Self Growth Retreat in Japan with Brendan & Diane Nierenberg

TrovaTrip will provide 2 transfers from Haneda Airport (HND) between 12 pm and 5 pm

Welcome dinner with your group in Kabukicho is included.

Meet your hosts Brendan & Diane as well as your fellow travelers! Make sure to come by and receive your special gift that will help on your self-healing journey on this trip. Come share your expectations for the trip and tell us what you are looking to get out of this great journey of self-healing

Overnight in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu in Japanese) was dedicated to the late Emperor Meiji, beloved by the nation for modernizing Japan in the mid-1800s. The shrine complex is a beautiful walk into nature in the heart of the megalopolis and here you’ll learn about the various rituals and religious importance of Shintoism in Japan. Participate in the purification ritual (if you choose), witness a traditional Shinto purification dance and receive a blessing from a priest.

Leaving the seclusion of the shrine, head through the vibrant Takeshita Street of Harajuku, known for youth fashion and city culture. Your Guide will shed light on the culture and history of the area.

Neighboring Harajuku and Omotesando are commonly referred to as Tokyo’s Champs-Elysee. After grabbing lunch in the area you'll continue the walking tour down the broad, tree-lined avenues, to Shibuya. Join the sea of people in what might be the most famous crosswalk in the world, then head up Shibuya Scramble Square for a bird's-eye view.

Entrance tickets to Shibuya Scramble Square are included. Ride the elevator to the various viewing platforms and take in the panorama of the city.

Overnight in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included.

This workshop will include a short lecture by Brendan and Diane, followed by free-flowing discussions regarding the biggest questions “Who are you?’, “Are you who you want to be?” and “What is holding you back?” We will also explore other long-standing questions that one can often think about, but was never given the time to truly answer. Discover the difference of your Preserved self vs. Authentic self.

Asakusa is Tokyo’s oldest geisha district and home to Sensoji Temple, the city’s oldest Buddhist temple. After visiting the old town, you will wander through the side streets of Asakusa, home to many traditional shops that sell local Japanese crafts.

Akihabara, also called Akiba after a former local shrine, is a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops and has also gained recognition as the center of Japan's otaku culture. Many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are dispersed among the electronic stores in the district.

We all have that one special character, place, or object in mind, from a book, favorite TV show, movie, or perhaps even an anime! These images and stories helped create a reality for us or a thought about ourselves, the world and how others view us. In this talk, we will explore if we subscribe to our own words or the influence of others. This discussion will take place right in the heart of Akihabara before you set out to explore this electric city in search of those characters that are truly dear to us!

Overnight in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Kamakura's most important Shinto shrine has roots dating back to the 11th century. Absorb the atmosphere and impressive architecture as you learn about the history and cultural importance of the shrine from your Guide.

Known as the "Daibutsu," or Great Buddha, the 43 ft. statue is the second largest in Japan and certainly the most famous. And makes for incredible photographs.

A short walk from the Great Buddha is another incredible statue, the 30 ft. tall, 11-headed statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. This is one of the largest wooden statues in Japan and can be viewed from the main temple building.

Only a short train ride west of Kamakura, Enoshima island is a pleasant and popular tourist destination connected by bridge to the mainland. Offering a variety of attractions, including a shrine, park, observation tower and caves. Views of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed on days with good visibility.

After breakfast, we will set the intention for the day. What part of yourself do you want to explore today? What insight are you hoping to gain? Do you have any fears you would like to take the first step in conquering?

This evening we will gather and share insights about the interactions we had with others and what new knowledge we have learned about ourselves. Did you challenge yourself to go outside your normal comfort zone?

Overnight in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Often considered Tokyo's most beautiful Japanese landscape garden, Rikugien was built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun. Stroll through and take in the scenery (and great photos).

Yanesen, made up of the three neighborhoods of Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi, is one of Tokyo's best-known shitamachi areas. A literal translation of the term "shitamachi" is lower town, which was where the working class lived. Having survived much of the damage wrought by earthquakes, fires, and WWII, visiting the area today is one of the best ways to get a glimpse into Tokyo's feudal past.

With its line of orange Torii gates, Nezu Shrine is a great place for photography in Tokyo.

This group meeting will be an open-forum where you can ask all types of questions about your own inter personal struggles or simply offer support for your fellow traveler. We participate in this forum in hopes of gaining insights into thoughts, communication, and actions that may or may not be standing in your in your way of being your complete and actual self.

Follow up on reflection groups. Check in with emotional wellbeing. Discuss if something about your inner self seems to be resonating or stuck in fear-based thinking in an attempt of seeking safety. Open questions with Diane & Brendan in a safe and supportive space to process any lingering fear with returning home as your complete self.

Overnight in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included.

Odawara Castle was originally built in the mid-15th century and soon fell into the hands of the Hojo Clan, one of the most powerful clans during the Warring States Era who used it as a base to control the region around modern-day Tokyo. Rebuilt in 1960, it stands today as an impressive site in the area with great views from the top-level observatory.

Ride the Guinness World Record-holder ropeway all the way up to Mt. Owakudani, passing over sulfurous fumes and hot springs. Take in the views at the top and buy a black hard-boiled egg if you wish.

Cruise the waters on a replica pirate ship with views of Mt. Fuji on clear days. With the volcano above and forests lining all sides, the views from Lake Ashinoko are breathtaking.

Hakone has been one of Japan's most popular hot spring resorts for centuries. Nowadays, more than a dozen springs provide hot spring water to the many bathhouses and ryokan in the Hakone region. Yumoto, at the entrance to the Hakone area near Odawara, is the area’s most famous hot spring with a particularly long history, high-quality water and numerous baths and inns. Many more hot spring facilities are found across the hills and valleys of Hakone and along the shores of Lake Ashi. While in Yumoto you can join an optional Onsen (Hot Springs) visit, or explore the town. Please Note: Almost all Onsen/Hot Springs do not allow for tattoos or body piercings, and all require nudity to enter.

For those that wish to, your Guide will take you to a nearby Onsen, or hot water bath house. Soak in the traditional baths inside and the scenic "Rotenburo," an outside hot springs pool. Please Note: Entrance to the Onsen is not included and can be paid onsite in local currency. Onsen has strict rules against tattoos, and any visitors with tattoos will not be permitted to enter. In addition, all visitors must be fully naked to enter the baths and pools, with no exceptions.

Enjoy a traditional "kaiseki," a multi-course Japanese meal for your farewell dinner. Toast your memories of the trip and newfound friends!

At Dinner, we will say our formal and final goodbyes. Share with us what you learned, what you took away from this trip and re share the memories you've made. Give each other some parting insights and have a personal 1-on-1 farewell with Brendan & Diane.

Overnight in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Breakfast at the hotel is included.

TrovaTrip will provide 2 transfers to Haneda Airport (HND) on the last day