Mindful travel: 5 ways to travel mindfully in Japan

Japanese travel experts Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh share five ways to slow down and embrace mindfulness in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Mindfulness concepts include health treatments, philosophy, religion, pampering, food, exercise, relaxation, and more – but at the end of the day, it’s about paying attention to your surroundings, living in the moment, taking time, and allowing the thoughts of each day to diffuse into your body and soul.

Mindfulness is integrated into everyday Japanese life – tea ceremony culture, hot spring bathing, calligraphy, ikebana, meditation, shinrin yoku (forest bathing), spiritual worship, temple and inn accommodation, and Buddhist vegetarian kaiseki cuisine. Gardens and parks are design spaces in which visitors can absorb the true beauty of the seasons.

Slowing down, examining your surroundings, appreciating the beauty of nature and everyday life, and assessing your place in the world – it’s all part of the Japanese way of life.

sleep

Our favorite Japan travel memories always include where we stayed. Japan is full of otherworldly overnight experiences, from eco-friendly to luxurious to highly unusual. Hospitality, location, views, spa baths and incredible food, we are always delighted, amazed and deeply moved. From spiritually rich temple stays to historic ryokans (traditional Japanese inns), Japan is a treasure trove of thoughtful and upscale accommodations.

temple accommodation

There are an estimated 80,000 Buddhist temples in Japan, many of which are peaceful meditation retreats. From mountain hideaways and secluded forest compounds to peaceful havens near major city centers, some of our most exhilarating experiences in Japan were overnight stays at Buddhist temples. So turn off your tech, prepare for a vacation from your usual self, obey the monk life, limit your spoken language, eat clean, and take time to meditate quietly.

Staying at Subao Temple (the name can be translated as “sleeping with monks”) is the perfect way to experience temple life. Accommodations are almost always traditional Japanese rooms with tatami mats, futons and shared facilities. Your experience will include all aspects of temple life, from early morning prayers and meditation to dawn and dusk gongs, chanting, hot spring baths, calligraphy classes, tea ceremonies and shojin cuisine (vegetarian banquets) made with local ingredients.

garden

Built by emperors, monks and samurai, Japanese gardens have been revered by people of all walks of life for generations. Your path will be tortuous and never straight. A leaf fell to the ground and landed on a sloping dry garden. There are lakes, ponds and schools of beautiful and colourful koi (a surprising number), bridges, stepping stones and islets. Common plants include cherry and plum blossoms, maples, ginkgo trees, conifers, hydrangeas, wisterias, peonies, water lilies, and ferns, which have been carefully positioned to enhance their beauty and planted centrally for the most striking Effect.

The way of hot springs

Ditch your clothes and daily care and enjoy a time-honored bathing ritual at one of Japan’s 3,000 hot springs. For centuries, hot springs have been prized for their relaxing and healing qualities. We visited over 250 hot springs, from country baths to forest retreats. Bathing in public nudity can be a sacred ritual, a form of deep relaxation and a way of relieving illness. This isn’t an exclusive day spa, it’s an affordable social experience, an outing where friends and family can enjoy each other’s company and engage in “hadaka no tsukiai” or “naked exchanges.” Everyone is equal when taking a bath, whether deep or casual, and can be done in a relaxed state.

forest bath

During the height of summer, many Japanese go to the forest for Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. Just like swimming in the ocean or soaking in a hot spring, bathing in a natural forest setting relaxes you – helping you absorb positive emotions and release negative ones. Forest therapy reconnects humans with nature. The vibrations created by hugging an ancient tree can help boost the immune system by lowering blood pressure and promoting health.

Mindfulness Travel Japan: Nature, Food, Forest Baths, Tea Ceremony, Hot Springs, Craft & Meditation, Steve Wade & Michelle McIntosh (SRP $32.99), Available Now