Arrival & welcome Mass
Overnight TokyoBegin with arrival Mass at Takanawa Catholic Church, followed by a visit to the Imperial Palace area.
- Takanawa Church
- Imperial Palace area
- Pilgrimage welcome
Itineraries / Tokyo to Akita
11-day pilgrimage
An 11-day journey of prayer and fellowship from Tokyo to Akita, following the witness of Japan’s martyrs, St. Maximilian Kolbe and the Marian devotion of Seitai Hoshikai.
Pilgrimage moments
Group visits with clergy offer a glimpse of the fellowship at the heart of a pilgrimage.


The journey at a glance
From Tokyo and Mount Fuji to Nagasaki and Akita, with time for prayer and reflection.

Tokyo · Nagasaki · Akita
Three nights in Tokyo, four nights in Nagasaki and three nights in Akita, with planned daily Mass and dedicated time for reflection.
Begin with arrival Mass at Takanawa Catholic Church, followed by a visit to the Imperial Palace area.
Join Tokyo MIM members for Mass. MIM participants continue with an all-day Day of Reflection; other pilgrims may visit Tokyo Tower, Shibuya Crossing and Shinjuku Gyoen after Mass.
Celebrate Mass at Fujiyoshida Catholic Church and visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Fuji between the second and third stations. Return to Tokyo.
Fly to Nagasaki. Celebrate Mass at St. Philip’s Church, then visit the Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument and Museum on Nishizaka Hill.
Celebrate Mass at Seibo no Kishi—Hongouchi Catholic Church. Visit Kolbe’s museum, the rosary walk and Lourdes Grotto, followed by Ōura Cathedral, the former seminary museum and Kolbe’s first friary on Ōura hill.
Visit the Unzen Hells persecution site, celebrate Mass at Shimabara Catholic Church and continue to Hara Castle ruins and the Holy Maria Kannon memorial.
Celebrate Mass at Urakami Cathedral. Visit the Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park, then Nyokodo, Dr. Takashi Nagai’s museum and the Nagai family gravesite.
Begin with an early Mass in Nagasaki, then travel north to Akita by air, with connections as required.
Visit Seitai Hoshikai Catholic Convent for planned Mass, the outdoor Stations of the Cross, a Rosary Walk and personal reflection.
Return to Seitai Hoshikai for Mass and quiet prayer. Visit Catholic Akita Church, which commemorates the 32 Catholic samurai and family members martyred in 1624.
Conclude with Mass at Catholic Tsuchizaki Church before traveling to Tokyo for your onward journey. Timing is coordinated with the final flight schedule.