Japan Mystical Arts Immersion 2026
May 7th - 12th
November 9th - 14th
All Soul Everything
Writing & Spoken Word Arts Immersions:
May 25th - 30th
November 25th - 30th
Japan is Calling.
This Spring and Autumn season are the perfect times to experience the diverse offerings of beauty that Japan offers. Allow us to guide you on a spiritually-centered journey through arts and culture,
ancient and contemporary.
A Journey Into the Soul of Japan
There is a Japan that lives beyond the postcards and overcrowded attractions.
A Japan that breathes in quiet forests, forgotten pathways, and timeless temple rituals.
Join us for a 6-day immersion in Kyoto & Nara the cultural & spiritual heart of Japan. Together, we will step off the well-trodden path and into sacred spaces rarely touched by tourism. You’ll be guided through daily practices of meditation, qi gong, creative writing, and sacred silence in places chosen for their energetic potency and historical depth. We will also experience the beauty of Japan through its cuisine and local hospitality.
Whether you are a seasoned spiritual traveler or someone simply feeling a quiet pull toward something deeper, this journey is for you.
Feel the stillness of moss-covered temples and ancient cedar groves
Engage in soulful practices drawn from Japanese spiritual traditions
Reconnect to yourself through presence, nature, and creatively shared experience
Discover a Japan that speaks to your spirit, and natural sensibilities
No prior experience is needed. Let the land reveal what you didn’t know you were seeking.
Only 8 Spaces Available each session
The Schedule
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Day 1 - Earth, Wind, Fire & Water
Today we will travel to one of Kyoto’s best-kept-secret temples (and Kamau’s favorite), where we will immerse into nature to practice the fundamentals of energy awareness and meditative practice. This day will set the tone for our four days of experience.
In the morning, we will join a sacred ‘Goma Ritual’. The Goma ritual (護摩) is an esoteric Buddhist fire‐offering ceremony practiced chiefly in Japan’s Shingon and Tendai schools. During the rite, a priest chants mantras and sutras while consecrating a blazing hearth into which wooden sticks (goma‐gi), inscribed with participants’ prayers or intentions, are cast. As the flames consume the offerings, they symbolically burn away karmic impurities and obstacles, invoke wisdom deities (most notably Fudō Myōō), and bestow purification, protection, and spiritual blessings upon all present.
Afterwards we will journey west to a special Shingon temple.
* Goma Ritual Ceremony
* Explore and Practice at Beautiful Esoteric Buddhist Temple
* Qi Gong Practice
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Day 2 - Life Force Energy and Personal Power
On Day 2, we travel up and over Mt. Kurama mountain. At the apex, we will engage in a powerful Tuluvi energy arts practice at the refreshing and energetically charged location where Mikao Usui meditated for 21 days and brought forth the healing modality known as ‘Reiki’. Along the way, we will experience the grandeur of 800 year old trees and stop for meditation at Kurama Temple, as well as exploring other wonderful sites the mountain area offers.
* Sacred Mountain Hike
* Mountain Temple Visit
* Qi Gong and Meditation at the Birthplace of Reiki
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Day 3 - Mystical Creativity & Mantra
Creativity is the language of the unseen to the seen. On this day, we enter the sacred dimension of Mystical Creativity, where expression becomes a bridge between spirit and form, between the silence within and the living landscape around us. Through written and spoken word, sacred movement and visual art, we will allow the expressions from our depth to rise to the surface.
* Japanese Tea Ceremony
Esoteric Poetry workshop with Kamau Special Performance Presentation -
Day 4 - The Spirit of Nara
Nara is where the breath of Japan's spiritual heritage still lingers in the morning mist.
Before Kyoto, there was Nara, the first capital of Japan and the birthplace of many of its most enduring sacred traditions. Here, the presence of the kami (spirit forces) and Buddhas foster a living atmosphere woven into the towering cedars, the silent stone lanterns.
On this day, we journey into the quiet soul of Japan.
* You will walk the same paths once trodden by monks, poets, and pilgrims.
* Visit one of Japan’s most beautiful temples and was the first temple to allow and welcome women into sacred grounds for worship.
* Engage in specific grounding practices to deepen our presence and attune to the subtle currents of energy that still pulse through this sacred terrain.
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Day 5 - Kyoto Traditonal Arts
In Japan, the traditional life and cultural arts are honored and preserved in Kyoto. On this Kyoto day, we will engage and experience the weaving of the old, the now, and the future. You will experience:
*Traditional Japanese Dance Performance
* Japanese Dinner
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Day 6 - Boutiques and Shops
On the final day, you can explore the variety of unique shops and boutiques Kyoto has for arts, crafts and clothing shopping. Let us know your interests and we’ll steer you in the right direction.
Special Activities
Goma Fire Ritual
Contemporary Japanese Tea Ceremony
Visit The First Esoteric Buddhist Temple to Allow Women to Practice and one of Japan’s most beautiful temples
Kamau Abayomi and Nanaka Abayomi are interdisciplinary artists, spiritual guides, and cultural stewards whose work bridges ancient wisdom and contemporary embodiment.
Kamau is a mystic poet and performance arts curator, certified qi gong instructor, and soul remembrance guide with over 25 years of experience in energy cultivation, African and Asian esoteric practice, and metaphysical exploration. A graduate of the Monroe Institute’s Gateway Voyage program, he brings a grounded clarity and visionary depth to every space he enters, guiding others into the subtle dimensions of inner truth and energetic presence. Kamau has been traveling to Japan to teach, to learn and to create for over two decades.
Nanaka is a dancer, yogini, and teacher of healing through movement. Born and raised in Nagoya, Japan, she was trained in traditional Japanese dance at a young age and expanded into contemporary dance movement. Her path has flowed through soul music, somatic yoga, and temple arts. Her presence is at once rooted and ethereal, inviting grace, stillness, and remembrance through the body’s innate intelligence.
Together, they create spaces where the mystical becomes tangible; where sacred practice, cultural reverence, and inner listening open gateways to a deeper experience of self, land, and spirit.
Why Join the Mystical Arts Immersion?
• Experience a Spiritually Centered Exploration of Japan
Immerse yourself in Kyoto and Nara’s lesser-known temples, ancient forests, and shrines, each chosen for their energetic depth and stillness.
• Deepen Your Personal Practice
Learn powerful yet accessible energy cultivation tools through daily practice of qi gong, meditation, breathwork, and tuluvi dynamics to harmonize and energize mind, body and spirit.
• Awaken the Inner Elements
Reconnect with Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind through guided elemental rituals revealing new dimensions of your vitality and consciousness.
• Travel with Intention, Beyond Rigid Itinerary
This immersion is not to be entered as a sightseeing tour. Every day is curated as a ceremonial unfolding, a living dialogue between you, spirit, and place. While we have a blueprint and arranged activities, we also leave space for spontaneity and moving according to the energies of the group.
• Integrate Mysticism and Creativity
Experience a fusion of Japanese and African traditions, metaphysical insight, and sacred arts that speak to both the seen and unseen.
• Connect with a Conscious Community
Share the path with fellow soul travelers and seekers, held in an atmosphere of trust, reverence, and open-hearted exchange.
• Return Home Renewed
Leave with more than inspiration; leave with practices, clarity, and inner alignment that continue to guide you long after the journey ends.
Join us for a richly diverse experience that allows you to explore new depths of your inner world, as you travel the timeless wisdom in Japan’s mystical environments.
Past Intimate Immersions
All Soul Everything:
Writing & Spoken Word Immersion (Kyoto, Japan)
Curated and Facilitated by Kamau Abayomi
Join us for our first All Soul Everything writing and spoken word immersion in the spiritual and cultural heart of Japan!
May 25th - 30th, 2026 (Spring)
November 25th - 30th (Autumn)
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5 day immersion into temples, nature power spots and city experiences of Kyoto, Japan with a focus on the written and spoken word.
Guided group and personal writing and spoken word exercises
Great group discussions and silent contemplation time
Traditional Japanese wellness & meditation experiences
Traditional & Contemporary Japanese Arts Experience
Pilgrimages to historical settings of legendary Japanese writers
Excellent Japanese Cuisine
Ample time for free exploration, rest & reflection
A day for shopping
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Day 1 - The Elements
Introduction to alignment to the intention and flow of the week at one of Kyoto’s most beautiful templesDay 2 - Life Force & Personal Power
We travel to the birthplace of Reiki for a meditative writing experience unlike any you have experienced before.
Day 3 - The Poetic Eye, The Mystic Voice
Kamau will guide you in the way of mystical creativity and developing the “poetic eye” and “mystic voice”. After our group workshop, each participant will be given special, personalized missions to accomplish.Day 4 - Poetipassana Experience
Kamau’s specially curated Vippassana meditation for writers.
Day 5 - Your Projects , Your Path, Your Peace
Aligning your writing goals, with your life path and your peace of mind.
Day 6 - Gift Shopping
Kyoto is a gift shopping heaven, for others and/or for yourself. We’ll guide you through the grand shopping district, to explore your interests.
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Book Your Spot
Sign up and pay all required fees to reserve your spot. If plans change, you can cancel up to 14 days before the retreat start to receive a 50% refund.Review the FAQs
For the most commonly asked questions about the logistics of travel and accommodation and coverage, review here:
https://www.kamauabayomi.com/japanretreat#faqBook Your Travel
We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from Kyoto as soon as possible, to ensure you can arrive without any complications or delays and to get the best travel rates.Book Your Accommodation
Once you have booked your flight, book your accommodation according to your budget and level of comfort. I will you a map of our general meeting area and the options there, then you can make your choice
Get Packed & Join Us
Now that you are set, I will add you to a group chat for direct updates and info. All that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for your new adventure. -
$2200 (Early Bird until March 1st for May / June 1st for November)
$2800 (Regular rate)
(Payment plans are available. Inquire for information)
Only 8 Spots Available!
Frequently Asked Questions
Travel & Logistics
Preparation & Requirements
Group & Atmosphere
Payment & Cancellation
For Those Who Feel the Quiet Call
If a quiet question remains within you, trust that it, too, is part of the path. We welcome you to reach out. Sometimes, a single conversation is all that is needed to get clear.
Together, we will step off the well-trodden path and into sacred spaces rarely touched by tourism. You’ll be guided through daily practices of meditation, qi gong, energy dynamics, creative writing, and sacred silence, all in places chosen for their energetic potency and historical depth. We will also experience the beauty of Japan through its cuisine and local hospitality.
Whether you are a seasoned spiritual traveler or someone simply feeling a quiet pull toward something deeper… this journey is for you.
Feel the stillness of moss-covered temples and ancient cedar groves
Engage in powerful practices drawn from Japanese spiritual traditions
Reconnect to yourself through presence, nature, and creatively shared experience
Discover a Japan that speaks to your spirit, and your elegant sensibilities
This is a time to listen deeply, move gently, and receive fully; within and without.
No prior experience is needed. Let the land reveal what you didn’t know you were seeking.
Only 8 Spaces Available for Each Session!
Spaces are limited to just 8 participants to maintain intimacy and personal guidance.