The Profound Concept

Embrace Deep Insight

Gain entry to the incense-imbued inner sanctums of ancient temples and the secret workshops of master craftsmen. View, up-close, priceless painted folding screens that make the sights and sounds of Japan’s bustling medieval ages come alive. Meet the caretakers of Japan’s cultural backbone, who offer powerful and insightful glimpses into history in an unforgettable way.

Profound Tourism offers rare face-to-face encounters and adds depth with exciting interactive digital materials developed from Toppan’s prodigious archives.

A Deep Study of Spiritual Motivation: Toshodaiji and the Life of Ganjin-wajo

Centuries-old temples and shrines reflect the power of passion and perseverance in Japan, and offer ways for us to rethink the values and goals of our lives. This tour centers on Toshodaiji, a temple founded by Chinese monk Ganjin-wajo, who first brought Buddhist precepts to Japan. Ganjin-wajo’s harrowing travel over dangerous seas to reach Japan holds tips on how spiritual motivation can assist in organizational management. The themes of compassion, tenacity, and the lasting results of sharing knowledge are key focus areas on this tour.

Timetable

Highlights：

With immersive virtual reality digital contents, find the perfect mindset for cultural receptivity.
Enjoy once-in-a-lifetime encounters at the extraordinary World Heritage site of Toshodaiji.

Day 1

10:00	Begin with a visit to “Nippon Gallery TABIDO Marunouchi”, which expresses the appeal of Japan in terms of culture and advanced technology.
10:30	Experience “Toshodaiji VR” at the VR theater in Nippon Gallery. A Large and immersive curved screen gives you access to culture in a way that transcends space and time. Learn the lifestory of Ganjin-wajo, who found the temple, and reflect on the hardship of his travels.
12:00	Transportation via Shinkansen (Bullet Train).
16:00	Arrive in Nara, check into hotel, and meet for introduction to the history of Nara.
19:00	Night get-together and networking. Savor local liquor at a historical bar, visit temples and shrines with lightups, get a feel for the ancient city.

Day 2

8:00	Enjoy mindful activities in Nara, strolling through quiet neighborhoods, watching craftsmen make ink, etc.
10:00	Visit World Heritage Site Toshodaiji. Meet and interact with Toshodaiji’s Elder Priest, and visit areas of the temple usually closed to the public. Walk through the temple precincts, and appreciate narrative picture scrolls passed down to the temple, with a monk’s insightful commentary. Gaze on the statue of Ganjin-wajo, founder of Toshodaiji.
13:00	Dine on vegetarian cuisine usually served to Buddhist monks. It celebrates vegetarian seasonal ingredients, but has great variety and beauty. Tour Options: Visit a sake brewery using traditional techniques and recipes. Engage in mental training by copying a sutra.

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Layers of Tradition and Creativity: the Art of ukiyo-e and the Hokusai VR Workshop

The world of ukiyo-e, or woodblock prints, depict the beauty and opulence of Japan’s famed floating world. Watch closely as a master demonstrates the process of pulling a print with genuine materials–pigments, glues, tools, and Echizen washi paper–and feel the value of inheriting tradition.

In this Hokusai VR workshop, the works of Hokusai, one of Japan’s greatest artists, are used to teach tactics for approaching challenges in sustainability, compassion, and creativity. By exploring his work through VR, along with study of the historical environment of his period, we can gain insight into his innovative art that changed the visual experience of the world.

Timetable

Highlights：

Visit a traditional ukiyo-e woodblock print studio and interact with craftsmen. Watch them work from close up and admire their exacting skills.
Through a state-of-the-art and interactive VR presentation, discover the appeal of the Japanese “Ukiyo-e” art and the reason these prints influenced art around the world.

Half Day Tour

13:00	Visit Tokyo’s Printing Museum. Learn about the history of printing, the culture of communicating information, and the art of ukiyo-e prints and paintings. Explore exhibitions that include the multi-block method of ukiyo-e, printing presses, and one of the world’s oldest pieces of printing.
14:00	See VR content featuring “Hokusai Manga” and experience the profound world of ukiyo-e. Get a real feel for the creativity of world-renowned ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. Transportation: Walk through pleasant neighborhood.
14:45	Visit Takahashi Kobo, a ukiyo-e atelier that has been in operation for over 150 years. Engage in dialogue with 6th generation owner, and learn secret and remarkably intricate techniques of woodblock printing that have been passed down over generations. At close range, admire the work of craftsmen using authentic materials and tools. Use precious authentic tools and experience the creative thrill of pulling your own print.
16:00	Disperse, with your own print to take home as a souvenir.

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Profound Programs

Exclusive and Personal

Unique access to top-class cultural properties not open to the public, exposure to age-old artistry techniques and secrets, and meetings with the revered people who protect cultural heritage are hallmarks of Toppan’s Profound Tourism.

The following tour concepts have been designed around visits and experiences that ultimately bring you to an understanding of essential Japanese cultural touchstones.

Tours focus on the following concepts:

Heritage
Craftsmanship
Aesthetic Sense
Harmony with Nature
Mindful Training

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Shrines and temples, and their teachings, have survived in Japan for centuries, offering lessons on sustainability and the durable function of spirituality.
Studying the survival of the great structures of temples and shrines — some more than 1,000 years old — teaches us about organizational continuity and lasting values. How Japanese people relate to Buddhist and Shinto religions, and how Japanese leaders have been guided by these religions in vision and spirit hold keys to understanding modern-day Japan, and to creating long-lived organizations.

Toshodaiji Temple (Nara)

Special visit to Toshodai-ji Temple, one of the World Heritage in Nara
Preliminary learning by appreciation of VR content regarding Ganjin-wajo who established the temple
Dialogue with elder priest of the temple, special entry to the area that is normally prohibited to enter
Get hints on corporate ethics and CSR minds from the spirit that Ganjin-wajo conveyed to Japan

Toji Temple (Kyoto)

A temple with 1,200 years of history as a surviving remnant of Heiankyo (ancient Kyoto), which now constitutes part of a UNESCO World Heritage site
Tour the temple while talking with the head priests of Toji who preserves the temple traditions
Toji has deep ties to Japan’s imperial family and it is an important temple where ceremonies to pray for national peace and security are conducted
Immersive virtual reality experience explains the philosophy of Kukai, the temple’s founder

Right photo:
KUKAI The origin of Japanese esoteric Buddhism — Means of true wisdom The Sculpture Mandala of To-ji Temple
Overall supervision: Tokyo National Museum / Kyo-o-gokoku-ji (To-ji Temple)
Production: Toppan Inc.

Zojoji Temple (Tokyo)

A valuable temple that was spared from disaster and offers deep insight into Tokyo’s history
The family temple of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who laid the foundations of the Tokyo metropolis
Experience the Edo Castle in virtual reality, a structure that symbolizes Ieyasu’s hopes for peace
Take a tour of the facility guided by a monk and access areas restricted to the public

Intricate craftsmanship is the hallmark of Japanese traditional creations such as kimono, ukiyo-e and katana swords. Techniques that have been preserved and refined over the ages, passed down from master to apprentice, result in an important part of cultural heritage. Yet a crucial element of this process is the craftsman’s approach to innovation, an essential element for survival. Learn how Japanese “shokunin” (craftsmen) balance the dual imperatives of traditional and progress, and how this can work for your endeavors.

Katana Swords (Nara)

Visit the studio of Mr. Kunihira Kawachi and observe how katana swords are forged
Converse with Mr. Kawachi, who has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Asset of Nara Prefecture and has won the “Masamune Award,” the highest honor for a swordsmith in Japan
Experience the craft in virtual reality using a head-mounted display
Learn about the spirit of craftsmanship linked to the Japanese sense of beauty

Kimono (Tokyo)

Guided by Atsushi Tomita, the fifth-generation successor of an Edo Komon dyeing studio with a history of over 150 years
Experience the Edo Komon dyeing process and wear a kimono
Learn about the kimono making process and the Japanese sense of beauty behind it
Learn about the meticulous care in craftsmanship and how business succession works in a traditional crafts context

Ukiyo-e (Tokyo)

Ukiyo-e atelier that was founded during the Edo Period (Ansei era) and has been in operation for over 150 years
Converse with Ms. Yukiko Takahashi, the sixth-generation atelier head who travels the globe to speak about ukiyo-e
Tour and workshop led by an authentic craftsperson, using authentic materials
Learn the history of ukiyo-e techniques and traditions

Encounter the cyclical providence of the world through interaction with nature and those who protect, preserve, and worship it. Whether learning to care for the gently evolving creation of a Japanese garden, or cleansing your breath by climbing age-old stone steps to a scared mountaintop, or tasting the earth’s gifts through the splendor of washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine), achieving harmony with nature becomes a healing experience in Japan.

Japanese Gardens (Kyoto)

Learn how to appreciate Japanese gardens from the master gardeners of a landscaping company founded during the Edo Period
Garden maintenance demonstration by the gardeners
Enjoy a meal and tea ceremony in a sukiya-zukuri building (architectural style with a teahouse aesthetic) located in the garden
Whole facility with garden reserved for private use and illuminated at night (optional)

Dewa-Sanzan Shrine (Yamagata)

Stay overnight at the Saikan, a facility within Dewa Sanzan Shrine located deep in the mountain
Talks given by the high priest of the shrine
Participate in the shrine’s prayer service
Wearing traditional Shiroshozoku (white garments), experience the trials of the yamabushi (mountain ascetic monks) by walking through nature with a yamabushi guide
Enjoy unique local cuisine developed from yamabushi food culture

Joetsu (Niigata)

Taste the authentic luxury of a long-established, traditional Japanese restaurant loved by the Japanese imperial family
Encounter the sustainable mindset and wisdom of people who live in harmony with the snow
Enjoy the rich food culture that developed from the climate of a snow-abundant region
The nearby ski resort boasts a long-distance ski course and snowfall that is among Japan’s finest

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Profound Movie

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Our Exclusive Features

Profound tourism offers the following:

A journey with deep insights and discoveries that cannot be obtained by ordinary sightseeing
The chance to meet and interact with people who protect and inherit cultural assets

Opportunities designed for corporate customers:

Mindful introspection by immersion in the world of Japanese culture
Cultural exposure that leads to an understanding of Japanese society and the Japanese market
Studies in sustainability through the organization of an inherited and long- preserved ancient temple
Team building through experience and dialogue with people

Various cultural experience programs are available to meet your needs.
Please contact us for details.

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About us

Toppan Profound Tourism is a new approach to tourism brought to you by Toppan Inc. and Toppan Travel Service.

Imagine-a wooden temple structure that has stood for over 1,200 years. A painted folding screen that conveys the bustling city sounds of the Middle Ages into the present. The majestic form of a castle no longer visible today. Cultural assets such as these are windows that allow you to understand the aesthetics, techniques, philosophies, and even the spirit of Japan preserved within Japanese culture with rich history.

Through encounters with deeply valuable sites and tradition-bearers, we propose profound travel to experience the authentic sides of Japan.

Toppan Inc.

Toppan Inc. is a leading global provider of integrated solutions in the fields of printing, communications, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics. Founded in 1900, Toppan has expanded and advanced the application of printing technologies to develop an extensive range of leading-edge services and solutions addressing the needs of businesses, consumers, and society as a whole. As a pioneer in the fields of information and culture, Toppan has actively applied VR and other technologies to contribute to the preservation and effective use of cultural heritage sites.

Toppan Travel Service Corp.

Toppan Travel Service has a history of more than 55 years of providing quality services based on the needs of each company in the field of international business travel and MICE. Our services range from incentive trips, inspection trips, corporate training and events to tailor-made VIP journeys – ever changing with our client’s requests to enhance corporate value centered on “travel.”

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Toppan Profound Tourism

Profound Tourism

Cultural Journeys that Resonate

The Profound Concept

Embrace Deep Insight

Model Tour 1

Buddhism × Spiritual Motivation

Model Tour 1

Buddhism × Spiritual Motivation

A Deep Study of Spiritual Motivation: Toshodaiji and the Life of Ganjin-wajo

Timetable

Highlights：

Day 1

Day 2

Model Tour 2

Tradition × Creativity

Model Tour 2

Tradition × Creativity

Layers of Tradition and Creativity: the Art of ukiyo-e and the Hokusai VR Workshop

Timetable

Highlights：

Half Day Tour

Profound Programs

Exclusive and Personal

Heritage

Toshodaiji Temple, Toji Temple, Zojoji Temple

Heritage

Toshodaiji Temple (Nara)

Toji Temple (Kyoto)

Zojoji Temple (Tokyo)

Craftsmanship

Katana Swords, Kimono, Ukiyo-e

Craftsmanship

Katana Swords (Nara)

Kimono (Tokyo)

Ukiyo-e (Tokyo)

Aesthetic Sense

Nihonga Paintings, Noh, Ikebana

Aesthetic Sense

Nihonga Paintings (Tokyo)

Noh (Tokyo)

Ikebana (Kyoto)

Harmony with Nature

Japanese Gardens, Dewa-Sanzan Shrine, Joetsu

Harmony with Nature

Japanese Gardens (Kyoto)

Dewa-Sanzan Shrine (Yamagata)

Joetsu (Niigata)

Mindful Training

Zen

Mindful Training

Zen (Tokyo)

Profound Movie

Our Exclusive Features

About us

Toppan Inc.

Toppan Travel Service Corp.