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Kihoku Town is the only town in Japan with the character for "oni" (demon) in its name. As its name suggests, it is a rural mountain village area in Japan where legends of demons remain strong. A symbolic spot of this area is the national historical site "Former Grounds of Tomyo-ji Temple." The entire mountain area is a sacred place of mountain worship, and it is the site of a mountain temple that burned down about 400 years ago. In the past, monks practiced asceticism here day and night. The main focus of this product is to trace a part of the training of those monks. Starting from the historical exchange center at the foot of the mountain, you will first learn about the history and culture of the area. After that, you will change into monk's robes and prepare for the climb. Starting early in the morning, you will trek for about 30 minutes from the exchange center and meditate at the site of the former main hall, which was the center of Tomyo-ji Temple. Depending on the weather, you can see a fantastic sea of clouds from the site of the main hall, which is about 340m above sea level. The sea of clouds filling the valley is breathtaking. A perfect location to harmonize mind and body awaits you. After descending the mountain, you will further harmonize your mind with calligraphy and tea and replenish your energy for a new journey. The experience lasted approximately 3 hours in total.
The day before, guests stay at "Yama Ajisai," a traditional Japanese house that symbolizes local Japan. They can experience the lifestyle of a satoyama (rural mountain village) with hospitality from a local couple. The friendly couple, Tatsuya and Nanae, are locals born and raised in Kihoku Town. They live in harmony with the local nature and practice agriculture. At "Yama Ajisai," guests can experience various activities such as harvesting vegetables in the fields, making konnyaku (a healthy Japanese food), and baking pizzas with plenty of local vegetables. The flavorful homemade dinner will revitalize you from within. Particularly noteworthy is the interaction with Tatsuya and Nanae. They always warm the hearts of visitors with their smiles. They are sure to become like "Japan's father and mother" to visitors.