Spiritual Journeys to Japan

Japan —
at the source.

As a practitioner. As an initiate. With someone who actually lived there, who knows the temples from the inside — and who knows where Japan is still truly alive.

↓ 旅
Dr. Mark Hosak in a red shirt on the stone steps at Kurama Temple near Kyoto, beside a red wooden lantern
Mark on the climb to Kurama · the mountain where it all began
The difference

Japan exists everywhere.
This is something else.

Travel agencies take you to the temples. Mark takes you inside.

Stone steps at Kurama with red lanterns · the climb to the sacred mountain
Stone steps at Kurama · the climb to the sacred mountain
What this journey is

Mark lived for three years inside the temples of Kyoto — as a practitioner, as an initiate, as someone who actually arrived there. He knows the monks. He knows the rituals. He knows the places no guidebook will name. This journey gives you access to a Japan that opens itself to almost no one.

Shikoku pilgrimage temple with grey temple roof · one of the 88 temples on the pilgrim path
Shikoku
四国 · 88 temples

The home of Kōbō Daishi — the founder of Shingon Buddhism. The Shikoku Pilgrimage with its 88 temples is a living initiation, not a tourist route. Mark has walked the entire path himself.

Kinkakuji · Golden Pavilion in Kyoto at night · iconic symbol of Kyoto
Kyoto
京都 · the spiritual heart

Fushimi Inari, Koyasan, the Shingon temples — Kyoto is a living present. It is the beating centre of Japanese spirituality. Mark studied here. Practiced here. Lived here for three years.

Pilgrim temple on Shikoku in the Takamatsu/Kagawa region · a quiet place along the pilgrim path
Takamatsu & Kagawa
高松 · 香川 · Seto Inland Sea

The starting point of the Shikoku Pilgrimage — quiet, far less touristic, close to the ancient temples. The Seto Inland Sea with its islands is a place that lies between worlds.

The journeys

Two ways into Japan —
you choose yours.

A small-group journey with kindred practitioners — or a few days of personal guidance, only for you. Both lead to the same places. What changes is the depth.

Taniai-Jodoji garden in autumn · the Usui family temple with red momiji
Taniai-Jodoji · the Usui family temple in its autumn garden
Waterfall at Kurama · the place of Mikao Usui's Reiki awakening
Waterfall at Kurama · the place of Usui's Reiki awakening
Group journey · small circle
Spiritual Journey to Japan

Together with other practitioners —
Shikoku, Kyoto, living temples.

A small circle — maximum ten people — travels together through Japan's sacred power places. Mark and Eileen guide and accompany. Each person stays in the lodging of their choice.

No travel agency. No packaged tour. Personal recommendations for accommodation, temples and places that open themselves to very few.

  • Takamatsu as base — 5 to 7 days
  • Zentsuji — birthplace of Kūkai, Temple 75
  • First temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage
  • Optional: the Kurama Mountains as an extension
  • Initiations and rituals on site
  • Personal temple guidance from Mark
  • Lodging recommendations for any budget
  • Small circle — maximum 10 participants
Mark and Eileen are not a travel agency. They guide personally — as initiates, as practitioners, as people who actually know Japan. Flights, lodging and arrival are organised by each guest. Recommendations and detailed tips are shared in advance.
Next date

Early October 2026 —
Japan in transition.

Large Shinto gate at Kurama Temple
Large Shinto gate · Kurama

Autumn arrives.
The temples grow still.

Early October is one of the best moments for Japan — the summer heat is over, the typhoons recede, and the first traces of autumn are in the air. The large tourist crowds only come later in October and November, when the leaves turn red.

Inside the temples there is a stillness that is rare in spring and during peak autumn season. The exact stillness that real spiritual practice on site needs.

Dates
Early October 2026
Exact dates to be confirmed
Duration
approximately 7–10 days
Places
Takamatsu / Shikoku
Zentsuji · first pilgrim temples
+ Kurama Mountains optional
Group
Maximum 10 participants
Guidance
Dr. Mark Hosak &
Eileen Wiesmann
Languages
English · German
Japanese (Mark)
Voices from the practice

What companions —
to Japan and back — share.

Individual experience. Every voice is a personal account. Results can vary and depend on prior experience, openness, life circumstances and many other factors. Reiki and spiritual practice are not a substitute for medical or psychological treatment.

"I can only recommend going in very deeply, clearing your father and mother themes, and listening closely to your initiator. Mark Hosak is a brilliant shaman, and there is so much I can keep discovering through him."

Bert
Shamanic healer & ritual master · Palatinate Forest, Trifels Castle

"Mark holds a doctorate in art history and is an expert on Eastern and Western wisdom paths. He passes spiritual knowledge on at the highest level. At the same time, he opens up the essence of Reiki, Shingon Buddhism and the further paths he has experienced first-hand for decades — in Japan and in real practice."

Eileen Wiesmann
Co-author & companion · Historian, history of religion
More voices from the practice →
Learn more
Dr. Mark Hosak in front of a Butsudan home altar in Japan · daily practice at the family shrine
Mark in front of the Butsudan home altar in Japan

Japan is calling.
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Common questions

FAQ

What can I expect on a spiritual journey to Japan?
You visit temples, shrines and sacred places connected to the Shingon tradition — guided by Dr. Mark Hosak, who lived and researched in Japan for over three years and has walked all 88 temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage himself. This is not sightseeing. This is lived practice on site.
Do I have to speak Japanese?
No. Dr. Mark Hosak holds a doctorate in Japanese studies, speaks fluent Japanese and translates everything on site — from temple rituals to conversations with the monks.
Who are these journeys to Japan for?
For anyone who wants to experience Japan beyond the surface — whether you already practise Shingon Reiki, are drawn to Japanese spirituality, or simply want to walk into places no guidebook will show. Basic fitness for temple visits is helpful.
How often do the journeys to Japan take place?
Spiritual journeys to Japan are usually offered once or twice a year. Exact dates are listed on our events page. Sign up to our list so you do not miss a journey.
Why is this different from a normal Japan tour?
This is not a tour. This is a pilgrimage. Mark spent three years living inside the temples of Kyoto and walked the 88-temple Shikoku Pilgrimage himself, on foot. You are not led past the temples — you are taken inside, with someone the monks already know.