Catholic Pilgrimage Japan
Lead by:
Fr. Jonathan Cuarto was born and raised in Cebu, Philippines. Prior to entering the seminary, he was working in a coastwise marine vessel as an ordinary seaman. He got a degree of Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation at the University of Cebu.
In 1996, he joined the Order of Saint Augustine and started his theology at the University of Santo Tomas. Then he went to San Jose California to pursue his priesthood in the diocese in 2001. He graduated his theology at Saint Patrick's Seminary & University in Menlo Park California. He was ordained a priest in 2005.
Currently, he is the parochial vicar of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish and a chaplain of Valley Medical Center in San Jose California.
October 20 - November 1, 2025
from $5798/person
We are inviting you to join us for Journeys of Paul in Greece & Türkiye departing from San Francisco, CA. You will see Athens, Corinth, Cenchrae, Thessaloniki, Veria, Amphipolis, Philippi, Neapoli, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya, Antioch in Pisidia, Tel Colossae and so much more!
Your Pilgrimage Journey Starts Here...
Travel Details
ITINERARY
Oct 8 - Flight from San Francisco To Tokyo
Oct 9 - Arrive in Tokyo
Oct 10 - Takanawa Catholic Church - Mount Fuji
Oct 11 - Nagasaki - St. Philip's Church - Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum & Monument
Oct 12 - St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Seibo no Kishi Hongouchi Church - Oura Cathedral and Museum
Oct 13 - Shimabara Catholic Church - Unzen Hot Springs - Hara Castle - Holy Maria Kannon Wooden Statue
Oct 14 - St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church - Tabira Church - St. Camillus Costanzo Monument - Mt. Inasa overlook
Oct 15 - Urakami Cathedral in the Chapel of the Hibaku Maria - Nagasaki Hypocenter Park - Atomic Bomb Museum - Servant of God Dr. Takashi Nagai Memorial Museum - Cross Hill
Oct 16 - Kaminoshima Church - Bullet Train to Hiroshima - Hiroshima Castle
Oct 17 - Memorial Cathedral of World Peace - Peace Memorial Park - A-Bomb Museum & the A-Bomb Dome - Bullet Train to Kyoto
Oct 18 - Kawaramachi Church - Our Lady of Miyako Chapel - Nijo Castle
Oct 19 - Kawaramachi Church for Mass - Flight to Akita
Oct 20 - Chapel of Our Lady of Akita Seitai Hoshikai - Outdoor Stations of the Cross
Oct 21 - Seitai Hoshikai - Kakunodate, the Samurai District - Aoyagi Samurai Manor
Oct 22 - Return Home
Your Flights
San Francisco To Japan
ONLY $500 DEPOSIT PER PERSON
Your Destinations
Athens, Corinth, Cenchrae, Thessaloniki, Veria, Amphipolis, Philippi, Neapoli, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya, Antioch in Pisidia, Tel Colossae and so much more!
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
All Inclusive Pricing, First Class Hotels, Breakfast and Dinner Daily, Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches, Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes, Entrance and Program Fees, Guided Tours, International Airfare from SFO, Overseas Airport Transfers, Administrative Fee, Hotel Gratuities
DAY TO DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1 - Depart USA
Your Pilgrimage Journey starts with an overnight flight from San Francisco to Japan.
Relax and enjoy the flight.
Day 2 - Arrive in Tokyo
Upon arrival in Tokyo, we will gather as a group for Mass at Kanda Church, the second church built in Tokyo. The church is dedicated to the great missionary to Japan St. Francis Xavier and contains his relic. The remainder of the afternoon will be spent at our leisure
Day: 3 - Takanawa Catholic Church - Mount Fuji - Catholic Fuji Church
We will start our first day of touring with Mass at Takanawa Catholic Church, which commemorates the Great Martyrdom of Tokyo. Then, we will set out for the breathtaking Mount Fuji where we will explore the beautiful mountain area and have devotions with Fr. Elias at Catholic Fuji Church in Fujisawa. We will return to Tokyo for the evening.
Overnight in Tokyo
Day: 4 - Nagasaki - St. Philip's Church - Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum & Monument
We will begin our day with Mass and a Holy Hour at St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Seibo no Kishi Hongouchi Church, where afterwards we will visit the St. Kolbe Memorial Museum, pray at the Lourdes Grotto built by St. Maximilian in the 1930s, and pray the rosary along the Rosary Walk. This afternoon, we will have the chance to visit St. Maximilian’s first friary in Nagasaki as well as the Oura Cathedral and Museum, the site where the Hidden Christians were first discovered. All these visits are included and can be visited at our own pace, which also provides the chance to shop in the nearby commercial area.
Overnight in Nagasaki
Day: 5 - St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Seibo no Kishi Hongouchi Church - Oura Cathedral and Museum
We will begin our day with Mass and a Holy Hour at St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Seibo no Kishi Hongouchi Church, where afterwards we will visit the St. Kolbe Memorial Museum, pray at the Lourdes Grotto built by St. Maximilian in the 1930s, and pray the rosary along the Rosary Walk. This afternoon, we will have the chance to visit St. Maximilian’s first friary in Nagasaki as well as the Oura Cathedral and Museum, the site where the Hidden Christians were first discovered. All these visits are included and can be visited at our own pace, which also provides the chance to shop in the nearby commercial area.
Overnight in Nagasaki
Day 6 - Shimabara Catholic Church - Unzen Hot Springs - Hara Castle - Holy Maria Kannon Wooden Statue
We will begin the day at Shimabara Catholic Church for Mass. Being Divine Mercy Sunday, Father Elias will make himself available to hear confessions before Mass. Afterwards, we will visit the Unzen Hot Springs martyrdom site, which commemorates the tremendous sacrifice of the many Christians who stood strong against persecution here, preferring torture in the boiling ‘hells’ of the hot springs rather than to give up their faith. Nearby, we will visit the site of the Shimabara Rebellion and Hara Castle where, in 1637, local Christian farmers were fed up with the persecution they were experiencing and gathered in revolt fighting bravely against the Shogunate army. In response, the army murdered 37,000 Catholics. Today we will also get to see Holy Maria Kannon of Hara Castle, the largest wooden statue of Our Lady in the world, standing at 32.5 feet tall, carved in memory of all those who died in the rebellion.
Overnight in Nagasaki
Day 7 - St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church - Tabira Church - St. Camillus Costanzo Monument - Mt. Inasa overlook
Following breakfast, we will drive to Hirado to visit St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church and Tabira Church, parts of which were built by seashells, crushed and turned into stone by the very hands of their parishioners. We will have Mass at Tabira Church and will learn how, in 1873, the ban on Christianity was lifted and Christians, who had been in hiding for over two centuries, came out of hiding with great faith and built many churches. In Hirado we will also visit the monument of St. Camillus Costanzo, an Italian Jesuit missionary who was burned at the stake. On the way back to the hotel, we will stop at the Mt. Inasa overlook of Nagasaki which allows us 360-degree views of the thriving port city and the Sea of Japan.
Day 8 - Urakami Cathedral in the Chapel of the Hibaku Maria - Nagasaki Hypocenter Park - Atomic Bomb Museum - Servant of God Dr. Takashi Nagai Memorial Museum - Cross Hill
This morning Fr. Elias will celebrate Mass at the Urakami Cathedral in the Chapel of the Hibaku Maria (Atomic Bomb Maria). We will then tour the Nagasaki Hypocenter Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, before heading to Nyoko-do and visiting the Servant of God Dr. Takashi Nagai Memorial Museum. Dr. Nagai was a Catholic radiologist, author, and survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing. His subsequent life of prayer, service, and courage in the face of adversity earned him the affectionate title “Saint of Urakami.” We will then make our way to Cross Hill, where crosses are erected in thanksgiving for the end of persecution of Christians but also to atone for those who apostatized the faith and afterwards repented during this very difficult time.
Overnight in Nagasaki
Day 9 - Kaminoshima Church - Bullet Train to Hiroshima - Hiroshima Castle
We will begin our last day in Nagasaki with Mass at Kaminoshima Church (Our Lady of the Cape), after which we will view the statue of Our Lady of the Cape. We will spend a moment here along the beautiful seacoast. We will take the Bullet Train to Hiroshima, where we will visit Hiroshima Castle which now serves as a museum of local history before World War II.
Overnight in Hiroshima
Day 10 - Memorial Cathedral of World Peace - Peace Memorial Park - A-Bomb Museum & the A-Bomb Dome - Bullet Train to Kyoto
We will start our day with Mass at the Assumption of Mary Cathedral, also called the Memorial Cathedral of World Peace, the location of the miraculous atomic bomb survival of the Jesuits of Hiroshima. From there we will visit Peace Memorial Park where the direct and indirect victims of the atomic bomb are commemorated. We will spend time at the A-Bomb Museum and the A-Bomb Dome, a building exactly below the detonation site of the bomb. Remarkably, the building was not entirely destroyed and stands today as a visual reminder of the events. Tonight, we will take the Bullet Train to Kyoto.
Overnight in Kyoto
Day 11 - Kawaramachi Church - Our Lady of Miyako Chapel - Nijo Castle
This morning we will return to Kawaramachi Church for Mass before heading to the airport for our flight to Akita where we will land and explore the city area.
Overnight in Akita
Day 12 - Kawaramachi Church for Mass - Flight to Akita
This morning we will return to Kawaramachi Church for Mass before heading to the airport for our flight to Akita where we will land and explore the city area.
Overnight in Akita
Day 13 - Chapel of Our Lady of Akita Seitai Hoshikai - Outdoor Stations of the Cross
Today we will gather for Sunday Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of Akita Seitai Hoshikai, a convent with a chapel that is home to the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Akita, modeled after the statue of Our Lady of All Nations, which from 1973 until the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows in 1981, one could find miraculously shedding tears – sometimes for days at a time and other times at various intervals. Following Mass, we will have a ceremony of consecration and enrollment in the Miraculous Medal. After we break for lunch, we will gather back at the convent grounds to pray the Outdoor Stations of the Cross and have a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction.
Overnight in Akita
Day 14 | October 21, 2024Seitai Hoshikai - Kakunodate, the Samurai District - Aoyagi Samurai Manor
This morning we will return to the convent for Mass and have some time for prayer. Seitai Hoshikai is home to one of the few Catholic gift shops in Japan, so we will have some time to shop there today. This afternoon, we will spend time exploring Kakunodate, the Samurai District, and the Aoyagi Samurai Manor. Tonight we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner together.
Overnight in Akita
Day 15 | October 22, 2024Arrive home
Early this morning, we will have a final Mass of thanksgiving at Catholic Tsuchizaki Church. Filled with an invigorated love of our Catholic faith and memories to last a lifetime, we transfer to the Akita airport for our flight to Tokyo. From there, you can choose to spend more time in Japan or make your way home.
$50 Turkish Visa is not included in your tour cost.
Guests traveling to Turkiye will need to visit
https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ to apply for their visas and will submit the $50 USD Visa fee online.
For questions regarding the visa submission process visit, www.evisa.gov.tr
Frequently Asked Questions
- Make sure you are wearing your name badge -this aids in identifying you with your group!
- Go through customs and passport control then collect your luggage.
- If you have missing or damaged luggage, fill out paperwork with the airline before leaving the baggage claim area.
- Exit baggage claim area, watch for signs – guides will remain in the area to locate guests
- Follow guide instructions for transferring to the bus and loading luggage.
- Tour pricing is per person, based on double occupancy.
- If requested, we can try to match you with a roommate, however, we cannot guarantee one will be available.
- Single room pricing, please inquire
- If you request a single room or a roommate cannot be found, the single room supplement will be added to your account.
- If your cancellation results in your roommate having a single room, your cancellation penalty will include coverage of their single room supplement charge
If you plan on taking pictures:
- Make sure you have plenty of memory or the ability to download your pictures.
- Bring extra batteries or battery backup.
- Be aware that certain sites do not allow photography and/or video- or may charge for the privilege. Your guide will keep you informed of such restrictions.
- Most medications (prescriptions or supplements) are permitted for international travel, however, always check with TSA for current allowances and restrictions: TSA Medical Allowances
- Bring medication in its original container if possible.
- A written prescription of your medication(s) in generic form from your physician will assist in getting an emergency re-fill if needed while out of the country.
- Notify our office asap if you have medication that requires refrigeration.
- Rooms have private showers, TV, phone, wifi (check with hotel concerning access & possible fees)
- Most hotels have blow dryers. Check hotel website for details.
- Double Rooms are made up of either two single beds or one double bed
- Single rooms are smaller than double rooms and have only one single bed.
- Prepaid gratuities are covered for the hotel staff (porters, dining, housekeeping, front desk)
- Additional tipping is appropriate for additional or special services requested from the hotel staff.
- Tips are appropriate when eating out.
- Tips are appreciated when using certain restrooms (Your guide will let you know when this is expected.).
- Voluntary Love Offerings for your guide and driver will be collected towards the end of your trip. Suggested Amounts for Love Offerings – Guide-$6 per person, per day; Driver-$3 per person, per day.
- Layer your clothing and keep it casual. No ‘dress up’ events are scheduled.
- Comfortable walking shoes are a must.
- Some religious sites such as monasteries require your knees & shoulders be covered (applies to both men & women).
- A sweater or jacket is recommended.
- While vaccinations are not required for most destinations, you must always verify current requirements for your destination. For this information we suggest: CDC Travel Info
- You may also wish to consult your physician for his/her personal advice for you.
