Overview

This private 6-hour tour departs from Kobe to explore the nature, art, and architecture of Awaji Island. A private taxi and a local certified guide from Hyogo, with deep knowledge of the area, will accompany you throughout the day. Your journey begins with a drive across the magnificent Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. This impressive engineering marvel offers stunning panoramic views of the sea, making the drive itself an unforgettable highlight. You will then arrive at "Zenbo Seinei," a special wellness facility designed by world-renowned architect Shigeru Ban. Here, you will engage in "ZEN Wellness" with yoga and meditation on a huge aerial wood deck surrounded by nature. You will also enjoy healthy "Zenbo Cuisine," a meal free of animal products, flour, and refined sugar. This experience fuses Japanese Zen with modern architecture, providing a peaceful retreat from your cruise trip. After lunch, you'll head to "Awaji Hanasajiki," a "flower garden in the sky." From an elevation of 298m, enjoy a breathtaking panorama of seasonal flowers blooming like a carpet, set against the backdrop of the Akashi Strait and Osaka Bay. The vibrant colors and vast scale make it a perfect spot to feel Japan's beautiful nature firsthand. The tour concludes at "Honpukuji Water Temple," a mysterious and modern architectural masterpiece by master architect Tadao Ando. The main hall is buried beneath an elliptical concrete lotus pond. Inside, you'll be captivated by a mystical space where light shines through, dyeing the vermilion interior and creating a halo effect for the Buddha. This fusion of architecture, nature, and light offers both spiritual tranquility and aesthetic emotion, providing a perfect end to your day.

① Pick-up (10:00)
Your guide and a private vehicle will meet you at your requested pick-up location in Kobe. Pick-up locations include Kobe Port Terminal, hotels within Kobe City, and Shin-Kobe Station (Shinkansen ticket gate).

② Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (10:25-10:35)
The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is one of the world's largest suspension bridges, connecting Kobe City and Awaji Island with a total length of 3,911 meters. As part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, which links Honshu and Shikoku, it plays a vital role in Japan's transportation infrastructure. Driving across the bridge is the best way to fully appreciate its magnificent scale. When heading from Kobe toward Awaji Island, you'll be captivated by the dramatic view as you gradually approach the main towers while enjoying the vast scenery of the Akashi Strait below. The bridge's impressive scale, boasting the world's second-longest main span, makes the journey itself an unforgettable experience. The panoramic views of the sea and sky, seen from different angles on the outbound and return trips, are one of the highlights of this tour.

③ ZEN Retreat Lunch at Zenbo Seinei (11:00 - 14:00)
Zenbo Seinei is a special facility dedicated to pursuing mental and physical wellness, located amid the rich nature of Awaji Island. It is symbolized by a huge aerial wood deck, approximately 100 meters long, designed by the world-renowned architect Shigeru Ban, and is known as a unique space where architecture and nature are in harmony.
Brand Movie : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bYg4hbC-u4
The lunch offered at Zenbo Seinei is perfect for travelers who want to experience Japanese spiritual culture and wellness during their cruise trip. The "Zenbo Cuisine" is also a major highlight; it's a healthy meal supervised by a fermented food chef that uses no animal products, oil, flour, or white sugar. The dishes utilize seasonal local ingredients and satisfy both an interest in Japanese food culture and a health-conscious diet.
The plan allows you to experience "ZEN Wellness," such as yoga and meditation, on this beautiful aerial wood deck to prepare your mind and body. The time spent sharpening your five senses in the great outdoors will bring deep tranquility to travelers seeking mental and physical detoxification away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The plan also includes experiences touching on Japanese culture such as Zen tea making it a high-value plan where you can experience Japanese spirituality and wellness from multiple perspectives in just three hours.

④ Awaji Hanasajiki (14:05 - 14:35)
Awaji Hanasajiki is a scenic spot truly worthy of the name "flower garden in the sky," offering a panoramic view of the Akashi Strait and Osaka Bay from an elevation of 298 meters. Seasonal flowers bloom like a carpet over the vast grounds. In spring (January-May), the contrast of yellow and purple from canola flowers and purple alyssum, along with lovely poppies, colors the hills.
In summer (July-September), cool cleome, vibrant salvia, and sunflowers blooming against the blue sky create a resort-like atmosphere.
In autumn (October-November), swaying cosmos flowers create a charming autumn landscape, and in winter (November-February), sweet-smelling stocks bloom powerfully under the winter sky. The greatest charm of this place is the spectacular scenery created by the seasonal flowers and the vast ocean panorama. From the observation deck, you can enjoy the contrast between the carpet of flowers below and the blue sea beyond, offering a special experience of becoming one with nature. Since it shows a different face each time you visit, many people are repeat visitors, and it is the perfect place on Awaji Island to feel the beautiful nature of Japan firsthand.

⑤ Honpukuji Water Temple (14:50 - 15:20)
Honpukuji Water Temple is a mysterious and modern architectural work designed by the world-renowned architect Tadao Ando. The biggest highlight is its unique structure where the main hall is buried beneath an elliptical concrete lotus pond. After passing through a concrete wall that separates the secular world from the sacred realm, the sky and surrounding scenery reflected on the water's surface create a fantastical view. The experience of descending the stairs from the center of the pond makes you feel the narrative nature of the architecture itself.
The interior of the main hall, painted in vermilion, is captivating with its use of light. When the setting sun shines from behind the main image, the entire space is dyed in vermilion, and this mysterious space, designed to give the Buddha a halo, symbolizes Tadao Ando's philosophy on light. From May to September, you can enjoy the beautiful water lilies blooming in the lotus pond and the precious "Oga lotus," a rare ancient lotus that sprouted and bloomed from a seed discovered in a layer of earth approximately 2,000 years ago, which shows different expressions with each season. This place, where architecture, nature, and light become one, will bring spiritual tranquility and aesthetic emotion. You will close out a dense and special day by experiencing this fusion of architecture, nature, and art.

⑥ Drop-off (16:00)
You will return to Kobe, and the tour will conclude at the same location as your pick-up.