Forest Bathing in Temple and Enjoy onsen with healing power

The best part of this Odawara outing is the walk through a 500-year-old cedar and cypress forest on the way to Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple. It is not a rushed temple stop. You get quiet mountain air, a bit of exercise, local folklore, a Japanese lunch, and a hot spring soak in one well-paced day.

I like the small group size, capped at six, and the way guide Akihiro can adjust the walk to your interests. I also like the full change of pace: train and bus, forest path, old temple buildings, tea-house food, then onsen. The main catch is cost clarity. The $104.51 price does not include lunch, transport, or the roughly 2,000-yen onsen fee, so your final bill will be higher.

Key points to know before you book

• The cedar forest is the heart of the day: You walk beneath huge trees that are more than 500 years old.
• Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple has 600 years of history: Guide Akihiro adds local stories and folklore to the visit.
• Lunch is a Japanese tea-house stop: Plan on about 2,000 yen, with Japanese sweets that are well known locally.
• The onsen comes at the end: The nearby hot spring is associated with 湯治温泉, or healing hot spring stays.
• The group is limited to six people: That gives the outing a personal feel and makes it easier to tailor the pace.
• Several costs are extra: Bring money for lunch, train and bus transport, and the onsen, which costs about 2,000 yen.

Why this temple and forest make a good day from Odawara

Odawara is often treated as a stopping point for its castle, but this excursion takes you into the nearby mountains of Minamiashigara. You begin at Odawara Station, then trade the station platforms and city streets for public transport and a forested temple approach.

That change matters. You are not simply checking off a famous religious site. The visit unfolds slowly, with the forest doing much of the work. The path is lined with large cedar and cypress trees, some more than five centuries old. Their scale gives the walk a calm, sheltered feel, and the steady uphill route provides real exercise without turning the day into a hard hike.

The temple itself, Daiyuzan Saijoji, also called Doryoson, dates back about 600 years. The age is not just a number here. It helps explain why the approach feels connected to the surrounding forest, rather than separated from it by a modern visitor complex.

You should choose this outing if you like sacred places best when you can reach them on foot and hear the stories behind them. If you want a quick sightseeing stop with very little walking, this is not the right match.

Starting at Odawara Station at 9 a.m.

The meeting point is Beck’s Coffee on the third floor of Odawara Station. The start time is 9 a.m., so give yourself enough time to find the station area and arrive ready to leave. The tour returns to the same station after the onsen, which makes it easy to continue your trip or collect stored luggage.

Odawara Station has luggage storage, a useful detail if you are changing hotels or heading onward after the tour. You should still keep the items you need for the day with you, especially warm clothes, water, and anything needed for the hot spring.

From the station, you travel by train and bus toward the temple area. The transport fee is not included, and the exact amount is not supplied, so budget for it separately. This is one reason the tour price should not be viewed as the full cost of the day.

The guide is a nationally certified professional with a wilderness first aid certificate. That qualification is especially useful for a forest outing, even though the walk is designed for most people who can participate in ordinary sightseeing. The group limit of six also helps keep the departure organized and allows the guide to pay attention to the group’s pace.

Walking beneath centuries-old cedar and cypress trees

The forest walk is the most distinctive part of the experience. The route rises toward the temple through old cedar and cypress trees, creating the setting for the tour’s forest-bathing theme.

Forest bathing here means giving your attention to the natural surroundings while walking at a gentle sightseeing pace. You are not being promised a medical treatment. The appeal is simpler: fresh air, quiet surroundings, shade from the trees, and time away from city noise.

The walk also gives the temple visit a sense of arrival. Instead of stepping off a bus directly in front of a building, you approach through the mountain forest. That gradual arrival can make the temple feel more special and gives you time to settle into the slower rhythm of the day.

You should wear comfortable walking shoes. Warm clothes are also recommended for the forest, even if the weather at Odawara Station feels mild. The tour takes place in a mountain setting, and conditions can feel different beneath the trees.

This is a good outing for someone who wants exercise but does not want a full-day mountain trek. One past outing took place during a hot, humid summer day, so be ready for changing conditions. The onsen at the end can be especially welcome after a warm walk, but you should still dress and hydrate sensibly.

Daiyuzan Saijoji Temple and its local stories

At the temple, guide Akihiro explains the site’s folklore and points out the character of the old buildings and forest setting. That personal storytelling is important because a large temple compound can otherwise become a blur of roofs, gates, wood, and religious symbols.

The temple is associated with 600 years of history, while the surrounding trees are described as more than 500 years old. Those details give you a useful sense of time. You are seeing a place where the age of the forest and the age of the religious site are part of the same experience.

The buildings use cedar and cypress wood, which fits the setting particularly well. You can look at the construction, the wooded approach, and the religious atmosphere as parts of one place rather than separate sights.

The guide can tailor the outing to your interests. That may suit you if you want more attention on folklore, the forest, temple architecture, or the walk itself. In a six-person group, you also have a better chance to ask questions without holding up a large crowd.

Do not expect a long formal lecture. The value is in hearing stories while you are actually moving through the temple grounds and forest. If you prefer to explore silently and independently, the guide’s presence may feel more structured than you want. For most visitors, though, the explanations add meaning to the stop.

A Japanese lunch in the temple forest

Lunch comes at a nearby chaya, or Japanese tea house, within the temple’s forest area. The setting is part of the attraction. Rather than leaving the mountain for a standard restaurant, you pause near the temple and keep the day’s quiet mood.

Lunch costs around 2,000 yen per person and is not included in the tour price. The meal is Japanese, and the tea house is known locally for its Japanese confectionery. You may also have the option of eating at the onsen facility instead, so the exact lunch setting can vary.

This is a useful break after the walk. You can sit down, eat, and let the morning’s sights settle before changing into the slower pace of the hot spring. It also gives the day a more local feel than a packaged sightseeing lunch in a busy town restaurant.

The food detail is modest but important for planning. The tour price covers the guide, but not your meal, drinks, personal purchases, or alcohol. Bring enough yen for lunch and any sweets or souvenirs you may want.

If you have dietary needs, the supplied information does not specify menu choices or substitutions. Ask the provider before booking if your diet requires special arrangements.

Ending with a healing onsen near the temple

After lunch, you visit an onsen near the temple. The facility is associated with 湯治温泉, a tradition of hot spring bathing connected with healing the body and soul. You should understand that description as part of the cultural appeal of the bath, not as a promise to treat a medical condition.

The timing makes sense. You have walked through the forest, climbed toward the temple, and spent time sightseeing. The hot spring offers a quiet finish and a chance to rest before returning to Odawara.

The onsen fee is around 2,000 yen per person and is not included. Your lunch can be at the temple tea house or at the onsen facility, depending on the plan for the day. That flexibility may be useful, but you should confirm the day’s arrangement with the guide if meal timing matters to you.

You will need to follow normal onsen customs, though the supplied details do not list the facility’s exact bathing rules or whether towels are provided. Pack only what you need for the outing and ask the provider if you want to confirm towel arrangements before departure.

The onsen is one of the strongest reasons to choose this tour instead of a basic temple excursion. You get a clear finish to the day rather than returning to the station immediately after sightseeing. If you do not enjoy hot spring bathing, the tour may feel less worthwhile because the onsen is a central part of the plan.

What the $104.51 price really covers

The listed price is $104.51 per person. It includes the service of a nationally certified professional guide with wilderness first aid certification. The temple admission is free, so you are mainly paying for the guide’s time, route planning, local interpretation, and coordination of a six-hour outing.

The additional costs are important:

• Lunch costs around 2,000 yen per person.
• Transportation by train and bus is extra.
• The onsen costs around 2,000 yen per person.
• Personal purchases, souvenirs, and alcohol are extra.

The transport amount is not provided, so you cannot calculate the exact total from the available details. Group discounts are listed, but no discount amount is given. Ask for the group rate if you are booking with friends or family.

The price makes the most sense if you value a guided day with local context and do not want to arrange the train, bus, temple visit, lunch, and onsen on your own. It is less attractive if you are comfortable planning public transport and visiting the temple independently.

The small group limit improves the value. With no more than six people, the guide can respond to questions and adjust the pace. A private-feeling outing is particularly useful in a place where the stories and setting matter as much as the main sight.

Who will enjoy this outing most

I would choose this tour for people who want a slower day outside Odawara, especially those who like forests, traditional religious sites, and hot springs. It suits couples, friends, and solo visitors who would enjoy company but do not want a large coach group.

It also works well for visitors who prefer a mix of activity and rest. The forest walk gives you movement and fresh air. The temple gives you culture and folklore. Lunch gives you a local food stop. The onsen lets you finish at an easy pace.

You should be comfortable walking on a forest path and wearing proper shoes. The information says most people can participate, but it does not provide a detailed distance, elevation, or accessibility description. If you have concerns about hills, uneven ground, or bathing facilities, ask the provider before booking.

Service animals are allowed, and the starting point is near public transportation. The group maximum is six people. These details make the outing easier to manage, but the forest setting still means you should prepare for outdoor conditions.

The tour is less suitable if you want a completely independent day, dislike public transport, or need a fixed meal menu and exact cost in advance. It is also not ideal for anyone looking for a city-only experience or a short temple photo stop.

Timing, weather, and booking details

The outing lasts about six hours. You meet at 9 a.m. at Odawara Station and return there at the end. That schedule gives you a full morning and early afternoon, but the actual pace can depend on transport and walking conditions.

Good weather is required. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered a different date or a full refund. For any other cancellation or change, the experience is non-refundable and cannot be amended, so check your plans carefully before paying.

Confirmation is provided at booking. The activity accepts mobile tickets, which is handy for a morning meeting at a busy station. Group discounts are available, though the amount is not stated.

The strongest practical tip is to arrive ready for both a forest walk and an onsen. Wear comfortable shoes, bring warm clothing, and keep your spending money separate from your phone or ticket. If you are carrying luggage, use Odawara Station storage rather than taking large bags into the mountain outing.

Should you book this Odawara temple and onsen tour?

Book it if you want a guided break from Odawara with old trees, temple folklore, a Japanese tea-house meal, and a hot spring finish. The combination is unusual and well balanced, and Akihiro’s ability to tailor the day is useful in a small group.

Skip it if you want a low-cost outing with no extra fees, very little walking, or complete control over your schedule. The final price is higher than the headline amount once lunch, transport, and the onsen are added.

For the right visitor, this is a thoughtful six-hour escape into the Minamiashigara mountains. The forest walk and onsen are the main reasons to go, while the temple stories and tea-house lunch give the day its local character.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Beck’s Coffee on the third floor of Odawara Station at 9 a.m. The listed station address is 1-chōme-1-1 Shiroyama, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0045, Japan.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at Odawara Station, the same meeting point used at the start.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately six hours.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch costs around 2,000 yen per person. It may be served at a Japanese tea house in the temple forest or at the onsen facility.

Are transportation and the onsen included in the price?

No. Train and bus transportation are extra, and the onsen costs around 2,000 yen per person.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable walking shoes and warm clothes for the forest walk. Odawara Station has luggage storage if you need to store bags before the outing.