Our pilgrimage begins as we board our motorcoach and transfer from Tucson to Phoenix to board our flight to Tokyo. Meals and refreshments served on board.

Upon arrival in Tokyo, we will proceed to our hotel for check-in before gathering as a group for Mass at
Takanawa Church, which commemorates the Great Martyrdom of Tokyo. We will gather for our first dinner tonight as a group. Overnight in Tokyo.

We will start our first day of touring with Mass at Fujioshida Catholic Church. Afterwards, we will set out for the breathtaking Mount Fuji, where we will explore the beautiful mountain area and have the chance to pray at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Fuji. We will return to Tokyo for the night. Overnight in Tokyo.

This morning, we will check out of our hotel and fly to Nagasaki, sometimes called the “Little Rome of Japan.” We will begin our time here with Mass at St. Philip’s Church. Then, we will walk a short way to the Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument, where we will learn the incredible story of Catholicism in Japan over the centuries, giving us a foretaste of the sites that we will visit during the pilgrimage. The museum also highlights the twenty-six martyrs of Japan, including St. Paul Miki, who preached forgiveness while hanging on his cross. We will also be privileged to see original letters written by St. Francis Xavier. Overnight in Nagasaki.

Following breakfast, we will drive to Hirado to visit St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church and Tabira Church, parts of which were built with seashells, crushed and turned into stone by the very hands of their parishioners. We will have Mass at Tabira Church and learn how, in 1873, the ban on Christianity was lifted and Christians, who had been in hiding for over two centuries, came out 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. Overnight in Nagasaki.

We will begin our day with Mass and a Holy Hour at St. Maximilian Kolbe’s Seibo no Kishi – Hongouchi Church. Afterwards, we will visit the St. Kolbe Memorial Museum, pray at the Lourdes Grotto built by St. Maximilian in the 1930s, and walk the Rosary Path. This afternoon, we will 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 of these visits are included and can be explored at our own pace, providing time to shop in the nearby commercial area. Time permitting, we will also visit Our Lady of the Cape, a statue erected at the entrance of Nagasaki Bay on August 15, 1949, the 400th anniversary of St. Francis Xavier bringing Christianity to Japan on Our Lady’s Feast Day. Tonight, we will come together for dinner at a traditional Japanese restaurant. Overnight in Nagasaki.

We will begin the day at Shimabara Catholic Church for 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 give up their faith. Nearby, we will visit the site of the Shimabara Rebellion and Hara Castle, where in 1637, local Christian farmers, fed up with persecution, gathered in revolt and fought bravely against the Shogunate army. In response, the army murdered 37,000 Catholics. Today, we will also see the 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.

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 to visit 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.” Lastly, we will visit the Nagai family gravesite and have the opportunity to pray near this great saint. Overnight in Nagasaki.

In the morning, we will take the Bullet Train to Hiroshima, where we will start 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 destroyed and stands today as a visual reminder of the events. If time permits, we will also visit Hiroshima Castle, which now serves as a museum of local history before World War II. Overnight in Hiroshima.

This morning, we will take the Bullet Train to Osaka. Today, we will experience Osaka’s many shopping and cultural sites. We will begin with Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, also known as Catholic Tamatsukuri Church, which features a commemoration of Blessed Justo Takayama Ukon, a Japanese Catholic samurai with heroic virtue in the 17th century who was beatified in 2017. Nearby, we will visit Osaka Castle, a landmark of Japan famous for its history and stature, and recently popularized by its depiction in an American television drama. Overnight in Osaka.

This morning, we will go to Kawaramachi Church, which commemorates the 52 Kyoto Martyrs, and have Mass in the Our Lady of Miyako Chapel. Our last stop is Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the early 17th century and still in remarkable condition today. We will also have more free time today to explore shopping and cultural sites in Kyoto. Overnight in Osaka.

Today, we will have Mass at Suita Church before we head to the airport for our flight to Akita. Upon arrival, we will have some time to explore the area before dinner. Overnight in Akita.

Today we will gather for 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. From 1973 until the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows in 1981, this statue miraculously shed tears—sometimes for days at a time, other times at various intervals. Following Mass, we will have a ceremony of consecration and enrollment in the Miraculous Medal. This afternoon, we will spend time exploring Kakunodate, the Samurai District, and the Aoyagi Samurai Manor. Overnight in Akita.

This morning, we will return to the convent for Mass and have some time for prayer. Together, we will pray the outdoor Stations of the Cross and rosary walk. Seitai Hoshikai is home to one of the few Catholic gift shops in Japan, so we will also have time to shop there today. In the afternoon, we will visit Catholic Akita Church, which commemorates the 32 Catholic samurai and their families who were martyred in 1624. Tonight, we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner together. Overnight in Akita.

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 will transfer to Akita Airport for our flight to Tokyo. From there, you can choose to spend more time in Japan or make your way home.