 years ago. The main hall, kitchen, along with the temple buildings founded by the Zen Master Dogen, are set amidst a moss-covered cedar grove, where monks train much the same way they did in ancient times.

In the main hall, you will quietly and privately immerse yourself in the Zen atmosphere while making an ifu-on creation using bamboo and wildflowers from the surrounding mountains. We invite you to relax and take in the monastery’s spiritual essence.

Part of your tour fee will be used for preserving the culture of the Zen Master for future generations.

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◆ Stay at a Michelin-star inn where you will enjoy shojin Buddhist vegetarian cuisine

For an evening of zen, we have arranged accommodations at two inns featured in the Michelin Guide that are attracting a lot of attention this year.

The first one is “Hakujukan (柏樹関),” an inn located in front of the Eiheiji Temple's main gate.

Listening to the sounds of a clear stream in the quiet of a zen village, you will be able to enjoy shojin vegetarian cuisine, experience morning zen meditation, attend morning services with the monks, and copy sutras as a form of Buddhist practice – all overseen by concierges certified by Eiheiji monks.

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◆ Cleanse your body & spirit at a natural hot spring spa, featuring Michelin-star kaiseki cuisine

“Beniya (べにや)” is the second Michelin-star inn included in your stay. Immerse yourself in the beautiful landscape of Awara Onsen, a famous hot spring spa in the Hokuriku region which will be your home for several nights.

After passing through Beniya’s grand entrance, you’ll encounter a beautiful, modern Japanese-style building surrounding the inn's famous garden. Running continuously since 1884, Benriya is famous for its caring hospitality. Members of the Imperial family, writers, and the actor Yujiro Ishihara have been guests of this time-honored ryokan inn.

The Essence of Echizen Tour offers special and semi-special rooms with either beds or futons, where you’ll feel connected to the magnificent garden. Each room is equipped with a private hot spring bath so that you can enjoy your spa-time in full comfort.

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◆ Special Kiwami Kaisei dinner, plus a visit to Echizen’s finest sake make

The joy of travel is food. 

Beniya is famous for its farm-to-table cuisine, drawing from local farmers and fishermen from the mountains to the sea. In the winter, you can taste the quintessential regional cuisine: Echizen snow crab, caught in local ports and transported live to Beniya’s kitchen.

From  November 11th to March 31st, we work with an expert crab fisherman at the port of Echizen who will supply Beniya with snow crab, the most treastured of winter delicasies.

In addition, you’ll journey to Tanabe Sake Brewery, makers of the sake "Echizen Misaki," for a tour and special tasting of their limited-edition Daiginjo unprocessed sake called "Kiwami” (極), winner of the grand prize at the All-American Sake Tasting Competition.

This is a truly special combination of the region’s leading hot spring inns, the flavors of the sea, and sake brewers working together to deliver the true essence of Echizen.

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◆Special tasting at the sake brewery supplying Eiheiji Temple where you will experience the philosopy of omotenashi

Central to the philosophy of chado or tea ceremony is the concept of omotenashi, or the special care of guests. You will find omotenashi woven through your Echizen tour, reflected in the exit bow of the train conductor and the private sake tasting at Tanabe Sake Brewery.

Tanabe Sake is made from locally-grown rice following ancient traditions, The brewers carefully preserve the flavor while evolving and refining it into a sake that suits modern tastes, with a strong national reputation and growing global reach.

At our stop at Tanabe Sake, you will meet the brewers and enjoy a private tasting at a kaku-uchi reception where you can compare different vintages of Daiginjo sake.

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◆ Custom-made trips in private cars with drivers

Since Echizen is not really well served by public transportation, we will prepare a private car with driver at your service (luxury minivan), to make sure that you will enjoy your stay and have a deep experience.

We work with a taxi company based in Fukui. A driver will pick you up from the station or accommodation and will bring you to each experience location according to your desired schedule.

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◆ Our dedicated English-speaking tour guide will support your travel and learning experience from Tokyo to Fukui Prefecture

In cooperation with “Dexter LLC” in Tokyo, a tour guide who's fluent in English and has a deep knowledge of Japanese and Echizen culture will accompany you from Tokyo.

The image below shows our proposed tour leader Furuya Ayako.

Ayako has lived in  Fukui and abroad, having built her career leading tours throughout Japan. Ayako will be on hand to introduce the spiritual and cultural contexts of Echizen and to facilitate getting to know and understand the local Echizen community.

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The Essence of Echizen Tour is a production of “Ex Satoyama Co, Ltd.” in collaboration with the Tourism Board of Fukui Prefecture. Through deep local connections, planning and coordination, we have created an ideal way to experience Echizen. To join our tour or to learn more, please contact us:

◆ Contacts:

“Ex SATOYAMA Co., Ltd” (Contact person:Taka Yamauchi)

e-mail ： ex_satoyama@outlook.jp

Phone: 090-9769-0360