A Catholic Pilgrimage to Japan

The group departs the United States for Japan.

Pilgrims arrive at Tokyo (Haneda) Airport in the evening, where an English-speaking Catholic guide welcomes the group at the arrival gate. We transfer by private motorcoach directly to the hotel for check-in and rest after the long journey. Mass begins the following day.

After breakfast, we meet our guide for a full day exploring Tokyo. The morning begins in the historic Asakusa district at the ancient Senso-ji Temple and the colorful Nakamise shopping street, followed by a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, a contemplative introduction to Japanese culture. In the afternoon we ascend Tokyo Sky Tree for sweeping views of the city. Lunch on your own. We return to the hotel before gathering for Holy Mass, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we gather for Mass, tentatively at St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Catholic cathedral of Tokyo. Following Mass we visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine, set within a forested park, then stroll through the Harajuku district and its famous Takeshita Street. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon we take in the Shibuya Crossing and surrounding streets before returning to the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we check out: main luggage is forwarded ahead to Kyoto, so pack an overnight bag for the two nights in Akita. We transfer to Tokyo Station and board the Shinkansen bullet train north to Akita, with lunch on your own during the ride. On arrival, we transfer to a local church for Holy Mass, then check in at the hotel. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

After breakfast, we depart for the beautifully preserved town of Kakunodate, the “Little Kyoto of the North.” The morning is spent exploring the Samurai District and the Aoyagi Samurai Manor Museum. Lunch on your own. We return to Akita in the afternoon for Holy Mass at a local church, followed by a group dinner.

After an early breakfast, we check out and transfer to Akita Station for the bullet train south to Kyoto (via Tokyo), with lunch on your own during the ride. On arrival, we transfer to the hotel for check-in, then walk to a nearby church for Holy Mass, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we meet our guide for a full day in Japan’s ancient imperial capital. The morning begins at Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former seat of the Tokugawa shoguns, famed for its “nightingale floors.” Following Mass at a local church, we continue to the Arashiyama district to walk through the iconic Bamboo Grove and surrounding temple area. Lunch on your own. We gather for dinner at a local restaurant in the evening.

After breakfast, we check out: main luggage is forwarded directly to Nagasaki, so pack an overnight bag for the one night in Hiroshima. We transfer to Kyoto Station and board the bullet train to Hiroshima, with lunch on your own during the ride. On arrival we transfer to a local church for Holy Mass, followed by a visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome (exterior), a sobering occasion for prayer and reflection on the sanctity of human life. We check in at the hotel, with dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we check out and transfer to Hiroshima Station for the bullet train to Nagasaki (via Hakata and Takeo-Onsen), with lunch on your own at Nagasaki Station. The afternoon marks the beginning of the pilgrimage’s deeply Catholic heart: we visit St. Philip’s Church (Nishizaka Church) and the Museum and Monument of the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki, the very site where twenty-six Catholics, including three young boys, were crucified in 1597 as the first martyrs of Japan. Holy Mass follows at a local church, then we check in at the hotel for a group dinner.

After breakfast, we depart for a full-day excursion to the Shimabara Peninsula. Holy Mass is celebrated at a local church, followed by a group lunch at The Himematsuya Honten. The afternoon is spent at the Hara Castle Ruins (site of the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637–38, the last stand of Japanese Christians against the Tokugawa shogunate), with a stop at Arima Beach near the Arima Martyrs memorial and the statue of Our Lady of Minamishimabara. We return to Nagasaki in the evening; the remainder of the day is free.

After breakfast, we walk to Oura Cathedral, the oldest surviving church in Japan (1864), the site where the hidden Christians of Nagasaki, the Kakure Kirishitan, revealed themselves to Father Petitjean after 250 years of practicing the Faith in secret. Holy Mass follows. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon we visit the Hongochi Monastery (Mugenzai no Sono), founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, walking the grounds he once walked as a missionary in Nagasaki. Dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we visit the Nagai Takashi Memorial Museum, commemorating the life of Dr. Takashi Nagai. Holy Mass follows at a local church. Lunch on your own. The afternoon continues at the Hypocenter Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum, and concludes with the ropeway ascent of Mt. Inasa for panoramic views over Nagasaki. We gather for a final dinner at a local restaurant.

Following an early check-out, we transfer to Nagasaki Airport for the flight home, carrying with us the witness of the martyrs and the hidden Christians of Japan.