Duration
3 days 2 night
Availability
June~ September
Price: ¥ 99,000 above
（tax included）
Story
Enjoy this new adventure tour of the Ina Valley – one of the country’s better-hidden travel destinations, located between Japan’s Central and Southern Alps. Combining outdoor activities with historical local culture, the program has been selected by experts from this beautiful region. Participants of this tour can meet residents of the Ina Valley, paraglide in the area’s breathtaking natural beauty and experience local samurai and wabi-sabi culture.
Day 1 of the tour is focused on Japanese straw (wara) handcraft culture. Meet a devoted “wara-samurai,” who has dedicated his time to preserving the legacy of wara culture in this southern part of the valley. On Day 2, take to the skies with a paragliding instructor and marvel at the breathtaking panorama of the Ina Valley around you. On Day 3, visit the ruins of Takato Castle, and learn how the valley’s natural features were utilized for its construction. You can also learn about the lifestyles of local samurai, and the stonemasons who created Buddha statues employing the wabi-sabi philosophy – a fascinating windows into the valley’s people and unique terrain.
Price Per Person
99,000JPY ~ / person
Clothing/Wha to bring
Day 1:
- Comfortable clothing (skirts not allowed)
Day 2:
- Comfortable clothing (Long sleeve and pants required. Skirts and sandals not allowed) (Note: Clothes may get dirty)
- Gloves
Day 3:
- Rain gear
- Soft drink (optional)
Customer Review
Day1:
The stories of Mr. Sakai, a top Sumo ring craftsman, are splendid!
Day 2:
Excellent program and lunch! Location and facility were just perfect!
Day 3:
Although Takato Castle has no remaining buildings (unlike other well-known sites such as Osaka Castle), learning about a ‘real’ aspect of Japanese history was a surprisingly enjoyable experience.
Included in the fee
- Guide fee
- Translator fee
- Entrance fees of visited facilities
- Activity fees
- Accommodation (2 nights)
- Meals (2 Breakfast, 3 Lunch, 1 Dinner)
- All travel from tour start point to finish
Not included in the fee
- Transportation to/from the meeting point
- Insurance (please purchase travel insurance in your own country)
- Anything else not specified (The bank transaction fee shall be covered by the customer.)
Language
English
Duration
3 days 2 night
Age / Height:
6 yrs and above / 120cm tall
Meeting Point
JR Iijima Station (JR Iida Line)
(If you come by car, please park in the parking lot on the right.)
Disbanding Point
Takato Station (JR Bus)
30 mins by bus to JR Inashi Station
Program Availability
June~ September
Participants
4 – 8 people
Application Deadline
30 days in advance
Agent Name
Nagano Inadani Tourism Bureau
Itinerary
Day 1 : Meeting a Straw (wara) Samurai!
- Due to the natural blessing of its climate and the meltwater from the surrounding alpine regions, Iijima Town is a renowned area of rice production. Here you will make a “shime-nawa” wreath from the straw that comes from the rice after it has been cut, under the guidance of Yuji Sakai, a “wara samurai” who makes the rope used in sumo rings for the national sport. Write your wish in your wreath and pray at a shrine for it to come true. Your wreath will be burned during the annual “Donto-yaki” ritual, which can be watched via social media.
- The building used for the activity is a recreation of a magistrate’s office of the Edo Period. You can feel the historical presence of samurais, magistrates using the study, criminals being sentenced in court, and daily life from the past.
- Prepare your own meal, a traditional Japanese set lunch, cooked in a historical Japanese kitchen on an irori hearth, with local women. Try tasting traditional natto wrapped in straw!
| 10:40 | Meet and greet at Iijima Station |
| 10:40~10:50 | Walk to the Iijima Town History and Folklore Museum, “Iijima Jinya” |
| 10:50~11:00 | Lunch preparation: prepare rice and ingredients |
| 11:00~11:20 | View the museum |
| 11:20~11:40 | Lunch preparation: start stove fire with flint |
| 11:40~13:00 | Straw crafting with Mr. Sakai |
| 13:00~13:20 | Lunch preparation: final steps |
| 13:20~14:50 | Lunch* around an irori hearth |
| 14:50~14:55 | Walk to Umeto Shrine |
| 14:55~15:05 | Shrine visit and praying for straw craft |
| 15:05~15:30 | Walk to Iijima Station (Stopping at a liquor store on the way) |
| 15:30 | Arrive at Iijima Station |
| 15:55 | Depart from Iijima Station |
| 16:48 | Arrive at Ina Kita Station, check in at Finedays Hotel (Participants make their own dinner arrangements in Ina City) |
Meals
Lunch
Activity Level
★☆☆☆☆
Activity includes about 30 minutes in total of walking on a flat, paved path.
Technical Level
★★☆☆☆
Straw crafting requires some dexterity of the fingers, but the guide will help you with all the steps.
Accomodation
| Room type | Single room |
| Bedding | Bed |
| Air conditioning | 〇 |
| Wifi | 〇 |
| Washing facilities | 〇 (Public bath) |
| Other amenities | Towel , Tooth brush, Yukata |
Day 2：Paragliding in the Ina Valley!
- Special program overseen by Yoshiki Kuremoto, Asia’s #1-ranked paraglider for 6 years.
- A special plan to experience aerial sports that includes a self-maneuvering experience and a tandem paragliding flight.
- Gliding up to 300m above the ground, in clear conditions you can enjoy wonderful views of Ina Valley and Japan Alps during the tandem flight. The instructor may even offer you the opportunity to take control.
- Includes a commemorative photo from you flight and an upcycled windsock gift made from a used paraglider.
- Spend a relaxing night as the guest of your charming host in a 100-year-old, traditional Japanese building in the satoyama area.
| 7:00 | Breakfast* (buffet), preparation, check out |
| 9:00 | Depart from the hotel to ASOBINA by taxi |
| 9:30 | Arrive at ASOBINA |
| 9:30~9:45 | Break (Mt. Komagatake Peak) |
| 9:45~11:30 | Paragliding Self-Maneuvering Experience |
| 11:30~12:30 | Lunch* (spicy curry) |
| 12:30~16:30 | Paragliding Tandem Flight (flight time about 15mins) |
| 16:30 | Finish at ASOBINA, move to Inashi Station by taxi |
| 17:00 | Arrive at Inashi Station |
| 17:00~17:30 | Depart from Inashi station to Fukugami (free pick-up) |
| (For groups of 7 or more, taxis will be arranged.) | |
| 17:30 | Arrive at Fukugami, check in |
| 18:30 ~ | Dinner* (Japanese course meals using local ingredients) |
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activity Level
★★★☆☆
- Self-Maneuvering Experience: Strap into a 7kg paraglider and run down a gentle slope before gliding on your own a couple of meters off the ground.
- Paragliding Tandem Flight: Wearing a harness attached to a paraglider, launch from the top of Mt. Hatobuki (altitiude 1,320m) after a 20m downhill run with the instructor.
Technical Level
★★★☆☆
The instructor will explain each step, so even beginners can enjoy this activity.
Accomodation
| Room type | Shared room with tatami floor |
| Bedding | Japanese futon |
| Air conditioning | N/A |
| Wifi | 〇 |
| Washing facilities | 〇 |
| Other amenities | Towel , Tooth brush |
Day 3：Visiting the Natural Fortress, Takato Castle, and Experiencing Samurai Lifestyle
- Walk around the compound of the site where Takato Castle formerly stood and learn how the surrounding natural environment was utilized for the construction of this natural fort. Although only its ruins now remain, Takato Castle is designated as one of Japan’s 100 most famous castles.
- VR experience of the tragic history of Takato Castle and the fighting samurai.
- Learn how natural features were used to build the castle.
- Stamp of Takato Castle scarlet seal (go-jyo-in).
- Visit museums and learn about samurai lifestyle, education, medicine, and more.
- Feel the sense of “wabi-sabi” from Buddhist statues made by Takato’s Edo-era stone masons.
- Lunch: a healthy lunch made from local ingredients in an old, traditional Japanese house.
| 7:00 | Breakfast* (Japanese style) |
| 9:00 | Depart from Fukugami to Takato Station (free pick-up) (For groups of 7 or more, taxis will be arranged.) |
| 9:30 | Meet at JR Bus Takato Station |
| 9:30~9:40 | Tour briefing |
| 9:40~10:00 | Walk to Takato Town History Museum / valley view from a bridge |
| 10:00~11:00 | Takato Town History Museum with VR experience |
| 11:00~11:10 | Walk to Takato Castle Ruins Park |
| 11:10~12:00 | Explore the castle ruins |
| 12:00~12:05 | Walk to the samurai school, Shintokukan |
| 12:05~12:20 | Shintokukan |
| 12:20~12:30 | Walk the samurai route towards the castle |
| 12:30~13:00 | Visit the historical house of an eye doctor for samurai |
| 12:50~13:00 | Walk to Kenpukuji Temple |
| 13:00~13:30 | Explore Kenpukuji Temple |
| 13:30~13:35 | Walk to Tamakiya |
| 13:35~14:20 | Lunch at Tamakiya(vegetarian option available) |
| 14:20~14:50 | Shopping time in Takato Castle Town |
| 14:50 | Finish at JR Bus Takato Station |
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
Activity Level
★★☆☆☆
- The course is about 4.6km in total (about 60 minutes of walking). From Takato Station to the history museum (about 20 minutes), the path is slightly uphill.
Technical Level
★★☆☆☆
Please be careful on the stairs.
Cancellation Policy
■ Cancelation by the participant
- Cancellation on or after the 20th day from the day immediately preceding the starting day of the tour: 20% of the tour price.
- Cancellation on or after the 7th day from the day immediately preceding the starting day of the tour: 30% of the tour price.
- Cancellation the day immediately before the starting day of the tour: 40% of the tour price.
- In cases where the contract is cancelled on the starting day of the Tour: 50% of the tour price.
- Cancellation after the start of the tour or the traveler does not participate in the tour without notice (no show): 100% of the tour price.
■ Cancellation at the discretion of the organizer
- The itinerary may need to be changed or canceled after the tour starts. In this event, “itinerary change refunds” will be paid in accordance with a contract between you and us, except for reasons such as natural disasters.
Interested in our tour?
No second thoughts, contact us.
We have been having many requests from agents overseas, mentioning that they are trying to expand their destinations in/to Japan or they have already but need help creating the itineraries for their clients to keep up with the demand.
Heartland Japan has increased the number of staff to accommodate these requests. If you are hand-full and need some advice, we are here to help.
For more information about this experience program, We will coordinate with local suppliers on dates, prices, and details of the program. We will coordinate with local suppliers on dates, prices, and details of the program and provide the program to you.
Please contact us for more information. We look forward to providing you with a unique and immersive experience in the region!
For this experience program, please inquire with our company each time. We will coordinate with local suppliers to arrange the schedule, fees, and detailed content for you. Please start by contacting us.
Look forward to a unique, immersive local experience!