Soul Retreats Ltd
Japan in Autumn
A 10-night spiritual retreat through Tokyo, Tohoku and Kyoto in November 2027. This is a journey into the quiet soul of Japan.
A retreat shaped by yoga, meditation, Zen Buddhism, Shinto shrines, temple gardens, sacred landscapes, hot springs, ritual, simplicity and autumn beauty.
This journey is now being shaped… and this is the first invitation.
Journey to Japan and Experience a Retreat Beyond the Ordinary
Proposed Dates 19th - 29th November 2027 (tbc)
**The retreat will run once we reach the minimum number needed to make the journey viable.
Join Laura Green, and specialist Japanese wellness travel company Tranquwell for a 10-night yoga and cultural retreat planned for November 2027. We begin and end in Tokyo… with time in the mountains, forests and hot springs of Tohoku, and a longer stay in Kyoto, the cultural heart of Japan.
Journey to a land where everything is beyond your expectation and imagination, a place where ancient wisdom and the most modern technology merge in the most mesmorising way. See and taste things you've never experienced before in a world of temples, hidden gardens, bullet trains, mountains, forests, onsens, tea houses, old streets and quiet beauty. This is not a glossy high luxury retreat but a real cultural immersion. We leave behind traditional ideas of 'luxury' to experience a different richness Japan has to offer.
The richness is in the experiences themselves and the support of people who understand how to hold this journey with care, context and meaning.
**Japan is an expensive country to travel in and a higher price point does not always mean luxury accommodation in the way we might expect elsewhere. The value of this retreat lies in the depth of the journey itself: remarkable places, meaningful cultural experiences, expert local guidance, thoughtful planning, and the support of a specialist Japan-based wellness travel company.
Retreat Overview
Yoga Practices
Our yoga practices will be woven gently into the rhythm of the journey. Expect embodied, spiritual and philosophical practices with meditation, prāṇāyāma, mantra rooted in the deeper traditions of yoga.
These sessions will be a spiritual anchor for the retreat… a way to turn inward, listen more deeply, and meet the journey not just as travel, but as practice.
Our practice will honour the deep meeting points between yoga, Buddhism and Eastern philosophy… meditation, stillness, self-inquiry, compassion, impermanence and the path of inner liberation.
The Quiet Stillness
Japan holds quietness in a very particular way. There will be space for meditation, reflection, temple visits, journaling and quiet moments to just be.
We will also have a private meditation session with a Buddhist monk, offering a rare opportunity to experience stillness within the living spiritual traditions of Japan.
The final programme is still being shaped, but the intention is clear: this will be a retreat with space to pause… not simply a tour from one beautiful place to the next.
There will also be forest bathing and cultural practices that invite a slower, more attentive way of being.
Cultural Experiences
This retreat will focus on meaningful experiences rather than extravagance.
Planned activities will include many of the following traditional tea ceremony, Zen meditation with a Buddhist monk, the quiet art of Japanese flower arranging, Japanese cooking, temple visits, Zen gardens, cultural walks, forest bathing, ryokan stays and onsen experiences.
Each experience is being chosen to bring you closer to the heart of Japan, its beauty, its rituals, its reverence for nature, and its quiet devotion to detail.
Please note the final itinerary will be shapped once attendees are confirmed.
One Retreat with Three Destinations
This retreat moves through three very different parts of Japan, each offering a very different experience of this amazing country. We'll be travelling between locations on the world famous Bullet Trains!
The journey has been designed as a gradual unfolding: from the vivid energy of Tokyo, into the quiet mountains and hot springs of Tohoku, and finally into Kyoto, where Japan’s ancient cultural and contemplative heart can still be felt in temples, gardens, rituals and old streets. Together, these three destinations create a fuller experience of Japan. It is also a significant factor in the price, as multi destination retreats incur a lot more costs. But if this is a once in a lifetime trip, then you need to visit more that just Tokyo!
Tokyo - 3 nights
In Tokyo, we begin in the vivid meeting point of old and new Japan. This is a city where neon streets, tiny restaurants, elegant department stores and fast-moving stations sit alongside hidden shrines, temple gates, incense, gardens and moments of surprising stillness. Tokyo is often imagined as overwhelming, but beneath its speed there is beauty, precision and ritual everywhere… in the way food is prepared, tea is served, flowers are arranged, trains are entered, and quiet respect is held in public spaces. It gives us our first taste of Japan’s extraordinary contrast: the modern world alive with ancient threads still running through it.
Tohoku - 3 nights
In Tohoku, the journey softens. We travel north into a region known for mountains, forests, rural landscapes, hot springs and a quieter, more spacious feeling of Japan. Here we will experience traditional ryokan stays, onsen bathing, forest bathing, meditation and the simple beauty of being closer to nature. Tohoku offers a Japan that feels less crowded, more elemental and deeply connected to the seasons. A place away from the usual tourist path when we can really immerse in the spiritual aspects of this journey.
Kyoto - 4 nights
In Kyoto, we enter the cultural heart of the journey. Once the imperial capital of Japan for more than a thousand years, Kyoto holds an extraordinary concentration of temples, shrines, Zen gardens, tea houses, old lanes, bamboo groves and traditional arts. This is where we move more deeply into ritual, beauty and contemplation… through temple visits, meditation, tea ceremony, Japanese flower arranging, gardens designed for stillness, and streets that seem to hold centuries of devotion. Kyoto invites us to slow down and really look and to notice. I left a piece of my heart in Kyoto, and it's been calling me back ever since!
Accommodation
Accommodation will be carefully chosen to support the journey. The aim is to create a retreat that feels comfortable, clean, beautiful and well held, but please note our budget is being resourced to 3 locations, 3 bullet trains, guides, food and memorable experiences and activities.
This may include hotel stays in Tokyo and Kyoto, and possibly more traditional accommodation during the rural part of the journey.
Room options are likely to include twin share and some single occupancy rooms, depending on availability and final pricing.
This retreat is being designed with solo travellers in mind, so if you would love to come alone and share with another solo traveller, you will be very welcome.
The Experience . . .
The Food
Japan has one of the most exciting food scenes in the world and we will do our best to taste as much of it as we can. From Tokyo’s tiny restaurants, sushi counters, noodle bars, markets and brilliant everyday food… to the regional flavours of Tohoku… to Kyoto’s refined cooking, tea culture and seasonal specialities.
Expect sushi, warming bowls of ramen, handmade noodles, delicate broths, rice dishes, pickles, tofu, miso, matcha, sweets, seasonal vegetables, beautifully prepared fish and plenty of surprises along the way.
There will be included group meals, and also time to explore Japan’s incredible local food scene with guidance and curiosity. This will not be “retreat food” in the usual sense. It will be real Japanese food which is regional, seasonal, memorable, sometimes unexpected, and very much part of the adventure.
Japan can be more complex for dietary requirements than some retreat destinations, so please talk to Laura about your needs and whether they can be accomodated.
Travelling to Japan
Most guests travelling from the UK are likely to fly into Tokyo, Narita International Airport. Once the retreat is confirmed, I will share flight guidance, suggested arrival times, recommended airports and practical travel information.
As with my other overseas retreats, the aim is to make the journey feel supported, clear and straightforward… so you can look forward to Japan without feeling overwhelmed by the logistics.
International flights are not included in the retreat price. As of today a direct flight with BA is £800 but flight prices are very changeable. I'd recommend budgeting £800 - £1200 for your flight but this may fluctuate. Please note, this will be an overnight flight, and it is a long flight! But well worth it.
Guide Price - TBC
£4,000 + Flights + visa
Based on double occupancy
Plus international flights, travel insurance, visa or entry requirements, and personal spending
This is a guide price at this stage..
The initial estimate has been based around a group of approximately 12 guests.
What's Included
The final inclusions are still to be confirmed, but the retreat is likely to include:
10 nights accommodation in Japan
All meals & in country transportation
Yoga, meditation, breathwork and philosophy with Laura
Cultural experiences and guided activities
Support with suggested flights and travel logistics
A specialist Japan-based wellness travel partner supporting the retreat design
Book Your Space Today!
If you would like to book this retreat please fill in your details below and we'll get back in touch with you to iron out the finer details. Our retreats sell out quickly, so don't delay. We look forward to welcoming you.
Payment Plans
Pay in Three Installments
Payment plans will be confirmed when the retreat opens for booking.
As with my other international retreats, there will likely be a deposit to secure your place, followed by staged payments.
Full payment details, cancellation terms and booking conditions will be shared before any bookings are taken.
