Springtime Japan Yoga, Hiking and Onsen Retreat

The retreat starts in Tokyo on April 20. You spend one night at the Park Hotel Tokyo, and the organisers suggest arriving a few days early to adjust to the time difference. The next morning after breakfast, the group takes a train to Bessho Onsen in Nagano Prefecture, where a ryokan is the base for three nights. Bessho Onsen is one of Japan's oldest hot spring towns, and the days there are built around walking, soaking and visiting temples. The hikes in this region are moderate, through forests and past waterfalls, and there is a temple visit for meditation. Onsen baths at the ryokan are available whenever you want them.

Midweek, the group takes a roughly three-hour train ride to the Kiso Valley, staying three nights at a five-star ryokan. This is where the Nakasendo walks happen: the group hikes sections of the old post road between preserved towns such as Magome, Tsumago and Narai, with stone paths and wooden buildings on both sides. Hikes are half-day, two to four hours with a lunch stop, and easier than they sound. In the afternoons and on non-hiking days there are workshops: calligraphy, soba noodle making and chopstick making. The Kiso Culture Centre is an optional visit to learn about local traditions.

Yoga classes run daily, led by Jeni Martinez. She was raised in Japan and has wanted to bring a group back for years, so the trip leans on her knowledge of the language and customs rather than a generic tour itinerary. Classes are suitable for all levels and are timed so you're not stiff on the trail and not wired at night. Mats and props are provided at the ryokans. If you'd rather skip a class and take a longer bath, that's fine — everything is optional.

Food is included for most of the trip: breakfasts, most lunches, and dinners at the ryokans. You'll eat kaiseki-style meals at the inns, where dinner is served as a sequence of small dishes, plus soba and other local food along the trail. Three lunches and one dinner are not included, so you can eat at local restaurants on the Nakasendo or in Tokyo on the first night. The kitchens use organic and local produce where possible, and the organisers will try to accommodate special diets if you tell them in advance.

The trip finishes on April 27. Because cherry blossom season moves north through spring, the organisers suggest visiting southern Japan before the retreat or northern Japan after if you want to extend your trip and catch more of the bloom. Travel between Tokyo and the retreat centres is included, but flights to and from Japan are not.

What's included

- All travel between Tokyo and the retreat centres - 1 night at the Park Hotel Tokyo - 6 nights accommodation in traditional Japanese ryokans in Nagano and Kiso - Breakfasts, most lunches and dinners - A full week of yoga classes - Guided walks through Bessho Onsen, the Kiso Valley and along the Nakasendo Trail - A calligraphy workshop - Use of the onsen hot spring baths at both ryokans - Meditation in a Japanese temple - Optional visit to the Kiso Culture Centre with workshops such as chopstick making

What's not included

- Airfare to and from Japan - Travel and cancellation insurance (recommended) - Alcohol - 3 lunches at local restaurants along the Nakasendo Trail - Dinner on the first night in Tokyo - Tips