17-day pilgrimage to Japan and to Philippines in the footsteps of St. Maximilian Kolbe and John Paul II

In the morning, arrival to Tokyo airport, passport control, transfer to a hotel in the city centre. Holy mass. Ride to the top of Tokyo Tower – panorama of the city. Lastly: visit Zojoji Temple – introduction to Buddhist culture.
Dinner and overnight stay in Tokyo.

Breakfast and drive to St. Ignatius Church in Tokyo for mass. Lunch. City-tour of the most significant parts of Tokyo: the Emperor’s Palace (from outside) and its square, the famous double Nijubashi Bridge with a view of the Emperor’s residence.
Walk through the business districts Otemachi and Marunouchi to the luxury Ginza district.
Dinner and overnight stay in Tokyo.

After breakfast, take the Shinkansen bullet train to Nagasaki, check-in at the hotel complex within the Unzen volcano national park, featured in Scorsese’s film „Silence”. Walk to places commemorating the martyrdom of Japanese Christians. Later, a walk around the national park to see the hot springs and the fumaroles. Mass in the Unzen area.
Typical Japanese dinner in traditional clothes next to an onsen (a hot spring).
Overnight stay in the Unzen area.

Breakfast and drive to Nagasaki, the city connected with the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
Visit the Oura Church (the oldest church in Japan), which was the first place of Kolbe’s residence in Nagasaki. Visit the exhibition about the activity of the Polish saint and Japanese Christians and martyrs. Visit the museum and monument to the 26 martyrs of Japan visited by John Paul II and Mother Theresa.
Transfer to the city centre: visit the Atomic Bomb Museum, the explosion hypocentre and then a walk around the Peace Memorial Park.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay; a chance to use the hot baths once more.

Breakfast and drive to the centre of Nagasaki. Visit the Hongochi Monastery – one of the most important works of St. Maximilian in Japan; visit the museum with numerous exhibits dedicated to him; the cell where he lived, the printing machines and place where the Japanese edition of „Militia Immaculatae” was published. Mass in the Lourdes grotto, also built by St. Maximilian.
Later, drive to Konagai to visit the Franciscan Convent of Militia Immaculatae, founded by Fr. Mieczyslaw Mirochna; then a short visit to a cemetery where Christian missionaries were buried. Dinner and overnight stay in Unzen.

After breakfast, take the Shinkansen to Himeji, the city famous for its castle, one of the biggest ones in Japan, called the White Heron Castle. Mass in the Church of St. Francis Xavier – the first missionary in Japan.
Dinner and overnight in Himeji.

Breakfast, then take the Shinkansen to Kyoto, the former Japanese capital. Visit the park with the Temple of the Golden Pavilion (UNESCO site), one of the most splendid historical buildings in the country of Cherry Blossoms. Transfer to the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral for mass.
In the afternoon, a walk along the Kamo River to the district of geishas – Gion.
Transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, take the Shinkansen to Akita, where Our Lady appeared numerous times. In the evening, mass in St. Augustine’s Church; visit the monument to Christian martyrs of northern Japan.

Breakfast and another day in Akita. Visit the weeping statue of the Virgin Mary at the Shrine of Our Lady of Akita, a convent where Our Lady appeared to Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa (the apparitions from 1973 are considered to be a continuation of the apparitions in Fatima). Time for individual prayer.
Return to Tokyo for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive towards one of the icons of Japan – Mount Fuji. Wonderful views over the valleys of this mountain. Weather permitting: ride to the Fifth Station. Return to Tokyo for dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast and transfer to Shinjuku; ride to the 45th floor of the Metropolitan Government Building for a farewell panorama of Tokyo. Visit to the Shibuya and Harajuku districts, time for some final shopping. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, transfer to Tokyo airport, passport control, check-in and flight to the Philippines. Land in Manila; transfer to hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast and mass, then visit to the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran. Later, a city-tour of Manila: visit Fort Santiago, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, San Agustin Church, then lunch. Later, visit Quiapo Church – the Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

After breakfast, visit the National Sanctuary in Antipolo and walk around the vicinity. Drive to Bulacan – visit the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy for mass.
Drive to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast and transfer to Pundaquit Beach, boat ride to a desert island, time for swimming. Light fruit lunch on the island (e.g. mango & coconut). Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast and drive through terrain filled by volcano lava mud (during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo), to Bacolor Church which was partially buried by the eruption. Holy mass. Later, drive to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila in San Domingo Church in Quezon. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive to the airport, check-in and flight back home.