Japan Pilgrimage
Fifteen days in the footsteps of Japan’s saints and martyrs, from Tokyo and Mount Fuji to Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Our Lady of Akita, with Mass each day.
Your chaplain
Fr. Elias Mary Mills, F.I.
Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate
Fr. Elias Mary Mills is a Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate, a Nebraska native ordained a priest in 2000. He follows the spirituality of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who founded a friary in Nagasaki, and he led Canterbury’s Japan pilgrimage in October 2024.
He travels with us for the whole pilgrimage, offering daily Mass, confession and the sacraments.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
In Hiroshima we celebrate Mass at the Assumption of Mary Cathedral, the Memorial Cathedral of World Peace, and pray at the Peace Memorial Park. In Nagasaki we pray at Urakami Cathedral before the Hibaku Maria and at the grave of Dr. Takashi Nagai.
Hiroshima Castle · Hiroshima
Japan, April 3 to 17, 2027
Fifteen days, thirteen nights in Tokyo, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Osaka and Akita, with Mass each day. Breakfast is included daily, with ten dinners.
Depart for Tokyo, Japan
Our pilgrimage begins as we board our flight to Tokyo (not included).
Arrival in Tokyo
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.
Fujiyoshida Church & Mt. Fuji
We will start our first day of touring with Mass at Fujiyoshida Catholic Church. Afterwards, we will set out for the breathtaking Mount Fuji where we will explore the beautiful mountain area and the chance to pray at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Fuji. We will return to Tokyo for the night.
Nagasaki, St. Philip’s Church & Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument
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 will also highlight the twenty-six martyrs of Japan, including that of 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.
Tabira Church, St. Camillus 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 with 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 East China Sea.
Hongouchi, Kolbe Memorial & Oura Cathedral
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. Time permitting, we will 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.
Shimabara, Unzen Hot Springs & Hara Castle
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 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.
Urakami Cathedral, Hypocenter Park, Atomic Bomb Museum, Dr. Takashi Nagai Museum & Nagai Family Gravesite
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.” Lastly, we will visit the Nagai family gravesite and have the opportunity to pray near this great Servant of God.
Bullet Train to Hiroshima, Assumption of Mary Cathedral, Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Museum & Hiroshima Castle
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 decimated and stands today as a visual reminder of the events. Today if time permits, we will also visit the Hiroshima Castle which now serves as a museum of local history before World War II.
Train to Osaka, St. Mary’s Cathedral & Osaka Castle
This morning, we will take the Bullet Train to Osaka. Today we get to 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. He was beatified in 2017. Nearby, we will make a visit to Osaka Castle, a landmark of Japan famous for its history and stature, and recently popularized with its depiction in an American television drama.
Kawaramachi Church, Our Lady of Miyako Chapel & Nijo Castle
This morning, we will go to the Kawaramachi Church, which commemorates the 52 Kyoto Martyrs, and have Mass in the Our Lady of Miyako Chapel. Our last stop is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the early 17th century and still in remarkable condition today: Nijo Castle. We will have more free time today to explore shopping and cultural sites in Kyoto.
Catholic Suita Church & Flight to Akita
Today, we will have Mass at Suita Church before we head to the airport for our flight to Akita. When we land, we will have a little time to explore the area before dinner.
Seitai Hoshikai, Kakunodate & the Aoyagi Samurai Manor
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, 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. This afternoon, we will spend time exploring Kakunodate, the Samurai District, and the Aoyagi Samurai Manor.
Chapel of Our Lady of Akita Seitai Hoshikai
This morning, we will return to the convent for Mass and have some time for prayer. Together we will pray the outdoor stations and rosary walk. Seitai Hoshikai is home to one of the few Catholic gift shops in Japan, so we will have some time to shop there today. In the afternoon we will visit Catholic Akita Church commemorating the 32 Catholic Samurai and families who were martyred in 1624. Tonight, we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner together.
Return 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.
What’s included
Everything below is covered by the package price.
Your hotels in Japan
Three-star hotels throughout: two nights in Tokyo, five in Nagasaki, one in Hiroshima, two in Osaka and three in Akita. Hotels are subject to final confirmation; if a hotel changes, it is replaced with one of the same standard.
Price per person
Per person, land only: international flights to Japan are not included. The domestic group flights and bullet trains are included. Canterbury can quote and book your flights from your local airport.
Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds. If you would like us to match you with a roommate, tell us when you book and we will do our best. Please note that if we cannot find you a match by the final payment date of January 5, 2027, the single room supplement will apply.
Couples, families, friends, singles, all are welcome!
Some pilgrims come as a couple, some bring the whole family, some come with a friend from the parish, and plenty come on their own. Everyone is welcome.
$200 per person is non-refundable.
Final payment is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
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Japan with Fr. Elias
April 3 to 17, 2027, with Fr. Elias Mary Mills, F.I. Reserve today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Questions? Call +1 (800) 653-0017 or email hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Secure your spot today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Frequently asked questions
This is an active program that covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect a wake-up call around 7am, departure by 9am and a return to the hotel between 5pm and 6pm. You should be able to walk 3 to 4 miles a day at a moderate pace, with uneven surfaces, stairs and some slopes. Travel days include two domestic flights and two bullet train journeys, so pack a suitcase you can manage on and off a train.
Early to mid April is spring in Japan: usually mild in Tokyo, Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Osaka, and cooler in Akita in the north and around Mount Fuji. Bring layers, a light rain jacket and comfortable walking shoes.
No. The price covers the land program, including the domestic group flights and bullet trains. Canterbury is happy to quote and book your international flights. If you book your own, arrive at Tokyo Haneda (HND) by 12:00pm on Sunday, April 4, and book your flight home from Haneda no earlier than 6:00pm on Saturday, April 17. We do not recommend Tokyo Narita (NRT), because of the distance and cost of reaching the group.
You need a passport valid for at least six months beyond the return date; passport cards are not accepted for international travel. US citizens do not currently need a visa for a short visit to Japan. Entry rules can change, and we will tell you about any new requirement before departure. If you hold another passport, check the visa rules for your nationality. We need your passport details at least 90 days before departure.
Rates are per person based on two pilgrims sharing a room. Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds, and rooms in Japan usually have twin beds. If you are travelling alone we will try to match you with a roommate of the same gender; if we cannot, the single room supplement applies.
Final payment is due on January 5, 2027. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
We strongly encourage travel insurance for all of our pilgrims, and we partner with Allianz Travel Insurance to offer affordable coverage. Most of our pilgrims choose the Classic Plan. Insurance can be quoted and purchased after registration.
A pilgrimage is not a vacation or excursion but a unique spiritual journey that provides many opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and enrich your Catholic faith by bringing Scripture to life. Pilgrimages offer the opportunity to let Christ draw you near.
More questions are answered in our Support Center, covering booking, payments, travel insurance, passports and what to expect on pilgrimage.