Alena Eckelmann

@alena.eckelmann

Celebrating my 10th year anniversary in Japan in May 2018, the country that I call home now. I lived in crazy Tokyo for 6 years and since 2011 I call the Kii Peninsula (Kumano, Koyasan and Yoshinoyama) my home.

I have visited all 47 prefectures of Japan and for the last 4 years I have worked as a guide for foreign visitors.

My special interest is in Japanese nature and spirituality. I love spending time in the forest and mountains and I love visiting temples and shrines.

I am also a licensed guide for the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails and for Koyasan, the Buddhist monastery, in addition to being a practitioner and guide for Shinrin Yoku (Forest Therapy).

In recent years I have taken visitors to walk the Kumano Kodo trails, the Nakasendo trail, the 88 temple pilgrimage trail around Shikoku Island and to Dewa Sanzan, the three sacred mountains in Yamagata Prefecture.

If you look for nature and spirituality in your trip to Japan, then Wakayama, Nara and Yamagata Prefectures are ideal places to get started!

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Food

Ponshukan – Sake Heaven

At the Ponshukan in Yuzawa, you can wait for your train while drinking vending-machine sake and bathing in an onsen where the hotspring..

Niigata 3 1

Culture

Ginzan Onsen in Winter

Taisho era-style Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture let's you travel back in time

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Activities

Trekking on Mount Zao

Zao Mountain - Trekking across a volcanic landscape in summer and skiing in winter, plus winding down in hotspring waters.

Yamagata

Culture

Fujiwara Capital and Palace Ruins

An ancient capital spread out over an area of over 20 square kilometres, guarded by three sacred mountains called Fujiwara-kyo..

Nara 2

Culture

Machiya Houses in Imai-Cho

White plastered walls, tiled roofs and dark-wood latticed windows, these were the trademarks of the merchant houses in wealthy..

Nara 3

Culture

Fujiwara Capital and Palace Ruins

An ancient capital spread out over an area of over 20 square kilometres, guarded by three sacred mountains called Fujiwara-kyo..

Nara 2

Culture

Ruins of Moto-Yakushi Temple

Located in a quiet suburb and surrounded by paddy fields and gardens lays the healing place of an imperial couple: Emperor Tenmu..

Nara 5 2

Culture

Ofusa Kannon Temple

A gem of a temple, located in a quiet suburb of Kashihara City, invites worshippers to linger. This is the Ofusa Kannon Temple,..

Nara 2 1

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